Lab and Diagnostic Tests Guides?

two that i have are:

• mosby's diagnostic and laboratory test reference by kathleen deska pagana and timothy james pagana
• davis's comprehensive handbook of laboratory and diagnostic tests with nursing implications by anne m. van leeuwen, todd r. kranpitz and lynette smith.
• there is some lab information in the medical dictionaries

there are free online resources as well:

• medicine net procedures & tests a to z index http://www.medicinenet.com/procedure...ts/article.htm
• web md index list of tests http://www.webmd.com/a_to_z_guide/medical_tests.htm
• lab tests online http://www.labtestsonline.org/
• http://library.med.utah.edu/webpath/webpath.html - the internet pathology laboratory for medical education
• also see the "tests" link in the a.d.a.m. illustrated health encyclopedia http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/index.htm
• patient information from ge on various types of radiological/nuclear scans http://www.amershamhealth-us.com/patient/
• harvard health guide to diagnostic tests (organized by body system—includes ob procedures
• http://www.health.harvard.edu/diagnostic-tests/

there are a number of ways to acquire nursing diagnosis reference information .

• your instructors might have given it to you.
• you can purchase it directly from nanda. nanda-i nursing diagnoses: definitions & classification 2007-2008 published by nanda international. cost is $24.95 http://www.nanda.org/html/nursing_diagnosis.html
• many authors of care plan and nursing diagnosis books include the nanda nursing diagnosis information. this information will usually be found immediately below the title of a nursing diagnosis.
• the nanda taxonomy and a medical disease cross reference is in the appendix of both taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary and mosby's medical, nursing, & allied health dictionary
• there are also two websites that have information for about 75 of the most commonly used nursing diagnoses that you can access for free:
  
  • http://www1.us.elsevierhealth.com/ev...e/constructor/
  • http://www1.us.elsevierhealth.com/me...ctor/index.cfm

I am pre-nursing but am taking a labratory and diagnostics class. Mosby's was recommended. I haven't really done any in depth reading into it yet since class starts next week but I did thumb through it and read a little. So far, I think it's pretty good. It's organized very well and very understandable. Good luck!

-Aubrey