What is the BEST Medical/Surgical Textbook?

Nursing Students Student Assist

Published

I am an avid reader, always have been since I was young. I love to read mystery novels.

But when I started reading my med/surg. textbook, by LEWIS. At times, I feel like I am getting lost in my reading. I am not finding this book interesting.

I look up medical terms that I am not familar with, but I find myself also looking up words in a regular dictionary.

I do love looking over my Saunders NCLEX book after each subject.

I just feel like I am missing something with this textbook.

My grades are great, I wish I can say the same for this book.

Does anyone have a favorite med/surg. textbook?

Would it matter to my instructor if I don't use her assigned textbook?

Would greatly appreciate any input.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

I bought a med/surg book at Borders called Medical Surgical Nursing by Mosby. It was around $40. It was very helpful didn't seem as medical termed to me.

I don't think the instructor would mind that you got a supplemental book for med/surg but remeber that they only test what comes from your textbook so if you try to despute and answer and use the supplemental book for your reasoning it's not going to work.

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I feel the same way you do about the Med/Surg. Lewis book. I really dont even want to read to anymore because i don't feel like im getting anything out of it. This Med/ Surg book really isn't that interesting to me!!

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I like Brunner and Suddarth. It is easy to understand.

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Depend on what courses your are taking. Difficult to define which book suit for you. I get some medical textbooks from www.cocomartini.com

I believe that books may be suit for me.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

There is no rule that says you can't pick up and use another med/surg textbook to supplement the one you have. When I was in school we were encouraged to do this. In fact, we were given the titles of about 4 nursing textbooks that we could use! The fact is that what one author confuses you about, another author may clearly explain.

When I was in my ADN program we were encouraged to have study groups. Between the members of my study group we had the 4 nursing textbooks that were recommended plus one that my mother had given me that was 10 years old. We found information in each, including the 10-year old one, that was very helpful or explained concepts better than another book.

I would look for used nursing texts and buy them. You will find older versions of nursing textbooks in the library. See if any other students have other nursing texts that they might be willing to share. You will find stuff in older texts that has been removed from the newer ones, but instructors still have included on tests. Don't know why this happens except they don't update the tests. And, I wouldn't believe any instructor that tries to tell you that going to another textbook is going to warp your mind. That's baloney. Since when is getting all the information you can find on a subject a crime? Look at how we are told to assess patients and learn as much as we can about them before starting to make decisions. Well, the same goes for learning. The more you read, the more you will know and understand.

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try Medical-Surgical Nursing by Ignatavicius (elsevier saunders published) 5th edition. it is very informative and has lots of illistrations so that you can follow along easily without getting lost in the reading!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I really like Hogan's Reviews and Rationales series but a word of caution: no way would I totally disregard the text book your class has required because very often they will use that test bank for exam questions.

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Thank you so much for all of your responses. I am so glad I am not

alone in feeling confused. I really do need to find another textbook.

This book is NOT helping - at all.

Thanks, again - everyone!!!:up:

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Oh, geez

I just bought this brick of a book yesterday for this coming semester for $100+........this does not sound encouraging..( I don't think I have seen a bigger, heavier textbook in my life)

thanks for the warning

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Oh, geez

I just bought this brick of a book yesterday for this coming semester for $100+........this does not sound encouraging..( I don't think I have seen a bigger, heavier textbook in my life)

thanks for the warning

The chapters are pretty long but I found it to be a great and thorough resource.

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