The approach taken here is over-simplistic, reducing each skill to a recipe-style series of bullet points. Supporting evidence is reduced to 'points for practice' boxes and skimpy reference lists that provide the bare minimum for understanding and further reading. This style of writing is not conducive to "continuous learning" - something that nurses are supposed to aspire to. Instead, it encourages learning by rote which in turn promotes ritualistic practice.

In the first year, it may appear useful to have clinical skills boiled down to their bones. However, by the second year you will find that this book is inadequate and curse yourself for having bought it instead of the _Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures_. Sadly, _Essential Nursing Skills_ is simply not worth buying. Get it out of the library in your first year, perhaps, but invest your money in the Marsden's manual.


Essential Nursing Skills   July 6, 2005
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

I just want to correct the reviewer who called this book poop!
Maggie Nicols is a fine lecturer and students lucky enough to be at the same University are given DVD's and a workbook as well as lectures not instead of! The reviewer was obviously someone with a chip on their shoulder because they weren't good enough to be admitted to the best Nursing College in the country and therefore couldn't get their facts right!