B O O K R E V I E W

Book Review

Nursing Research: Methods, Critical Appraisal and UtUisation Schnieder, Z., Elliott, D., LoBiondo-Wood, G. & Haber, J. Mosby 2002 (2nd Ed), ISBN: 0729536653, Cost $A78.10

Book suppfied for review by Elsevier Science~Harcourt Austrafia www.harcourt.com.au www.harcourt-intemationaL com

Collaboratively reworked from the original American text, this second Australasian edition offers editorial contributions from many distinguished Australasian nurse researchers and academics. As with the first (1999) edition, the discussion of methods, critical appraisal and research utilisation are illustrated with many excellent examples of relevant aspects of Australasian health care. Demand for this edition is a testament to the interest and engagement of nurses in research and research-based practice in this part of the world.

Reviewed by: Donno Waters Research Fellow, Nursing and Health Services Research Consortium, Manager Research, The College of Nursing (Incorporating the NSW College of Nursing), Sydney Australia

Aimed principally at consumers of research, the first section of the book (Research and Practice) is especially suitable for the undergraduate to gain a broad view of nursing research concepts, implications and applications. There is, however, adequate depth for postgraduate researchers to gain insight into a range of methods presented in the second (Qualitative Methods) and third (Quantitative Methods) sections. There is extensive and effective cross referencing of sections and chapters throughout and while this produces some repetition, such texts are rarely read in their entirety. It is more important that individual chapters present a complete picture to those who dip in to these sections.

The style and layout ensures that concepts and methods are easily adaptable for the research consumer and would be acceptable to most teaching and learning approaches. There is an extensive glossary, 'warts and all' examples of implementing research into practice and practical step-by-step instruction on preparing research or ethics proposals. A number of less well- travelled areas of research are expanded upon, such as an interesting discussion of historical methods and feminist and critical perspectives in nursing research.

An important addition is a number of very useful on- line extras: chapter-based student activities, additional research articles, test banks and slide presentations are available through the publisher. Samples can be viewed on the Elsevier website: www.elsevier.com.au.

3 8 Emergency Nurses Association of NSW Inc.