If you have a suggestion for a book on pre-hospital or out-of-hospital care that you would like to see reviewed in a future issue of the journal, or if you would like to write a review yourself, contact the Editor, Alistair Quaile. Guidance for book reviewers is available, and first time authors are always welcome.
It seems that everywhere you look in the medical literature these days, trauma somehow manages to find a niche. This ubiquitous presence can conjure up images of critical care practitioners jumping out of helicopters and performing their own special brand of paramedicine. In reality, however, head injuries of varying severity represent a significant portion of a paramedic's caseload, which makes it all the more frustrating when a book like this one fails to devote sufficient attention to that fact.
There is no questioning the pedigree of the authors, notable for their background in all things neurological. Significantly, with the exception of one, their biography summaries do not detail any pre-hospital focus. The parameters of the content are set as managing neurotrauma in the primary, secondary and tertiary care sectors, so it comes as somewhat of a surprise that the initial stages of managing traumatic brain injuries are rather skimmed by.
A considered approach is adopted towards the all-important A and P, although it does seem to fit most neatly into the secondary phase of neurotrauma management. What helps tremendously in tackling this subject are the lucid illustrations, made more effective due to the use of colour. X-rays and scan pictures are still presented in the more traditional monochrome but are used appropriately and supplement the text well. Another nice touch are the ‘activity’ boxes at the end of each chapter. Not providing as much of a summary of the preceding chapter but a form of scenario-based learning for the reader.
The need to promote a neurologically intact recovery from a traumatic brain injury at all stages of treatment is reinforced but is sadly not reflected in the book's design. There is some useful content in here and it is well written and evidence-based. Nursing a neurotrauma patient in hospital, neurorehabilitation and discharge planning are well-addressed, but the omission of a similar emphasis on the pre-hospital phase of neurotrauma regrettably leaves this book without a recommendation from this reviewer.