patho book

[miss arron]

my program doesn't have a seperate patho class (2 year ADN), so i would like to purchase a patho book for reference and self-study (used and cheap of course, i'm spending enough on books as is). what does everyone think of their patho book their program uses? any recommendations?

thanks!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i found a very nice pathophysiology reference in a bookstore in laughlin, nevada while i was on christmas vacation this past year which i have found very useful for a number of reasons. i am already an rn, but taking classes in health information management and found it really useful in helping to explain and clarify the pathophysiology behind conditions such as copd, stroke and heart failure. it is pathophysiology: a 2-in-1 reference for nurses by springhouse, springhouse publishing company staff and the cost was $44.95. it only lists medical conditions by body systems. there are no psych disorders or ob conditions in it. it has over 250 different medical diseases listed in it and for each has:

• a description of the disease
  
• causes
  
• the pathophysiology (how it happens)
  
• signs and symptoms
  
• complications
  
• how diagnosis is made (by the physician)
  
• treatment (by the physician)
  
• nursing considerations
  • nursing interventions specific to that disease
    
  • any specific teaching of the patient that is required
    
  • any special discharge instructions

i have also, for some time, had a very scholarly textbook called pathophysiology: the biologic basis for disease in adults and children, third edition, by kathryn l. mccance and sue e. heuther. there is a newer version out as well as a number of simpler versions of this text. the book is quite large, 1600+ pages and the explanations of things quite intense, so much so, that i have to really concentrate and often read things one sentence at a time and stop in order to digest what the information is saying. this book is currently in it's 5th edition and the cost for a new copy is around $94. this book is often criticized because of its difficulty to read, but it does contain excellent information.

there are several websites where you can find much of the same information that is in pathophysiology: a 2-in-1 reference for nurses (except for the nursing considerations). they are:

• family practice notebook (use search box to input disease names) http://www.fpnotebook.com/index.htm
  • gives you concise lists in an outline format of the prevalence, cause, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, complications, diagnostics tests, and treatments. this is from the physician's point of view (and we need to know that too!)

  [*]emedicine http://www.emedicine.com/ (you may have to register to view articles, but registration is free)

  • use the search box to search for specific diseases, or pull up a list of articles available under the various medical specialties. each article generally includes a short discussion near the beginning of the pathophysiology of the disease or condition the article is about. you will find psych and ob conditions and diseases here. be warned that these articles are for physicians, so there might be a bit of difficulty in understanding everything in them.

  [*]medicine net diseases & conditions a to z index http://www.medicinenet.com/diseases_and_conditions/article.htm

  • this is a consumer site - use this if you need things stated in easier to read and understand words.