Here's the essential information you need to know in critical care nursing - all in one concise text! Using a to-the-point, reader friendly approach, Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, 5th Edition, provides authoritative, real-world information on the important concepts of critical care nursing and the assessment and technical skills associated with the management of critically ill patients. The latest content on the technology makes it easy to learn and understand how to use the equipment you'll use in the field. Nursing care chapters are organized according to the nursing process framework, and you'll find detailed nursing care plans in every management chapter. Case studies and critical thinking questions challenge you to apply what you've learned, and user-friendly features throughout the text (updated pharmacology tables, clinical and laboratory alerts, and evidence-based practice boxes) help you bridge the gap between concepts and clinical practice. Nursing Care Plans provide nursing diagnoses, expected patient outcomes, and interventions with rationales to prepare you for clinical practice. Case Studies challenge you to apply concepts from the book to real-life patient situations to test their critical thinking skills. Streamlined and updated Pharmacology Tables detail the actions, indications, dosages and routes, and side effects of commonly used critical care drugs. Clinical Alerts promote optimal patient safety and outcomes by highlighting potential problems and concerns in the clinical setting. Laboratory Alerts discuss both common and cutting-edge tests and procedures, emphasizing the importance of laboratory test results to critical nursing care. Critical Thinking Questions in every chapter encourage you to use and reinforce the concepts presented throughout the chapter. Now full-color throughout, new, vibrant artwork and anatomical images are in true-to-life color. A new chapter on end-of-life care covers ethical and legal matters, palliative care, withholding of therapies, and communication issues - all essential concerns confronting today's critical care nurse. New features on evidence-based practice, genetics, transplantation, and geriatric considerations offer realistic, easy-to-understand information on some of the most important and rapidly changing topics in critical care today.