Institute of Medicine, Effectiveness and Outcomes in Health Care by K A Heithoff and K A Lohr, Institute of Medicine. Published

by National Academy Press, 1990. 229pp, £21.45, paperback.

ISBN: 0-~09-04142-5’) --

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This book represents the proceedings of an international conference with many of the

leading figures in the field ofoutcomes research

which contains 104

reproductions in sepia of picture postcards showing nurses and aspects of hospital life in the first 2 decades of the century including the period of the First World War. Their uniforms may have been less practical but how charming those nurses looked in their bonnets, aprons and stiff cuffs! The picture postcard reproductions are accompanied by some interesting historical

conditions (breast cancer,

Unfortunately, the index contains of pagination. However, this charming little book will be enjoyed by all members of the nursing profession who take a pride in their history. Other health as well as and social medical professionals historians will find these glimpses into the

acute

PASL rewnruiiig.

and its applications. Different sections contain

individual chapters covering a wide range of

perspectives including social, clinical, legislative as well as methodological and data collection issues.

Detailed attention is

given to 3 clinical

hip fracture and myocardial infarction) which were the basis of priorities for study identified by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). The

several

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represents one strand in the continuing debate best

how

the

approach quality in health care and to find ways to bring about improvement.

conceptualisation The book is

to

of

a

first class collection of

essays, well referenced by experts in the field

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A Sakula

from chaos to control by Nira Kfir and Maurice Slevin. Published

and will be of

particular interest to those who

wish to familiarise themselves with up to date

thinking in quality of health care as well as those who are planning initiatives involving ~nn~th ~mtrnmn l11.0.1111 VllWV111B.

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~ecneemnnt aJ~&dquo;&dquo;’’’:)’:>II.1’’’’’1.1.L 0.11B.L

L J Donaldson

by Routledge,12th September 1991.

£8.99

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Cancer is the result of uncontrolled growth. A diagnosis can be devastating, impinging present activities and

and

relationships hopes and aspirations. Having cancer upsets bodily functions, causes psychological turmoil and affects deeper spiritual considerations. The patient must fight to achieve the maximum possible quality of life, combating not only the effects of the on

disturbing

future

disease but also those of its treatment. This book is based on the considerable

0 More Pictures of Health

by Cynthia O’Neill. Published by Meadow Books, 1991. 104pp, Y-7-95, paperback. TSRN. n-Qfi 1 fi6fi fi-~1 -6 ~ ~ a ~ .. ~ -

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Picture

postcards customarily reproduce

of countryside or seaside or maybe of the vulgar ’What the butler saw’ variety. There have, however, been picture postcards more socially orientated such as those illustrating nurses and aspects of nursing life scenes

which used to be sold for a few pennies to help

swell the coffers of voluntary hospitals, so indigent at the commencement of this century.

Cynthia O’Neill had produced an earlier volume,

’Pictures of

Health’, which

was

experience of the Authors - one a psychotherapist and the other a consultant oncologist, in helping patients to fight the disease. Both Authors derived much from their contact with Dr Vicky Clement Jones, the founder of BACUP (British Association of Cancer United Patients). Their book is unusual and very ’human’. It presents verbatim group discussions at cancer workshops showing how patients have become actively involved in taking the fight to their disease, in the course of which they have changed from victims to heroes. In the face of death as a certainty other matters are brought more sharply into focus. The book can be strongly recommended to

all those

having

to

do with

Dear Sir

Setting a Good Example Legislation concerning the safety of food throughout the food chain was considerably improved during 1991. Soon it will be compulsory for all Food Handlers to receive training in hygienic practises in the preparation and serving offood, and in choice of suitable equipment. The hands are one of the main agents of cross-contamination in the kitchen, and sensible advice is to avoid using the hands wherever possible and to handle food

wooden spoons, chopping-boards and even wooden-handled knives are being phased out and replaced by modern materials which can be thoroughly cleaned, yet this recommended equipment is not always used in television cooking. The cosy homely image of some programmes means the cooks do not even wear

second volume, ’More pictures of Health’,

j W T Dickerson

aprons,

although professional

caterers

expected to wear clean and sufficient over-clothing in order to protect food from the bacteria inevitably present on everyday clothes - not to protect clothes from splashes are

of food. The result of poor food

poisoning:

incidents

hygiene

are not

is food

restricted

to

commercial outlets but also arise from dishes prepared and eaten in the home. We all have

responsibility to ensure that food is prepared safely and hygienically - let’s see some better

a

examples from specialist specialist presenters. presenters. examples

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using clean tongs, disposable

gloves or other clean utensils. Why then, do so many professional cooks still use their bare hands when demonstrating recipes on TV? In commercial kitchens

people with

received with acclaim. She has now produced a

to the Editor

errors

Challenging Cancer;

outcome movement

powerful about

notes.

Letter

Downloaded from rsh.sagepub.com at NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV LIB on March 29, 2015

from

Elaine White, AMRSH

Setting a good example.

Institute of Medicine, Effectiveness and Outcomes in Health Care by K A Heithoff and K A Lohr, Institute of Medicine. Published by National Academy P...
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