Includes bibliographical references (p. 486-502) and index.

Content: Part one : Knowing yourself -- How practical/ vocational nursing evolved -- The health care team -- The adult learner -- Part Two: Developing your learning skills -- For the organizationally challenged -- Discovering your learning style -- Learning how to learn and retain information -- Hints for using learning resources -- Part three: Knowing others: Straightforward communication skills -- Cultural uniqueness, sensitivity, and competence -- Spiritual caring, spiritual needs, and religious differences -- Part four: Leading and managing others: Assertiveness as a nursing responsibility -- The practical/vocational nurse's role in the nursing process -- Developing leadership skills -- Management,supervision and charge nurse skills for practical/vocational nurses -- Part Five: Where you are going: Health care settings -- Health care systems -- Financing and trends -- Carrier mobility -- Part Six: How to get there: Nursing ethics and the law -- the final is NCLEX-PN -- Finding a job .