Book excerpt: Employing an evidence-based approach, this comprehensive textbook introduces the core clinical skills and competencies a newly-qualified nurse is required to have for professional practice. It is divided into five broad sections looking at: Care and compassion and communication, including personal care and pain assessment Essential skills, including observations, monitoring and emergency management Organisational aspects of care, including moving and handling, and wound care Safety and protection, including medicine management and infection control Nutrition and fluid balance, including hydration and nutrition. Designed to allow readers to develop and enhance their clinical skills with one key textbook, each chapter contains learning outcomes, recommendations for practice, case studies, activities, ‘clinical significance’ highlights and step-by-step guides to important procedures. This invaluable clinical skills textbook is an essential reference for pre-registration nursing students of all fields of nursing.