Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Succeeding as a nursing student -- Promoting culturally proficient care --Understanding legal and ethical issues -- Critical thinking and nursing theories -- Practical and vocational nurses and the nursing process -- Client communication -- Health care delivery systems -- Safety and infection control -- Client teaching -- Admission, transfer, and discharge -- Documentation -- Health assessment -- Hygiene -- Vital signs and pain management -- Activity, rest and sleep -- Nutrition ,fluids and electrolytes, and acid-base balance --Medication administration -- Theorists,theories, and therapies --Life-span development and family systems -- Psychosocial nursing of the physically ill client --Nursing care of clients having surgery -- Client integumentary system disorders -- Clients with musculoskeletal system disorders -- Clients with respiratory system disorders -- Clients with cardiovascular system disorders -- Clients with hematopoietic and lymphatic system disorders -- Clients with neurosensory system disorders -- Clients with gastrointestinal system disorders -- Clients with endocrine system disorders -- Clients with renal or male reproductive system disorders -- Caring for elderly clients -- Caring for chronically or terminally ill clients -- Caring for clients with cancer -- Caring for clients with immune system disorder -- Emergency room and urgent care nursing -- Mental health disorders -- Substance abuse and eating disorders -- Clients with female reproductive system disorder -- Care of pregnant women -- Care of women during labor and delivery -- Care of postpartum women -- Care of a neonate -- Care of the young child -- Care of the older child -- Care of the adolescent -- Preparing to take the lincensure exams -- Finding that first job -- Leadership and professional development --