Reviewer: Elizabeth M Nutter, DNP, CNM (St. Martin's University)
Description: Updated from the 2009 first edition, this guide to midwifery clinical practice provides current, evidence-based foundational principles to help guide decision-making for antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and gynecological care. The alphabetical organization enables quick location of the desired topic. Each topic includes source citations and is covered in one to two pages.
Purpose: The purpose is to consolidate the full scope of midwifery clinical information into one compact reference to help guide midwifery care. This unique book meets its objective, providing a quick reference to guide clinical decision making.
Audience: This is a valuable resource for any midwife or obstetrical provider from novice to expert. All three authors are practicing certified nurse-midwives who developed this guide to help them in their clinical practice. This updated edition reflects current guidelines to support optimal care.
Features: Each topic includes the basic knowledge required to help a midwife develop a care plan that is evidence based. The guide is thorough with ample topic coverage of antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and gynecological care. Because the book is organized alphabetically, it is well suited for busy clinicians who need to find a desired topic quickly. The pages are tabbed with grayed out alphabetized blocks, and a helpful index lists topics as well. There are numerous quick reference tables and decision algorithms that aid in the quick absorption of information. Black-and-white images are appropriately used throughout to help increase understanding of certain topics. The last six pages offer lined pages for clinicians to write their own notes. The only shortcoming is the index. There were instances that I had to scan the entire index to find the topic I was looking for. For example, I had a patient with a rash, but there is no listing for rash. I eventually found what I was looking for under dermatology. There is a companion app available for separate purchase, which apparently provides an electronic version of the book as well as exclusive content and calculators. Icons in the print book inform readers that the app expands on a given topic.
Assessment: This guide is exceptionally well done. It is comprehensive and based on current evidence. Since evidence-based practice changes over time, it was imperative that this guide be updated to reflect current practice guidelines. I have used this guide and the app in clinical practice for the last month and have found it to be incredibly valuable as a quick reference that provides just enough information to help me develop a plan of care. Prior to this, I used A Midwife's Handbook, Sinclair (Elsevier, 2004), which is outdated and does not reflect current practice guidelines. In addition, it is organized by patient care type (intrapartum, antepartum, postpartum, gynecological, newborn), which makes quick referencing impossible. I ended up having to tab the book myself to locate topics I referenced frequently. This updated guide addresses the shortcomings of that handbook, offering an exceptional quick reference for practicing midwives.