Book excerpt: Nursing can be complex and challenging to new students and trainee practitioners. Key Concepts in Nursing provides a much needed guide to the central topics and debates which shape nursing theory, policy and contemporary practice. From assessment to ethics, and leadership to risk management, the book offers a comprehensive yet concise guide to the professional field. Each entry features: " a snapshot definition of the concept; " a broader discussion addressing the main issues and links to practice; " key points relevant to the entry; " case studies to illustrate the application to practice; " examples of further reading. Highly readable, with clear indexing and cross referencing, this is an ideal book for trainees to turn to for learning more about key issues in nursing practice and education. It meets the validation requirements of all training programmes and will also be invaluable for nurses continuing their professional education, those returning to practice and for mentoring.