Intensive care is a rapidly developing areas of healthcare. This introductory textbook is written specifically for qualified nurses who are working in intensive care units and also for those undertaking post-registration courses in the speciality.

It is structured in four parts: "Fundamentals of Care" explores patient-focused issues of bedside nursing; "Monitoring the Critically Ill Patient" describes the technical knowledge necessary to care safely for ICU patients;"Pathophysiology and Treatments" illustrates the more common and specialized disease processes and treatments encountered; and "Advanced Nursing Practice" looks at how nurses can use their knowledge and skills to develop their own and others' practice.

This accessible text: covers all the key areas of knowledge needed; includes fundamental knowledge sections, introductions, chapter summaries, a glossary of key terms, extensive and up-to-date references and a comprehensive index; and is clearly written by an experienced university lecturer with a strong clinical background of working in intensive care nursing.