At first glance, this title is rather appealing to paramedics. But as the literary doctrine says, never judge a book by its cover.
The positives first. Text boxes throughout the book highlight ‘key facts’ in relation to a given medical condition and help the reader to focus on what is really happening with the patient. The authors have identified ‘pearls’ for improving patient outcomes and conversely, pitfalls in treatment are well documented.
The text is well-referenced and the initial chapter on chest pain is an excellent overview of cardiac-related emergencies. But in keeping with the rest of the book, detail is lacking on the desired clinical interventions at the first point of contact with a patient.
This is one of the limitations which paramedics may find with this book—its primary focus is not on the prehospital phase of medical emergencies.
The chapter on trauma is testimony to this, as it is considered entirely from the perspective of an A and E department. A broader range of medical conditions would also have been useful, especially those which paramedics are likely to come across such as cardiac arrests. More use of visual representations of medical conditions would also be welcomed.
‘Detail is lacking on the desired clinical interventions’
The other drawback, and a common complaint of mine, is that this is an American text. The authors and all the contributors work in the USA. Nothing wrong with that in itself but as you would expect, no reference is made to JRCALC guidelines (mindful, that revised guidelines have just been published) and established treatment pathways within the UK do not get a look in.
This is not to suggest that the clinical content of this book is not evidence based. But if paramedic practice in this country is to be shaped by nationally prescribed frameworks, consistent with ambulance service protocols, then these must be considered from a UK perspective and one which is representative of the prehospital dimension.
With that in mind, this book falls short of the mark.