This reference provides information on interpreting blood gases for patient care. It explores the many applications of arterial blood gases using real patient situations to illustrate important principles. This second edition covers: noninvasive blood gas measurements; measurement of pulse oximetry and end-tidal PCO2; clinical evaluation and test ordering; the anion gap and the bicarbonate gap; and physiology. Pre- and post-test blood gas quizzes are also included.

In the last thirty-five years, governments around the globe increasingly seek out and agree contracts with non-profit and for-profit entities designed to provide a portion of the public sector's portfolio of goods and services. This trend can be traced to a variety of factors, including perceived or actual economic efficiencies in outsourcing goods and services, values concerning the role and size of government in society, and the financial and organizational constraints of many government entities. In the United States, child welfare services adopted a pro-contracting approach early, and a...