In addition to statutory and common law, the authors discuss legal grounds for disciplinary action, standards of care, legal duties, causation (proof whether the nurse's conduct caused an injury), prod- uct liability, the nurse as expert witness, the relationship of employer and employ- ee in liability, and the rights of patients, including the much abused and much misunderstood informed consent. They close with a strong emphasis on account- ability as the full-time partner of auton- omy. Their view of "rights" differs from that of Curtin in that they regard rights as privileges or capacities secured by law. Curtin sees rights as inherently ours as humans with or without the law.

At first, Murchison, Nichols, and Han- son state flatly that nursing is an autono- mous profession. They then acknowl- edge that not everyone sees nursing that way. Thus, their view is not so different from that of Donnelly, Mengel, and Sut- terley with their koan, to which they themselves answer that obviously nursing should be a profession.

The field of nursing spreads across a spectrum of job-voca t ion-p ro fess ion . In general, the field has moved toward the professional end of the spectrum, and many nurses have been professionals for years while others stand in other parts of the spectrum. This may account for the murkiness of the law, which is not really so far advanced as a quick reading of Murchison, Nichols, and Hanson's book might lead one to believe. The ambigu- ous perception of nursing by the public, physicians, and other health care groups is in part a reflection of reality. It would only be wishful thinking to state flatly that nurses are professionals. We wholeheart- edly endorse that standard or the call to that standard, but are well aware that not all, nurses or others, accept it yet. Ac- ceptance is growing, however, albeit at times with two steps forward and one back. These texts are part of that process- -a process that is theoretical, pragmatic, ethical, political, and legal. These books will help nurses and mid- wives in all shades of the spectrum of professionalism. Likewise, they will be valuable resources for midwives relative to the influence of new technologies in health care, and the nature of ethical de- cision making.

Sex, Contraception and Motherhood in Jamaica. By Eugene B. Brody. Cam-

bridge, MA; Harvard University Press, 1981. 278 pages. $20.00, hardcover.

Reviewed by: Linda Nelson, R.N., M.Ed., Acting Head Nurse, Labor and Delivery, Roosevelt Hospital, New York, New York.

This book researches reproductive be- havior from a social science and psycho- analytic perspective. The focus is on single women and the men who are in- volved in their lives. The author tries to determine individual knowledge and at- titudes toward natural and artificial meth- ods of contraception and the conditions influencing use or nonuse of the meth- ods. He explores cognitive, physical, and environmental factors responsible for first and subsequen t p regnanc ies in this group.

The author, with the help of various family planning clinics and medical per- sonnel, examines the prevailing attitudes toward family involvement and commit- ment, and the effects on individuals and society. He analyzes the findings in light of the government's and private clinics' attempt to curve population growth in terms of the social problems these indi- viduals face and the resources the coun- try has to deal with these problems.

Brody is not judgmental of the clients' life-styles as he interviews them and tries to understand the variations in the con- straints within which they operate. The text a t tempts to e lucidate how the woman sees herself fulfilling the role of motherhood and its meaning to her. He shows understanding of the conditions and reasons why the woman has preg- nancy after pregnancy as she searches for something meaningful and satisfying in her life. This research does not treat the life-style as bad or deviant, but gives a candid picture of the framework within which certain groups operate, and their attempt to cope with it.

The material is extensively researched and well documented. It is useful in helping one to understand areas other than socioeconomic conditions that affect certain specific issues.

Health Care of Women: Gynecological Assessment. By Jollen Watson Hawkins and Loretta P. Higgins. Monterey, CA: Wadsworth Health Sciences Division, 1982. 125 pages. $15.00, hardcover,

Reviewed by: Linda Nelson, R.N., M.Ed., Acting Head Nurse, Labor and

Delivery, Roosevelt Hospital, New York, New York.

The theme of the text is preventive health care. The authors focus on the total gy- necological screening and assessment of women in various age groups. This book is a technical teaching tool that describes and analyzes the reciprocal respon- sibilities between provider and client in preventive gynecological health care.

The book begins with a practical and uncomplicated guide to the techniques of interviewing and data gathering. This is followed by a brief, yet informative re- view of the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system. The format of this review is very basic. It is intended as a review for practitioners who have in- depth knowledge of nursing theory and practice, especially gynecological nursing c a r e .

There is a detailed, step-by-step de- scription of the gynecological examina- tion, with clear, concise, evaluat ive rationale for the observations and tech- niques used. The findings are simply and logically explained, after which suggested t reatment and managemen t are dis- cussed. A primary purpose of this book is to help the providers of women's health care to perfect their role in providing health teaching, collecting a data base, and helping women to maintain a state of normalcy in health, physically as well as attitudinally. The art of detecting devia- tions from normal at an early stage is stressed, as well as how to synthesize and document findings and when to obtain consultation and/or referral.

The authors' style reflects a concern for informative detail that is factual and easily comprehensible . Without the use of highly scientific or complicated medical terminology, the information is relevant without being simplistic. Black and white diagrams clearly augment the essence of the narrative. However, for more em- phasis on specifics such as detailing pelvic blood supply, Figure 2.5; lymphatic drain- age of the breast, Figure 2.8; Pap smear technique, Figure 3,4; nabothian cyst, Figure 5.2; and ectropion, Figure 5.3, color illustrations would probably be more striking and effective. An excellent lea- ture is the self-checklist at the end of each chapter for immediate recall.

The authors have achieved their pur- pose in writing a concise text that is useful as a review or resource for nurse-

Journal of Nurse-Midwifery • Vol. 27, No. 6, November/December 1982 49