Drugs and Nursing Implications

As a nursing student in the early 80's I used the 4th edition of Govoni and Hayes. Now it's almost 2007, and I still refer to that battered copy of the 4th edition. Why? Because besides offering complete info. regarding what a medication is for, dosing, adverse effects, etc., there follows extensive notes on what nurses find useful in administering and monitoring the drugs. Consulting a PDR and then learning "real world" information about what to watch out for and what to avoid doing makes a better informed caretaker or consumer. Even though Edition 8 is out of date, it's the last G & H that will be published, and I plan to purchase it!

The detailed nursing implications of each drug make the monitoring of patient care for side effects and interactions more reliable and complete. The listing of interactions with other medications is a valuable tool. This book explains in nursing language the physiological action and use, gives details of adverse reactions and what to look for, as well as drug absorption and interference with diagnostic tests. A valuable tool for care planning and client teaching.