Book Review

My new year’s resolution was to be more positive about books not directly aimed at the paramedic profession or written about one specific aspect of paramedic practice.

An early test then, when presented with a book on the surgical management of patients. But embracing my new year optimism may be paying dividends, as there is a lot in this text which paramedics may find useful.

However, there are a number of limitations to bear in mind before spending any left-over Christmas book vouchers.

The investigatory stage of clinical conditions are focused on long-term interventions and not the acute stage, so there is a limited role for paramedics in this regard.

The discussion on analgesia follows a similar theme, as it is primarily concerned with anaesthesia during surgery—using techniques and drugs outside of a paramedic’s skill set. And despite the book’s synopsis promoting the inclusion of resuscitation, this section lacks specific detail on advanced life support protocols.