• Covers the NMC's Essential Skills Clusters for registration and beyond: includes all the skills pre-registration students need to develop for safe practice as Registered Nurses
• Both theory and practice are provided: written, edited and reviewed by both academics and practitioners to help readers integrate their practical skills and background knowledge
• All the relevant information in one place: step-by-step guidance and rationale for all procedures, plus the relevant background physiology and pathology, as well as holistic, legal and practice issues
• Evidence will remain current: evidence, guidelines and protocols reviewed and updated every three months on the book's accompanying Online Resource Centre
• Suitable for all adult nursing settings: both hospital and primary care settings so readers can transfer their skills
• Supports students' development from novice to professional: guides students to relevant prior knowledge to build on, highlights important points to remember and suggests further reading and learning opportunities for improvement
• Develops decision-making skills: how to adapt the skills for particular patient groups, when to consider alternative interventions, how to anticipate and solve potential problems, and how to recognise patient deterioration
• Clear visual guidance: full-colour photos and diagrams throughout, and selected video clips on the Online Resource Centre demonstrate procedures
• Active learning: over 250 realistic scenarios, interactive self-test questions and glossary provided on the free Online Resource Centre allow readers to take their learning further
• Online support for lecturers and mentors: tips for teaching clinical skills and access to the full-colour diagrams and photos from the book, in addition to video clips and suggested teaching scenarios

Readership: Suitable for adult or general nursing students and newly qualified adult nurses.

Edited by Ruth Endacott, Professor of Critical Care Nursing, Plymouth University and La Trobe University, Melbourne, Phil Jevon, Clinical Skills Lead, Manor Hospital, Walsall, UK, and Simon Cooper, Associate Professor, Monash University, Australia

"I really understood why the skills should be carried out... Offers all the relevant information and guidance...finally one book to use instead of two or three. The reflection and reminders of all of the skills offer good tips and information." - Emma-Jane Muir, Student, Oxford Brookes University

"Logically ordered and comprehensive... The unique strength is in the links to physiological theory, which foster a deep understanding of the rationale behind various clinical skills. Updating the text by Internet resource is excellent...a lasting resource and therefore an excellent investment for any pre-reg student or qualified practitioner." - Ruth Millett, Newly-qualified Staff Nurse, Acute Trauma

"Encourages students to question and reflect on their prior knowledge and clinical judgement before implementing the skill in the clinical setting... A very useful guide for the transition from student nurse to registered practitioner." - Juliet Whitehead, Professional Development Sister, University Hospital Birmingham

"This structured approach gives students a framework to order their thinking. Hopefully, as it is repeated in each chapter, it will be reinforced and become second nature. A very positive prospect - real "value added"." - Maxine Robshaw, Lecturer and Programme Manager, Advanced Adult Diploma, University of Leeds

"I have several key books similar to this and I have found this the easiest to read and digest. The information is clear, factual and to the point." - Katrina Wilson, Student, University of Teeside

1. Introduction
2. Communication Skills
3. The Patient Pathway
3.1: Principles of good record keeping
3.2: Completing an effective patient admission assessment
3.3: Planning an effective patient discharge
3.4: Last offices
4. Essential Skills
4.1: Infection prevention and control
4.2: Skin care
4.3: Eye care
4.4: Mouth care
4.5: Wound assessment and management
4.6: Pre-operative and post-operative assessment and care
4.7: Wound closure and drainage
5. Drug Administration
5.1: Principles of drug administration
5.2: Drug calculations
5.3: Patient self-administration
5.4: Nebulised drugs
5.5: Use of inhalers
5.6: Enteral tube administration of drugs
5.7: Administering a subcutaneous injection
5.8: Administering an intramuscular injection
5.9: Administering an intravenous injection
6. Cardiovascular System
6.1: Visual assessment of the cardiac patient
6.2: Recording pulse
6.3: Recording blood pressure
6.4: Recording capillary refill time
6.5: ECG monitoring
6.6: Recording fluid balance
6.7: Administering IV fluids
6.8: Administering a blood transfusion
6.9: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
6.10: Venepuncture
6.11: Cannulation
6.12: Central venous catheter
6.13: Recording a 12 lead ECG
6.14: Cardiac auscultation
6.15: Anaphylaxis
7. Respiratory System
7.1: Visual respiratory assessment
7.2: Monitoring oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry
7.3: Measuring peak expiratory flow rate
7.4: Non-invasive respiratory support and oxygen therapy
7.5: Tracheostomy management
7.6: Oropharyngeal, tracheal and endotracheal suctioning
7.7: Lung auscultation
7.8: Intrapleural drainage
7.9: Endotracheal intubation
8. Neurological System
8.1: Assessing conscious level
8.2: Care of the unconscious patient
8.3: Preparing the patient for lumbar puncture
8.4: Pain assessment and management
8.5: Assessing cognitive level
9. Renal System
9.1: Insertion of urinary catheter
9.2: Removal of urinary catheter
9.3: Bladder washout
9.4: Renal replacement therapy
10. Gastrointestinal System
10.1: Nutritional assessment
10.2: Blood glucose measurement
10.3: Insertion of nasogastric tube
10.4: Administering enteral nutrition
10.5: Insertion of suppositories and enemas
10.6: Stoma care
10.7: Administering parenteral nutrition
10.8: Abdominal palpatation
10.9: Abdominal paracentesis
11. Musculoskeletal System
11.1: Moving and handling patients
11.2: Passive movements
11.3: Application of c-spine collars
11.4: Application of slings