Wilkins' Clinical Assessment in Respiratory Care

Master the patient assessment skills you need to provide effective respiratory therapy! Wilkins' Clinical Assessment in Respiratory Care, 7th Edition prepares you to assist physicians as they make treatment decisions, evaluate the effectiveness of treatment, and determine if changes in the treatment need to be made. This edition expands coverage of infection control and cardiopulmonary symptoms, and follows a more logical progression through the many aspects of assessment. Written by Dr. Albert Heuer and Dr. Craig Scanlan, this comprehensive resource also helps you prepare for the NBRC CRT and RRT credentialing exams by cross-referencing material within the book to the NBRC exam matrices. A comprehensive approach covers all of the most important aspects of assessment, so you can assess patients effectively. Case studies offer real-life clinical scenarios challenging you to interpret data and make accurate patient assessments. Assessment questions help you review by reflecting the learning objectives and the NBRC Exam format, with answers including rationales for correct answer options. Ask Yourself boxes list questions that you should ask patients (e.g., coughing, sputum, shortness of breath) or ask yourself (e.g., lung sounds you are hearing, blood pressure, respiratory rate). Simply Stated boxes highlight and promote understanding of important concepts. Learning objectives, chapter outlines, chapter overviews, and key terms lists begin each chapter, preparing you for the key topics and content you will learn. Key Point summaries at the end of each chapter emphasize the learning objectives and provide an overview of important material. NEW! Correlation of content to the NBRC combined CRT/RRT exam matrices is provided on the Evolve companion website, helping you prepare for these difficult exams by cross-referencing material within the book to the NBRC exam matrices for the CRT and RRT credentialing exams. NEW! Emphasis on infection control includes expanded content on topics such as the prevention and treatment of VAP (ventilator-associated pneumonia) and nosocomial infections in the hospital and home setting. NEW or expanded coverage includes cardiopulmonary symptoms, neurologic assessment, blood gas interpretation, and Electronic Medical Records (EMR). NEW! Expert authors Albert Heuer and Craig Scanlan are well-known, recognized educators in the field of respiratory therapy. NEW! List of common abbreviations on the inside front cover offers quick and easy access to abbreviations and acronyms used in the text and throughout the profession.