This hefty five‐volume encyclopedia, first published in 2002, is now substantially updated. With over 930 entries, this revised edition aims to provide “in‐depth coverage of specific diseases and disorders, tests and procedures, equipment and tools, body systems, nursing and allied health professions, and current health issues”. The publishers include a disclaimer stating that they believe “the product to be comprehensive, but not necessarily definitive”.
The publication describes itself as “a medical reference product designed to inform and educate readers about a wide variety of diseases, treatments, tests and procedures”. The introduction also states that this work is “designed to fill a gap between health information designed for laypeople and that provided for medical professionals, which may be too complicated for the beginning student to understand”. This reference work is not just aimed at nurses, but hopes to be of use to dental hygienists, dieticians, equipment technologists, physical therapists, and speech language therapists amongst others.
The work begins with an introduction laying out what the encyclopedia hopes to achieve, and a short description of the various entry types and what they cover. There is a good outline of the latter and entries are standardized throughout. The entries on diseases/disorders, for example, cover definition; description; causes and symptoms; diagnosis; treatment; prognosis; health care team roles; prevention; resources, and key terms. The entries on tests/procedures cover; definition; purpose; precautions; description; preparation; aftercare; complications; results; health care team roles; resources; and key terms. The details of equipment/tools entries cover definition; purpose; description; operation; maintenance; health care team roles; training; resources; and key terms. The entries on nursing and allied health professions cover definition; description; work settings; education and training; advanced education and training; future outlook; resources; and key terms. The final category, current health issues, covers definition; description; viewpoints; professional implications; resources; and key terms. For human biology/body systems, an entry covers definition; description; function; role in human health; common diseases and disorders; resources; and key terms. The reader can therefore see quite quickly what type of entry they are dealing with. The sub‐headings (Treatment, Diagnosis, etc.) are in green.
Following the introduction, the encyclopedia begins with a list of entries in alphabetical order. There are some surprises – e.g. H. Pylori Test but not Helicobacter. Hemoglobin test is listed, but not blood test; Marijuana is included in the list but there is no cross‐reference for cannabis. It is, however, easy to find which volume you should consult: the spine labelling is clear, so that the user will easily know to consult the second volume for entries beginning with the letter D. The list of entries, and the introduction, is repeated at the beginning of each volume.
Following the list of terms, the arrangement of topics in the encyclopedia is firmly alphabetical. Boldfaced terms refer the reader to related articles: so in the article on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, for instance, “pregnancy” appears in bold, referring the reader to that entry for related information. Cross‐references throughout the text direct readers from alternate names and related topics to more detailed entries. The majority of entries also have a key terms list, which is highlighted in peach in a separate text box and in a different, slightly larger font from the main text. Key terms are also listed alphabetically within their separate text box. Bullet points are frequently used throughout, which has the advantage of keeping the text concise and focused. The majority of entries also include a resources list, which refers readers to added reading, and for each entry there is often further information about relevant organizations, e.g. the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse for the entry on H. Pylori Tests. The references used to support articles are generally fairly recent; there are very few older than 1995 at the earliest and in general a good range of books, reports, periodical articles and other resources are used, ranging from websites to interviews.
The encyclopaedia is illustrated with over 500 colour photographs, illustrations and tables. The illustrations are mostly clear and unfussy with easy to read captions and there is a good mix of line drawings and photographs. The range of illustrations covers laboratory tests, anatomical illustrations, and photographs of actual surgical procedures.
As would be expected, some entries are more substantial than others. The entry on AIDS, for instance, runs to nine pages, with further entries devoted to AIDS Counselling and AIDS Tests. The entry on Cancer runs to eight pages, with a further five pages on Anticancer Drugs and individual entries on breast cancer, prostrate cancer and others. The average length of an entry is closer to three or four pages. In some areas, coverage is somewhat patchy. This is apparent in the entries on nursing models, for example. Henderson, Johnson and King are included as nursing theorists, but Orem, Neuman and Leininger (amongst others) are not. In the field of complementary medicine, there are some unexpected entries, such as a five‐page entry on yoga and an entry on tai ch'i; yet many other complementary nursing therapies put together merit only two and a half pages in total. Acupressure and shiatsu are included, yet acupuncture, reflexology and aromatherapy are not.
This is an American publication, and American spelling is used throughout. In addition, the organizations listed are predominantly American. Practitioners outside the USA should therefore exercise caution and discernment when looking up entries on treatment and procedures in particular as dosages and processes may vary.
This title is not exactly cheap or light. For a library that can afford this amount of money for one publication it may be a useful addition to their reference shelves. Generally this encyclopedia offers a reasonably good starting point for general medical conditions, though it is very American in bias. You may like to have a medical dictionary to hand as well.
