The Art of Systems Analysis

For Fundamentals of Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Psychosocial Nursing and Nursing Specialty LPN/LVN courses.

Part of the LPN/LVN specific series, this practical guide to applying the nursing process to the care of clients with psychiatric disorders and general clients with psychosocial issues teaches psychiatric-mental health nursing as it is really practiced by practical vocational nurses. Students are encouraged to develop empathy for clients and critical thinking skills to meet the challenges of client care. Case studies, client examples and statements from clients in their own words help students understand psychiatric and psychosocial nursing practice. The book is written with the knowledge that not all LPN/LVN nursing students have the opportunity to have psychiatric nursing clinical experiences. All nurses will work with clients who have mental disorders or psychosocial needs.

Linda Eby, RN, MN. Linda Eby received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing degrees from the Oregon Health and Science University. Her work experience includes being a staff nurse and nurse manager in critical care, a home health/hospice nurse, case manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist in clinical genetics, and a psychiatric mental-health nurse. As a member of the nursing faculty at the community college level, she has taught fundamentals of nursing, medical-surgical nursing, and psychiatric-mental health nursing, both theory and clinical. She has consulted and taught workshops on the topics of promoting student success and reducing culture bias in nursing education.

Linda currently teaches Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing theory and clinical courses at Portland Community College. She is also Coordinator of the Nursing Student Success Program. This program promotes the success of nursing students who speak English as a nonnative language, immigrant students, students of color, academically disadvantaged students, and nontraditional students of nursing. Her greatest career accomplishment is contributing to the success of these inspiring students.

She is Secretary of AFT Oregon, state affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, and Vice President of the Portland Community College Faculty Federation. She has twin daughters, Kristine who is studying to be a Spanish teacher, and Monica, an artist and nursing lab assistant. She is a nature and arts and crafts enthusiast, an environmentalist, and a good friend to her dogs Wendu and Charlie.

Nancy J. Brown, RN, MSN. Nancy Brown received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado. She has been actively involved in teaching practical nursing for the past 11 years. Other teaching experience includes staff development positions in long-term care and state institutions for 9 years, where she worked closely with LPNs in practice. Nancy had been involved in nursing administration as a Director of Nursing prior to going into nursing education. She received the "Teacher of the Year" award in 1998 from San Juan Basin Technical School, where she currently teaches. In addition to teaching practical nursing, Nancy also coordinates and teaches within the Certified Nursing Assistant program. She is very active in her church and is known as one of the "puppet people" by those who don't remember her name!