Book review: SUNA Core Curriculum for Urologic Nursing

The Society of Urology Nurses and Associates (SUNA), based in the USA, has just released the first edition of its Core Curriculum for Urologic Nursing.

Edited by Diane K. Newman, Jean F. Wyman, and Valre W. Welch, this book gives an outstanding contribution to education in urological nursing. The book is divided into 51 chapters, grouped into nine sections for a total of around 750 pages, and covering various aspects of the subject.

Core Curriculum for Urologic Nursing, 1st ed.

After an overview of urologic nursing and health promotion, care of infants and children is discussed in-depth, from embryology and development of the urinary tract, to assessment, malformations, disorders of the genitalia, and common problems such as stones, voiding dysfunctions, infections, and cancer. Urologic care of adults is divided into several sections, with each section examining specific issues. Assessment of male and female patients is covered, as well as laboratory tests, imaging, endoscopy, interventional radiology, and urodynamics.

Two separate parts of the book are dedicated to caring for women and men, respectively, and cover incontinence, sexual dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Genitourinary cancers are treated in a dedicated section, with single chapters covering renal, bladder, urethral, prostate, penile, and testicular cancer. Other urologic conditions such as polycystic kidney disease, stones, obstructions, infections, neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction, stomas, and trauma are covered by other specific chapters, one for each topic. Perioperative and post-operative care are thoroughly discussed; specific considerations are made for older urologic patients.

All topics are presented through a consistent scheme in all chapters, which cover the full pathway of patients and provides information on definitions, epidemiology, aetiology and pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, screening and assessment, management, and follow-up. The chapters are rich in figures and tables; all essential points are presented as bullet lists, so that the reader can easily find the most relevant information. This makes the book valuable not only for studying, but also as a reference manual for clinical nursing.

Practical information and best practice recommendations

Practical information is provided, both as suggestions regarding procedures, and relevant clinical data such as pressure levels, dosage of drugs, and expected duration of conditions and treatments. Comparative tables allow deeper understanding of the many characteristics of the medical devices used in urology (e.g. stents, tubes, and catheters), which are described and depicted in detail, to help the reader take note of important features or caveats. Urologic tools, such as endoscopes, are depicted and described as well; so are urodynamics diagrammes, with the clinical significance described in detail. Manual procedures such as dressings are presented as checklists, and best practice recommendations are provided to ensure the best possible patient outcomes. Considerations on advanced nursing practice are presented in tables and schemes.

All references are reported at the end of each chapter, thus allowing further readings; all relevant guidelines, including those published by the EAU and EAUN, are present. Thousands of other important and recent papers are cited; overall, the bibliography is up-to-date to 2016, and most articles have been published in the last five years.

This book is very complete and concise at the same time; evidence-based and best practice recommendations are highlighted. The typesetting allows quick retrieval of relevant information, thus making the Core Curriculum valuable for both education and clinical practice in all settings. Overall, the goal of providing the readers with the means to build competence as advanced  practice nurses, as stated in the foreword by the editors, is fully achieved.

Editors : D. K. Newman, J.F. Wyman, V.W. Welch
ISBN : 978-1-940325-28-6
e-Book : available
Published : Nov. 2016
Publisher : SUNA
Edition : 1st
Binding : soft
Price : 199$ (SUNA members 149$)
Pages : 700+
Website : www.suna.org/core
Sponsors : 180 Medical, Hollister, Sagent Urology

Stefano Terzoni, Rn, PhD, EAUN Chair, Milan (IT), s.terzoni@eaun.org