Physiotherapy September 2003/vol 89/no 9

566

Springer, Heidelberg2002 (ISBN 1 85233 224 5). Illus. 265 pages

edited by J Laycock and J Haslam £45This latest book covering the management of incontinenceand pelvic pain has been compiled by two well-knownphysiotherapists working within this field. It is written for professionals, by professionals, and provides a clear,concise and well-referenced textbook for all healthcareprofessionals.

The editors have invited contributions from 39distinguished experts in their own field, critically reviewingthe literature and suggesting further areas of research.

The text is divided into seven sections: urinaryincontinence, treatment of urinary incontinence, colorectaldisorders, pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, com-plementary therapies, and professional issues. Each chapterhighlights evidence-based practice and gives guidance toreaders, whether students or specialists alike. The text isinterspersed with clear diagrams, tables, charts andphotographs where appropriate. The appendices contain

recording and assessment charts which are well tried andtested. If necessary, these charts can be customised for one’sown area of work.

It is refreshing to see that the recent research on pelvicfloor stability and trunk muscle co-activation is alsoincluded, bringing readers right up to date and invitingchange of practice.

The section on pelvic pain covers an area which, untilrecently, has been poorly defined and difficult to treat. Theauthors embrace this topic in depth and provide a holisticapproach to the multidisciplinary management of thesepatients.

Unfortunately the section which addresses assessment andtreatment of male patients is only two pages long and seemsa little incongruous in a book primarily devoted to femalepatients.

The final section on professional issues encouragesfurther research to determine best practice; explores theneed for audit, so that the effectiveness of interventions andregimes can be measured; and raises the profile of infectioncontrol within the clinical governance framework.

The editors are to be congratulated for compiling such a well-rounded, comprehensive textbook which will be auseful reference and practical guide for all undergraduateand postgraduate health professionals working with patientswho suffer incontinence and pelvic pain.

Jane Dixon MCSP

Therapeutic Management ofIncontinence and Pelvic Pain Pelvic organ disorders

Nelson Thornes, Cheltenham2002 (ISBN 0 7487 6933 1). 112 pages

edited by Malcolm Day £14Assessment of prior learning is defined within this text as a systematic process that involves the identification,documentation, assessment and recognition of learning.Learning may be gained through a variety of activitiesincluding formal and informal study, work and lifeexperiences, travel and hobbies. The purpose of this book isto enable those involved with assessment of prior learning touse existing assessment theory in their practice. For priorlearning assessors this book meets its stated purpose, but itmay appear too complex to appeal to those proposing toseek accreditation for their prior learning.

The book is well written and the inclusion of aninternational dimension provides additional interest. Thetext is divided into six chapters: ‘Assessment of priorlearning: the UK experience’, ‘Assessment of prior learning:international dimensions’, ‘The role of prior learningassessors’, ‘Assessment of prior learning in colleges,universities and the professions’, ‘A complementary

approach’, ‘Lifelong learning and prior learning assessors’.These can be read independently of each other for thosereaders wishing to find out more about a particular aspect ofassessment of prior learning. For example the chapterexploring the role of the assessors of prior learning will beextremely useful to those new to this responsibility.

At the beginning of each chapter is a summary of thechapter contents and intended outcomes for readers.Within each chapter is a series of key learning activitieswhich are designed to enable readers to reflect upon andcontinuously improve their assessment of prior learning.Feedback on these learning activities is provided at the endof the book along with a glossary of terms.

The book is well referenced and indexed so that thereader is able to find specific information quickly ifrequired.

It may not be immediately apparent why this book wouldbe of relevance to physiotherapists but with the currentemphasis on continuing professional development, theguidance it provides on how to evidence learning obtainedthrough practice is extremely valuable. It is an inexpensiveguide to assessment of prior learning and would be a usefulresource for a trust or departmental library.

Jo JacksonEdD MSc BA CertEd(FE) MCSP

Assessment of Prior Learning A practitioner’s guide