This book gives students a strong, industry-focused foundation across clinical nursing settings, skilfully linking knowledge and practice.

Part I. Skills in Nursing: 1. The Australian healthcare context Rhonda Wilson; 2. Clinical skills and nursing care Jacqueline Bloomfield and Anne Pegram; 3. An introduction to evidence-based practice in nursing Alan Pearson; Part II. Communication and Assessment: 4. Interpersonal communication skills Jane Stein-Parbury; 5. Patient assessment Suzanne Robertson-Malt, Deborah Norton-Westwood and Alan Pearson; Part III. Fundamental Skills for Patient Care: 6. Infection prevention and control Peta-Anne Zimmerman, Thea van de Mortel, Marilyn Cruickshank and Ramon Z. Shaban; 7. Personal hygiene Jacqueline Bloomfield and Anne Pegram; 8. Elimination Rhonda Wilson and Sally Bristow; 9. Nutrition Jacqueline Bloomfield and Anne Pegram; 10. Medication administration Richard Lakeman and Elicia Kunst; 11. Promoting comfort Rhonda Wilson; 12. Mental health Nicholas Procter and Monika Ferguson; 13. Respiratory skills Benjamin Hay and Julie Dally; 14. Perioperative care Zaneta Smith and Brigid Gillespie; 15. Blood transfusion Erica Wood, Kylie Rushford, Christine Michael and Terri Dunstan; 16. Wound management William McGuiness; Part IV. Skills Required to Care for Patients with Specific Needs: 17. Care of the deteriorating and unconscious patient David Jackson and Liz Mackey; 18. Essential paediatric and neonatal skills Nikki Brown and Janet Green; 19. Care of the elderly Colleen Doyle and Dorothy Manwa; 20. Care of the person with a chronic disease Kate Cameron, Colleen Doyle and Chris Christensen.