Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry (Oxford American Handbooks of Medicine (Quality Paperback)) Review

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(More customer reviews)On the 1200+ razor-thin pages of tiny text, this book has something to say about every topic in psychiatry. This is its greatest strength. Some significant shortcomings are there as well: a good portion of this information is too vague, not clinical, or outright irrelevant. A few important things are missing. Also, the book has so much information it is often difficult to find something.
To give its due credit, the book is best pocket guide to psychiatry for residents. However, I can only say that because the authors managed to squeeze an inordinate amount of information in the 1200+ pages, and no other guides are available for a fair comparison.
Closer inspection of the massive amounts of information reveals some shortcomings.
#1 The book is too vague and not clinically oriented. (For an example of what a clinical guide should look like, open Pocket Medicine from Mass General.) Here, a lot of ink is wasted on introductions, history lessons, and extensive epidemiology information (nothing against public health, but this guide goes overboard). A clinical psych reference does not need musings on stigma of psychiatry, history, and the future of the field. The books is trying to talk about everything, and, with this misplaced focus, it misses its target audience (presumably residents, attendings). For example, authors of Chapter 4 on EBM have made an extensive use of diagrams and visual aids to explain different types of clinical studies and trials, roles of participants, etc over many pages. How about a visual diagram on something more clinically relevant like the decision steps in pharmacological management of ADHD or depression. Too little text is devoted to that. Another example: the section on personality disorders does a fair job describing each one; however when it comes to management, all PDs are suddenly grouped as one condition; that's not particularly useful especially when it comes to treatment and behavioral management. The short paragraph on psychopharmacology of PDs is nauseatingly inadequate.
Also some information is duplicated adding to an unwieldy tome that stretches a white-coat pocket: (e.g. Anxiety section (Chapter 9) contains a glossary of phobias; Chapter 3 glossary of psychiatric terms also lists some phobias, but not all).
#2 Some information is missing: ER psychiatry section should contain information on managing TCA overdose - I could not find it anywhere in the book.
More likely than not, a psychiatric resident will witness a few seizures during her training. No word on how to manage them, let alone Vfib/Vtach protocol.

#3 It may be difficult to find what you are looking for. Quick example: Let's say you have an acutely psychotic patient, and you want to know how much Haldol to give him. Trying to find the answer you realize that haloperidol does not appear in the index! (neither is QT prolongation!!). Looking up psychosis in the index will not send you to the right page either. The ER section is silent on this. (The answer is in the middle of the section on schizophrenia, impossible to find, unless you have 20 minutes free to browse through the book).
The bottom line, in an attempt to write a comprehensive text, the authors brought together a lot of information with little regard for its clinical relevance. The book may help medical students learn about psychiatry and study for the shelf exam, but it won't help residents manage TCA overdose, and it does not have specific enough information for an attending to manage outpatient meds. With all it's shortcoming it is the best out there (no one else bothered to write a guide). But this book requires commitment to be useful. It will take time to learn the book's cryptic way of organizing information, and to find hidden clinical answers. And always carry epocrates, pocket DSM-IV and ACLS card for backup.

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Written by leading American practitioners, the Oxford American Handbooks in Medicine each offer a pocket-sized overview of an entire specialty, featuring instant access to guidance on the conditions that are most likely to be encountered. Precise and prescriptive, the handbooks offer up-to-date advice on examination, investigations, common procedures, and in-patient care. These books will be invaluable resources for residents and students, as well as a useful reference for practitioners.The Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry is a flexi-covered, pocket clinical book, providing practical guidance in quick reference, note form. The series' reputation is built on including the best clinical information, complemented by hints, tips and advice from the authors. Thin and light, it uses concise, bulleted text, quick reference tabs, four-color presentation, and bookmark ribbons to help provide fast answers on the ward. This new handbook is ideal for students, residents and anyone wanting a succinct, comprehensive, and affordable volume in the proven format of the Oxford Handbook Series.Why choose the Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry?The design....The Handbook uses a unique flexicover design that's durable and practical.Compact, light, and fits in your pocket!Also has quick reference tabs, four-color presentation, and bookmark ribbons to help provide fast answers.The interior layout....The Handbook is a quick reference in a small, innovative package.With one to two topics per page, it provides easy access and the emergency sections are in red to stand out.Icons throughout aid quick reference. The information....The Handbook succinctly covers all the essential topics in a one ortwo-page spread format with colored headings that break up the text and provide a logical structure for readers of all levels.Common clinical questions are answered clearly and extensively.The history....Oxford University Press is known around the world for excellence, tradition, and innovation.These handbooks are among the best selling in the world.The price....You get an extremely useful tool at a great value!

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The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit Review

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(More customer reviews)This book took me a long time to read, but it was well worth it. Laurie Barkin has written a memoir-type account of her work experience as a psychiatric nurse and woven her personal life throughout. The account read like a good novel, and the personal life experiences rounded this therapeutic story. Laurie's personality shone through her expertise as a nurse; her sensitive care of her patients made me wish there were more nurses like her. What we have lost in quality patient care has touched all aspects of society and has caused costs to skyrocket instead of decrease. Laurie mentions this issue throughout her chapters; she has direct insight from having worked in a hospital when managed care was just taking off. I related to the notion of vicarious trauma that some caregivers experience; this is probably more widespread than some of us want to admit. Although I did not work with such severe trauma cases as Laurie, I did work for a facility that ministered to special populations and after 5 years of working there, sought a career change.
One has to admire a person that loves her job and that loves helping people with traumatic histories. Laurie related these stories in a sensitive manner while making an impact on the reader. I found myself wanting to know more about them and how they had survived such conditions. She did admit that there were a few people she did not warm to, and this added to the book's credibility. I related to her worrying more about her loved ones and wondering if her luck would run out in her own life. It is impossible for many of us not to wonder if our relatively stable lives will all of a sudden be shattered as is the case for many. I am a worrier and I feel like I have to walk on glass sometimes so as not to disturb life's rhythm; although, I am much better as I age. I suppose there is less time left to worry.
Laurie seemed cautious as the book began, not going into too much detail on the first patient she described, but as the book unfolded, the descriptions of the patients and their histories made more of an impact. I especially liked the description of Mr. Livermore, the seemingly cold, inhuman patient who appeared near the end of the book. Then, there was Will Avery, who wondered why the doctors saved him; he felt worthless. I liked Mrs. Holloway, who had gotten a knife wound, from one of her neighbors, and the comical Jack Whitman, who joked about his injury.
Laurie balances the sad horror stories of her work with anecdotes of her home life, her last pregnancy, her husband, and three children. They live a good life, the reader watches Benny, her last child, grow; they take vacations and do normal family activities. Toward the end of the book, Laurie describes her pounding heart and her growing misgivings about her work situation. She finally reaches the breaking point, and as the book ends, she decides to take a break from work and worries about reinventing herself. Will her identity survive when she is no longer a nurse? This is an issue many of us grapple with when we make a career change. Will we succeed, or will we fail? It was therapeutic to share the author's feelings and thoughts throughout this book. Readers will find many issues to relate to and share in the ways that Laurie works through them. Is is obvious to me that she is a success; a book is a great accomplishment. In the acknowledgments, she says it took her nine years to write her book; the work she did is evident in the carefully written accounts of her career.
This book should be read by anyone thinking about going into the mental health profession, and it would be therapeutic for those already in it. It really describes the day-to-day struggles and triumphs in the helping professions.
The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit

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The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit by Laurie Barkin

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