book-cover-front.jpg

This is a board review book written by one of our website members mwilliams7425. I have spent the last two weeks reading and reviewing it.

Title: Simply Anestheisa: Nurse Anesthesia Handbook
Author: Marie Williams CRNA MSN. (aka mwilliams7425 on this website)
Pages: 228
Cost: $45
Where you can Buy it: HERE

Authors Description of the Book:

Fully referenced, complete anesthesia handbook for CRNAs and SRNAs. Case specific information, pharmacology, OB, pediatrics, cardiac, vascular, and so much more! Simply Anesthesia: Nurse Anesthesia Handbook arose from the author's personal study guides she developed while an anesthesia student. It is critical to have quick access to a large amount of information while providing anesthesia care to patients. Simply Anesthesia allows the reader access to case and pharmacological specific information that will improve the safety and quality of the anesthetic care provided. Shared with her fellow classmates, it was clear that this handbook had exactly what so many anesthesia practitioners were needing – complete, concise, referenced material that could be kept in their scrub jacket pockets.

General Layout:

As with most quick reference handbooks the table of contents is very easy to follow. It is one page which I found easy to scan and get what I wanted. The sections are generalized without subsections or descriptions listed in the table of contents which makes it much less cluttered. If one is looking for a specific topic they do not see in the TOC all they have to do is pop back to the index to find it. Easy.

thumb-2-pg07.jpg

Discussion of Book:

I spend the better part of 2 weeks using this book in the clinical area and checking it out to see what I thought. One thing I immediately noticed was that it was both written by and reviewed by all CRNAs. Right away you are very aware this is a book written for CRNAs by CRNAs. Having said that, it would certainly be useful to AAs, Residents and practicing anesthesiologists for quick reference.

As with all handbooks there should be no expectation of a deep discussion or explanation of concepts. It is assumed that you understand these before using a "quick" reference otherwise it would end up being a text book. In line with that Simply Anesthesia gives you exactly the pertinent information but does not get into the minutia. As with any handbook there are portions clearly included for the benefit of students such as guedel stages of anesthesia, mallampati scores and gas laws but in this review I will focus on what is different.

There are, however, some really nice additions to this book which i have not previously noted in others. In one section there is a quick review of "positioning effects" on patients and how they may impact CV & Resp but also what nerves may be at risk. Personally, I really liked this section and did in fact use it a couple of times to review. There is also a chart section which reviews peripheral nerve injuries which i found very useful for review. Often after practicing for a few years these things are forgotten but they no less important. You can see the chart below this section.

photo2zcr.jpg


Throughout the sections of the book I noticed a lot of little additions I have not seen before which i felt made it stand out. There is a quick review of capnography waveforms with pics, neuromuscular disorders, electrolyte disorders and tx, cell saver contraindications and the difference between banked blood and cell saver etc. It is probably the first time I have seen the LV volume curves used to explain AS,AR,MS,MR in a handbook. There is also a really nice explanation of pacemakers and modes which is something that confuses many. The CABG and minis are well discussed in an easy to read and comprehend fashion with a step by step setup which is again something I have no seen before.

While there are many sections for surgery types which are well written I also want to highlight a section which is extremely important, Geriatric Anesthesia. This section is short and to the point but does a great job of reminding anesthesia providers that geriatrics should be treated totally different from kids and regular adults. It can make the difference between a roller coaster case and a smooth one. It was particularly impressive to see this section.

Another section I wanted to highlight was called Pediatric Anesthesia Parameters by Age. This section goes from premie up to 10 years old with the type of quick reference and vital info you need. Average weights, ETT sizes, depth, Doses for drugs etc are all included on a one page sheet for each age which makes it a really easy to follow reference. See the pic below:

photo3jc.jpg

The regional anesthesia section was basic but did cover some simple blocks. What was really missing here was any discussion of ultrasound and nerve blocks. Today U/S is rapidly becoming the way to do blocks. Additionally there was no section on insertion of central lines though there was a PA path graph showing the waveforms.


PROs:



  • Easy to navigate TOC and index
  • Not a typical handbook with sections and additions which are not generally included (as mentioned in discussion)
  • Excellent section on geriatrics and Peds
  • Excellent use of charts and graphs for quick reference
  • Good for students and practitioners



CONs:


  • Pages are held in with wire ring and are not laminated or heavy so could easily get ripped out or damaged in a bag or by liquid
  • A little larger than some handbooks but would fit in a scrub jacket side pocket
  • No section on Central line insertion
  • No discussion of ultrasound use and basic PNB section
  • No digital version but this is in the works




Conclusion:

I think this is a great book for students and anesthesia practitioners. It hits the main points of anesthesia and adds a few gems which I have not seen in handbooks before. With the exception of the CVL and PNB/ultrasound sections lacking this is one of the best handbooks I have reviewed and to boot it was made by a CRNA. For 45$ I think you get your money worth.

You can buy the book HERE