Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: The development of nursing: The evolution of professional nursing -- The contemporary image of professional nursing -- The influence of contemporary trends and issues on nursing education -- Nursing licensure and certification -- Theories of nursing practice -- Nursing research and evidence-based practice -- Current issues in health care: Paying for health care in America: rising costs and challenges -- Legal issues in nursing and health care -- Ethical and bioethical issues in nursing and health care -- Complementary and alternative healing -- Palliative care -- Workforce advocacy for a professional nursing practice environment -- Collective bargaining and unions in today's workplace -- Information technology in the clinical setting -- Emergency preparedness and response for today's world -- Leadership and management in nursing: Nursing leadership and management -- Budgeting and basics for nurses -- Effective communication and conflict resolution -- Effective delegation and supervision -- Staffing and nursing care delivery models -- Quality improvement and patient safety -- Health policy and politics: get involved -- Career management: Making the transition from student to professional nurse -- Managing time: the path to high self-performance -- Contemporary nursing roles and career opportunities -- Job search: finding your match -- The NCLEX-RN examination --