by William Malcolm

Improve medical and developmental outcomes in high-risk infants with evidence-based management strategies

Beyond the NICU is the first book to deliver practical, evidence-based strategies for healthcare providers caring for the NICU graduate during convalescence and after discharge. It is a guide to the successful transition of a high-risk infant from intensive care to the intermediate-level nursery, and then, to help the child thrive outside of the hospital in a home environment.

To advance the standard of care of these vulnerable patients, Beyond the NICU draws together clinically focused guidelines to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital readmissions. Drawing on an international team of respected authorities, Beyond the NICU provides the strategies necessary to ensure the success of convalescing NICU graduates in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Doody’s Review!

Score: 95/100

Description

This is a nearly 1,000-page softcover book written by over 100 contributors on convalescent neonatal care and post-discharge care of the high-risk infant. The format is similar to other neonatal handbooks (Neonatology: Management, Procedures, On-Call Problems, Diseases, and Drugs, 7th edition, Gomella, et al. (McGraw-Hill, 2013); Manual of Neonatal Care, 7th edition, Cloherty et al. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011)), but it emphasizes transitional care of the sick infant.

Purpose

The purpose is to provide “practical, evidence-based strategiesfor the NICU graduate during convalescence and after discharge.” The book functions like a practical handbook for clinicians in the NICU, covering almost all aspects of neonatal care, but emphasizing convalescent care. This is an area that has not been well covered in other neonatal books, and this book meets the objectives.

Audience

The audience is NICU caregivers at all levels and of all disciplines. The book is written in outline format and emphasizes care rather than pathophysiology. The senior editor, his three consultants, and many of the contributors are recognizable names in the field.

Features

The 51 chapters are grouped into four sections. After an introductory section which includes chapters on the role of the primary care provider for the NICU graduate, the book covers most aspects of care of preterm and term infants in the next two sections. A final section on developmental care includes chapters on early intervention and palliative care. Although the book is supposed to emphasize convalescent and post-discharge care, much of the second and third sections deals with standard early diagnosis and treatment of common neonatal issues, which adds significant length to the book. The book is at its best when it sticks to its title and emphasizes care “beyond the NICU.” Helpful appendixes include discharge checklists, home equipment, and even billing coding for the NICU graduate. Illustrations and tables are sparse, but some are unique and very helpful.

Assessment

This is a unique neonatal book in its emphasis on convalescent and post-discharge care for the sick neonate. It should become a standard text for clinicians in this field and, as it matures in subsequent editions, should abbreviate the acute care sections and concentrate on its title.

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