New additions to the NZNO library.

The following items have recently been added to the library collection. Descriptions are taken from accompanying publicity material with three reviews written by NZNO members.

Client education: a partnership approach for health practitioners. McKenna, K.T. and Tooth, L.R. (2006) Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. 368pp.

This book is written by Australian occupational therapists but is relevant to art health providers within western countries where client education is a key component of their practice. The book is well structured and toads the reader clearly through each chapter, which incorporates client examples, key points, points for review and some reflection. The content is comprehensive and each chapter addresses education techniques and ideas relevant to a broad client audience, eg children and families, people with hearing or cognitive impairments, speech and language problems, mental health issues and cultural diversity. I would recommend this book to nurses with a predominantly education role. It's also a great revision resource for people like me who have been working in this field for some time.

Reviewed by Otago District Health Board clinical nurse specialist Carol Fitzgerald

Trust and betrayal in the workplace: building effective relationships in your organization. Reina, D.S. & Reina, M.L. (2006) 2nd ed. San Francisco; London: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 170pp.

This book is about trust--the power when it exists, the pain when it is betrayed and the steps you can take to rebuild it when it is lost. In today's workplace, trust is more important than ever. Through real-life examples and highly practical tips, tools and exercises, this book will help you create a work environment where trust grows, so people feet good about what they do, relationships are energised, and productivity and profits accelerate.

Handbook of nursing leadership: creative skills for a culture of safety. Milstead, J. A. & Furlong, E. (2006) Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 226pp.

The book is aimed at the new practitioner starting out on her nursing career and encourages each nurse to be a leader in her nursing practice. It is written for American nurses and most references and websites are American. However, most of the information and scenarios can be applied to the New Zealand situation. The structure is easy to follow with a similar format in each chapter--competency to be attained by reading the chapter, activities, scenarios, websites and references for further teaming. This book is an easy read and a breathe of fresh air, portraying nursing in a very positive light. It challenges nurses to think critically about what they are doing and how they are doing it, to ask questions and move with the times. Its weakness is no mention of cultural safety and the bias towards hospital nursing. Some of the legal aspects are not applicable to our context but they should trigger nurses to consider the legal aspects of their own practice.

Review by Marianne Grant, RN, Plunket nurse, Rotorua

International Council of Nurses: Advanced nursing practice. Schober, M. & Affara, F. A. (2006) Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing. 248pp.

This book addresses the key issues in practice, education, regulation, research and role/practice development, which are central to defining the distinctive nature of advanced nursing practice (ANP) and explores international developments in the field of ANP. It has been developed in recognition of the key role nurses with advanced knowledge and skills play in developing health care services worldwide. The book tracks the evolution of new APN roles and innovative practice models, and examines the need for international guidelines. It provides guidance in decision-making, examines the implications for liaising with other health care professionals and encourages nurses to shape their role to the needs of their patients and practice.

Quiet leadership: six steps to transmitting performance at work: help people think better, don't tell them what to do! Rock, D. (2006) New York: Collins. 262 pp.

Changing the way people think is one of the hardest challenges in the known universe. In constant demand as a coach, speaker, and consultant to companies around the world, David Rock has proven the secret to leading people (and living and working with them) is found in the space between our ears. Supported by the latest groundbreaking research on the brain, Quiet Leadership provides, for the first time, a simple brain-based approach that will help busy leaders, executives, and managers improve their own and their colleagues' performance.

This book is for the chief executive who wants to be more effective at inspiring high-quality thinking in his or her leadership team, but has just a few minutes each week to speak to them. It's for the executive who'd like to get a manager to plan more effectively, but can't seem to work out how. It's for the manager who wants to inspire the sates team, but isn't sure how to do it. It's for the human resources professional who is ready to take on changing the culture of a whole organisation. It's also for the parent or caregiver who wants to reach new levels of communication and understanding with their family members.

Manage meetings positively: how to take charge and come up with results. (2006) London: A. & C. Black. 96pp.

Too many meetings, never enough decisions. Badly-managed meetings can be a waste of time and often they just don't need to happen at all If you have to chair or arrange meetings, this book will help you make sure they're useful and helpful exchanges of information, rather than pointless shouting matches.

Manage meetings positively offers practical solutions, including: keeping the meeting on schedule; making sure decisions are reached; dealing with conflict if tempers rise. Whatever your line of work, this book will help you make meetings more of a pleasure than a chore.

Care of the difficult patient: a nurse's guide. Manos, P. J. & Braun, J. (2005) New York: Routledge. 152 pp.

A stay in hospital is a traumatic experience for most patients. However, some patients may be more difficult than others to care for, because of mental distress and ill health, historic substance abuse, demanding family members or abusive behaviour. "Difficult" patients place extra demands on nurses professionally and personally. Developing the skills required to deal with difficult patients is therefore vital to the smooth running of any hospital ward.

Communication for nurses: talking with patients. Sheldon, L.K. (2005) Boston: Jones and Bartlett. 142 pp.

The five sections of this book are titled: Setting the stage for effective communication, the nurse-patient relationship, communicating with specific patient groups, communicating with other health care providers and a conclusion. This book is aimed at those who teach nursing. At the end of each chapter are exercises, to be done in either small groups or individually. The case study at the beginning of each chapter is also played out at the end of the chapter, providing resolution for the "tricky" situations that are outlined.

The author has extensive experience in oncology nursing, and this shows in the amount of information given to communicating with those with a terminal illness versus that given to communicating with, for example, those from diverse cultures. The chapter on cultural diversity is five pages long, providing at best a very brief contribution toward this discussion. This limits the usefulness for the New Zealand nurse. The book makes clear that the formation and growth of communication skills is a lifelong achievement for nurses and the best place to learn is from patients.

Reviewed by Andrea Meats, RN, Princess Margaret Hospital 

135 tips for writing successful business documents. Lindsell-Roberts, S. (C2006) Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 188pp.

The ability to write well is a critical skill for professionals in nearly every field. Good writers provide leadership, influence decisions and advance their own careers. In this new book, Lindsell-Roberts draws from her 20-plus years of experience as a successful consultant for clients in business, education and government. In a lively, engaging style, she explains how to write persuasively for virtually any audience. The book includes specific advice on brochures, executive summaries, speeches, PowerPoint presentations, website content, and much more. Concrete examples illustrate practical strategies, such as how to present a message positively, how to sequence information for different kinds of readers, and how to use charts to highlight key points.

Dying: A New Zealand guide for the journey. Wood, S. & Fox, P. (2006) Auckland: Calico Publications, 196pp.

This book has been written to help anyone who is dying, and their family and carers. The terminal stages of life are like all the rest, in being times for people to live through as richly as they can. Drawing on years of experience in hospice care and counselling, the authors discuss what they and others have found happening in the final stages of illness--what the dying person can expect, what others have found important to do, and generally how to respond positively and practically to the challenges of this difficult journey.

Contract matters: negotiation. (2004) Gilbert, M. Wellington: Genesis Publishing. 95pp.

This book was written to promote the need for planning, as well as how to undertake a negotiation, the philosophy of negotiation, types of negotiators, how to manage the "table pounder" and how to manage conflict. It covers: understanding your position--and considering the other side's position; negotiation philosophy; types of negotiators; how to conduct a negotiation; and consideration of the environment.

Get your groove back: how spiritual intelligence (SQ) can give you the work and life you really want. Singh, J. (2006) Auckland: Reed Publishing Ltd. 233 pp.

This is a revolutionary take on a pressing topic--how can we continue to spend more and more of our lives at work, if we're not sure what that work really means? Clinical psychologist Jasbindar Singh is at the forefront of the global movement to achieve work-life balance through SQ or spiritual intelligence.

This life and career development book provides a fresh perspective on how to: identify what gives you a sense of meaning and purpose; analyse your skills, values, interests and career motivators; re-claim skills and interests that may have been neglected; live a balanced and quality life; and tap into and harness your spiritual intelligence.

Guidance for mentors of student nurses and midwives. An RCN toolkit. (2005) London: Royal College of Nursing. 17pp.

This toolkit will support you as you help students get the most from their practice experience. Designed for a mentor, or an associate mentor who is new to the role, the toolkit is also a valuable prompt and update for the more experienced mentor.

http://www.rcn.org.uk/publications/pdf/ guidance_for_mentors.pdf.

Professional online newsletters & emails: Exactly how to create your own. Mayo-Smith, D. (2004) Auckland: Successful Internet Strategies. 96pp.

Do you want to take your online communications from average to spectacular? Do you want to send a great professional looking online newsletter to your clients and prospects? You don't need to go to expensive advertising or web development agencies or have the budget of a large corporation. All you need is good to intermediate computer skills and this great new, fully illustrated step-by-step, how-to book.

NZNO members are able to borrow these books/articles. Email [e-mail] or telephone [phone]. Information on the books (except the ones reviewed) included on this page comes from publishers' publicity material library resource lists can be found on NZNO's website: www.nzno.org.nz.

Compiled by NZNO librarian Linda Stopforth