Clinical Practical Procedures for Junior Doctors: (Churchill Pocketbooks)

"Churchill's Pocketbook of Clinical Practical Procedures for Junior Doctors" provides an instruction manual for common, essential ward-based practical procedures. The book is aimed at those in their foundation years, as well as being useful for those starting their subsequent specialist training years. Many of these procedures are not taught at medical school, yet are expected to be routinely implemented as a junior doctor. Furthermore, the competency-based assessment structure being implemented as part of the 'Modernizing Medical Careers' program has highlighted and defined the need for professional guidance and teaching with such procedures. The book covers all major ward-based practical procedures (including all of those covered in the Foundation Program syllabus), with chapters for related procedures being grouped under relevant sections. Each chapter is set out under a standard set of headings, including the indications for the procedure, the anatomy underlying the procedure, details of how to perform the procedures, post-procedure care, potential complications and their management, and relevant investigations. The style is concise and to the point in the form of a quick reference guide, and the methodology reads as if performing the procedure in person on the ward. Numerous clinical photographs and diagrams complement the text at key steps of the procedure. Every chapter has a number of helpful 'Tips' boxes providing practical advice and experience in an easy-to-read manner. Current recommendations are included from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), together with procedural guidelines issued by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG).

Table of Contents:
Airway care with simple devices. Peak expiratory flow rate measurement and spirometry. Pleural aspiration (of fluid or air). Chest drain insertion and management. Percutaneous pleural biopsy. Venepuncture (peripheral and femoral). Blood cultures. Peripheral venous cannulation. Preparing and setting up intravenous medications. Intravenous fluids and commonly prescribed infusions. Central venous catheter insertion. Arterial blood gas sampling. Arterial cannulation. Performing an electrocardiogram (ECG). Nasogastric tube placement. Abdominal paracentesis and ascitic drain insertion. Rigid sigmoidoscopy. Urethral catheterisation. Lumbar puncture. Arthrocentesis of the knee. Subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. Local anaesthetics. Suturing.

Review :
Everyday procedures such as venepuncture and cannulation are explained thoroughly, making this handbook useful for undergraduates at all stages. More complex procedures, such as chest drains, are explained in the same stepwise manner. Overall, the book is recommended as a valuable guide for undergraduates and doctors in the first few years of training. It provides a clear, back to basics approach to the skills expected of junior doctors. Clinical Practical Procedures for Junior Doctors Nisha Patel and Daniel Knight