Need a good ICU book

[erinnRN]

Hi! I will be starting as a new ICU nurse the beginning of May. I have come from a Transitional ICU but we did not get Swans, alot of drips and CVVH....I was wondering about a good ICU book -- nursing or whatever.

oh, and any other advice for me!

thanks,

Erin

[simvee]

I was just going to post that I was looking for a good ICU study book! I'm a first year RN working in trauma and neurosurgical ICU, but we handle overflows from MICU and other surgical and thoracic specialties. I'm looking for a readable text that I'll actually use and understand, not just a reference.

First, I love Mark's icufaqs.org!

I have the second edition of The ICU Book (Marino) which I'm starting to loathe. I didn't realize it would be full of his own opinions on matters; he seems to constantly return to oxidation injury and the same studies about antioxidants and selenium replacement. I'm a bit of a natural/health freak but even I am questioning the usefulness of having so much of the text devoted to this. Also I get irritated when he insists on referring to "the chest roentgenogram" several times in one chapter. What's wrong with chest x-ray? Or CXR? Isn't this an informal handbook, not a ponderous textbook? However, based on recommendations and seeing a copy at work, I ordered the third edition of the ICU Book. Used. Hope it's worth the $60.

I also ordered Oh's Intensive Care Manual. It's not US based, but used copies are cheaply obtainable and it seems like it's organized well.

I want to get a book that deals with ICU pharmacology more. Why do we use the drugs we do? which are better in which situations?

I have an old trauma nursing manual which I'm starting to dig through. Any good trauma ICU references?