The Oxford Handbook of Critical Care Nursing has been written as a handy reference guide for nurses who are new to the critical care area, as well as a reminder for those with more experience. Each section provides an overview of individual problems, and the related physiology and level of knowledge required to deal with them. The book sets the context for nursing within a continuum of critical care starting from early recognition of acute deterioration and the need for critical care outreach, through to patient outcomes and their follow-up, and evaluation of care post-discharge. Nursing specific skills are highlighted with a holistic approach to patients and their families. Reflecting best practice, this book provides the essence of what is important to the delivery of highly skilled and caring critical care nursing, in an easy to access and readable format. Providing the nurse at the bedside with the answers to many day-to-day problems experienced when caring for critically ill patients, this is also a guide to some of the less commonly encountered issues, such as planning for major incidents and epidemics.