The Sixth Edition of one of the most widely used books in issues and t rends has the information and tools your students will need to succeed as professionals in the real world. Understandable, highly readable, compact and easy to use, this edition has been completely updated to r eflect the newest information, trends and changes in the healthcare sy stem. Current coverage includes the issues that will affect nursing no w and in the future, including: Functioning in the managed care enviro nment and the use of critical pathways; The changing power and politic al roles of insurance companies, and trends toward triaging health car e and financial limits on health care; Collaborative care and the dema nds of interdisciplinary practice; Community-based practice and decent ralization of health care service; Working with unlicensed assistive p ersonnel and the changing employment scene.