Fully updated to cover today’s issues and trends, this classic text contains many real-life scenarios, giving students ample opportunities to understand and apply what they are learning.

Chronological coverage moves from history (Unit I) to current events and issues (Unit II) to future nursing roles and responsibilities (Unit III). Using examples and case studies throughout, the authors address a wide range of topics, including educational preparation, licensure, employment opportunities, ethics.

Key Features

• NEW! Content updates include coverage of QSEN competencies, National Patient Safety Goals and their effect on healthcare delivery and reimbursement, recent healthcare legislation, and the use of electronic health records.
• NEW! Daily Ethical Dilemmas boxes allow students to explore complex healthcare issues, such as disaster, social media, HIPAA, genomics, and more.
• NEW! Nursing Theory Alert boxes break down for students how theoretical concepts, such as Transcultural Nursing, apply to real-life practice.
• NEW! Evidence-Based Practice boxes summarize current research on important topics and show students how research drives positive practice outcomes.
• NEW! Cartoon Curriculum visuals help students acquire knowledge quickly, improve comprehension, enhance retrieval, and increase retention. Some cartoons bring humor to difficult subjects while others are satirical, ironic, and thought-provoking. Designed for adults in the vein of cartoons in TheNew Yorker , these visuals give students food for thought.
• NEW! Stegen & Sowerby Stories are unfolding case studies that help students understand the connection between what they are learning and their careers.
• NEW! NCLEX ® Preparation Tools include 3 to 5 NCLEX-style questions at the end of each chapter.
• Critical Thinking Activities challenge students to analyze examples and problems derived from the content.
• Communication in Actionboxes help students develop skills by modeling good and bad communication.