Prepare to deliver the best patient care before, during, and after surgery with this approachable guide to surgical skills and operating room procedures. In addition to covering all the content in the AST Core Curriculum, this one-of-a-kind text offers a unique mentoring approach and engaging learning features that make even complex skills and techniques easy to understand.
- Comprehensive coverage addresses all areas of the AST Core Curriculum for Surgical Technology.
- Reader-friendly writing style and organization builds content from fundamental concepts, aseptic technique, and the role and function of the surgical technologist, to the specialty surgical procedure chapters.
- Consistent chapter format breaks down surgical procedures in an easy-to-understand way that helps you understand the key elements of more than 200 procedures.
- Experienced author/consulting editor team lends a breadth of experience for a well-rounded and multi-perspective focus on operating room procedures and quality patient care.
- Over 1,200 full-color illustrations and clinical photos bring concepts and procedures to life.
- Robust practice opportunities include review questions and case studies at the end of each chapter, along with additional review questions and surgical practice videos on the Evolve companion website.
- Learning objectives serve as checkpoints for comprehension and as study tools in preparation for examinations.
- Key terminology appears in boldface throughout chapter discussions with key terms defined and cross-referenced to a back-of-book glossary.
- Key concepts are covered in a bulleted list at the end of each chapter discussion to summarize and review chapter content.
- References and bibliographies provide a listing of in-text and additional citations of scientific research and best practices.
- Pathology appendix summarizes the most commonly seen pathological processes and organizes them by body system.
- NEW! Robotic Surgery chapter describes the most advanced equipment and procedures involving surgical robots.
- Additional skills content includes patient preparation, transporting, positioning, and draping.
- Expanded coverage of endoscopic procedures is featured in the Minimally Invasive Surgery chapter.
Joanna Kotcher holds a Master’s Degree in Global Health, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a BA in International Studies. She has coordinated emergency response in conflict environments for the past 18 years in such locations as Kosovo, Central Asia (Tajikistan), Afghanistan, Darfur, Gaza and the OPT, Somaliland, Syria, and Iraq. As a Medical/Surgical Coordinator Ms. Kotcher has coordinated and managed medical teams in the start-up and full implementation stages of projects that assist populations in need of emergency medical and surgical care during armed conflict. She has also coordinated post-conflict actions during the period immediately following “official” cessation of armed conflict. Working in insecure environments, Ms. Kotcher has extensive experience in the design and implementation of medical/surgical actions, team building and support, implementation of standards and guidelines, medical and nursing staff training, and team mentoring. She continues to study and learn while working in the field and maintaining membership with notable professional organizations in the combined disciplines of humanitarian studies and medical/surgical assistance.
