Anatomy & Physiology Book Review | Barron's Educational Series

I'm a critical care nurse. Anatomy and physiology are subjects I must know in great detail. Whether I'm managing a patient receiving rotoprone therapy or a patient getting continuous renal replacement therapy, I must understand the human body and the respective parts. As a nursing student, I was told about the holy grail of anatomy books, the Gray's Anatomy textbook. A year into my nursing education, I saved up enough money ($300) and purchased the 40th edition. I read the book around 30 times and would quiz myself after each chapter. Sadly after hours of reading, the content would not stay with me. It was not soaking in.

I contribute this lack of comprehension to my history of concentration dysfunction and the advanced nature of the Gray's Anatomy textbook. Every textbook has its own level of knowledge. The goal of studying is to find books at your level of understanding and knowledge base. Books serve to build and expand educational foundations. However, each book has its own level of foundations. Perhaps the textbook, Gray's Anatomy, was too advanced for what I was needing as a critical care nurse. Don't get me wrong, the Gray's Anatomy textbook is a well-renowned book with comprehensive, detailed anatomy information. But not every individual needs and/or will understand this level of knowledge. This has nothing to do with intellectual capacity, this has to do with finding what works for you. If you can't understand a book's content, it doesn't serve its purpose.

With that said, I was sent these two books from Barrons Educational last week. The timing could not have been more perfect. I'm currently taking courses in lipidology and was having difficulty understanding cholesterol production and distribution throughout the body. With my current struggle with school, I wanted to see if these books could help me. My first read was from the Gray's Anatomy liver chapter. After reading, I understood the general concepts, but the specifics were a mystery. After the books arrived from Barrons Educational, I re-attempted my educational journey toward understanding. To my surprise, both books were great assets toward my education. Both books offer straightforward verbiage and presented complex concepts in novice-to-intermediate levels of understanding. If you're a medical profession or nursing student, these books will help you. Don't let the amazing price tag fool you ($16.99/each). These pocket guides pack a punch. I would recommend these pocket books to any individual seeking to understand human anatomy, physiology, and movement. Plus, the books are the perfect size. Both books fit in my nursing bag and were light enough to carry around without weighing my bag down. Great books, great resources!

Pocket Anatomy & Physiology: The Compact Guide To Human Structure & Function

Book ISBN-13: 978-1438009056

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Pocket Anatomy Of The Moving Body: The Compact Guide To The Science Of Human Locomotion

Book ISBN-13: 978-1438009063

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