Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care, 5th Edition Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9781284233360 ISBN-10: 1284233367 Copyright: 2023 Edition: 5th Author: Mauk, Kristen L. Doody's Expert Review    Score: 96 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: Deborah Pool,  BSN, RN  (University of Missouri) Description This book is a fifth edition intended for undergraduate nursing students. The size is a bit overwhelming at 1,000+ pages. Each chapter references the individual competencies from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the Hartford Foundation that apply to the subsequent material. Chapters are laid out in a clear and concise manner, beginning with learning objectives and ending with references. Tables and boxes highlight key information. Color is used throughout the book in pictures, tables, and figures to assist readers in the learning process. The fourth edition was published in 2017. Purpose The purpose of the book is to teach nursing students the competencies and knowledge to provide a high level of care to older adults. The healthcare field is ever-changing and student education needs to stay current. The fifth edition includes updated resources and evidence-based clinical practice. The addition of new authors brings a fresh perspective to the work. Audience This book is intended for nursing students, but it can be utilized in multiple healthcare settings for nurse education and competency training. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has placed a heavy focus on staff competency in the long-term care setting over the past several years. The high level of information may seem overwhelming to nursing students depending on their academic status. Good reading skills and comprehension are a must! The author, by education and position, appears to be a credible authority. The addition of contributors and reviewers provides credence to the work. Features This book is divided into multiple units consisting of 26 chapters. To aid readers, the chapters include case studies, clinical reasoning exercises, and opportunities for personal reflection. Chapters end with multiple references if students wish to seek information on specific topics of interest. Colorful pictures are added to assist with student understanding and to aid visual learners. This book is comprehensive, and I do not feel any items are missing. An online version is available, which mirrors the print copy. Assessment This book is well written, easy on the eyes due to inclusion of color throughout the chapters (I'm a visual learner), and one that I personally will keep as a valued resource. As a healthcare professional who has dedicated the second half of her career to caring for seniors, my current role is serving as a clinical educator to skilled nursing facilities. My goal is to share my knowledge and expertise with homes to help develop the skills needed to care for their specific population. I will utilize this book as a resource when preparing educational programs. Due to the updates previously described, this edition is warranted. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 3 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? 10 ©2025 Doody Enterprises, Inc.