Varney's Midwifery, Fourth Edition

Rating:
Summary: Keep Your Second Edition and Your Money!
Review: A great disappointment after a long wait. The midwifery community, eagerly anticipating the release of this third edition, and expecting promised text changes and updates on practice, received a political travesty instead of a midwifery textbook. Historical information pertaining to the midwifery movement in the United States is not only inaccurate, but intentionally deceiving. Sadly, this book endeavors to further divide midwives from differing educational backgrounds in the U. S., where great efforts are being made to unite the profession. As for core educational and reference content, the book does not provide enough updated information to justify its purchase if one already owns the second edition. For one small example, even though the text touches on information pertaining to out-of-hospital birth, it does not give adequate information in these areas. It is apparent that the author is occupied with political rather than educational agendas. Don't let the name change deceive you ... this is most certainly "nurse-midwifery" from the author's perspective. An extreme disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: This book is the quintessential textbook for midwives.
Review: As Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Nurse-Midwifery (JNM), the official publication of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, I would like to share my own unequivocal 5-star rating of this textbook for midwives as well as some excerpted comments taken from the excellent review it received in the March/April 1997 issue of JNM. Here's what Judith Carveth Trexler, CNM, PhD, the reviewer, had to say: "Midwives have long awaited the third edition of this classic reference. Its expansion in size and scope make it the definitive text for midwives and one that clearly serves as a primary reference for the profession .... Although midwives remain the primary audience for this book, it also serves as an excellent resource for medical students, nurses (particularly those in advanced practice), physician assistants, and other health professionals who find themselves in need of a comprehensive text that applies the physiologic and psychosocial dimensions of women's and infant health to safe, client-centered clinical management."

Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource for Nurse-Midwives of all types
Review: I am currently a Nurse-Midwifery Student in Northern Virginia and have found Varney's to be an excellent resource for students. I have read it from cover to cover many times and find that the scientific rationale provided in the chapters of the text help guide a new Midwife into this challenging and stimulating field of work. Ms. Varney is complex in her review of the care of women throughout their lifecycle. I have used this book so much that I also purchased 'The Pocket Midwife' to be a handy reference to the text. Although I may not practice all of the skills taught within the text, they were certainly thought provoking. I am sure to continue to read and reread this text in my preparation for starting my long-awaited career as a Nurse-Midwife! We are blessed that Ms. Varney has offered students a comprehensive and insightful text of Nurse-Midwifery! Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource for Nurse-Midwives of all types
Review: I am currently a Nurse-Midwifery Student in Northern Virginia and have found Varney's to be an excellent resource for students. I have read it from cover to cover many times and find that the scientific rationale provided in the chapters of the text help guide a new Midwife into this challenging and stimulating field of work. Ms. Varney is complex in her review of the care of women throughout their lifecycle. I have used this book so much that I also purchased 'The Pocket Midwife' to be a handy reference to the text. Although I may not practice all of the skills taught within the text, they were certainly thought provoking. I am sure to continue to read and reread this text in my preparation for starting my long-awaited career as a Nurse-Midwife! We are blessed that Ms. Varney has offered students a comprehensive and insightful text of Nurse-Midwifery! Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: Scientific Midwifery explored,but lacks Midwifery's spirit!
Review: I am currently a student CNM and have found Varney's to offer a great insight to the scientific end of Midwifery. However, I feel that Ms. Varney neglects the beautiful and spiritual side of providing Midwifery care. Although I found her text to be comprehensive in certain aspects of theory and rationale of Nurse-Midwifery I was disappointed that such a classic Midwifery text would leave out the wholistic focus of Midwifery. It is a book I refer to often, but I place it alongside my William's Obstetrics and Gabbe's text. I was hoping to place it among Spiritual Midwifery, Heart and Hands, Frye's Holistic Midwifery, and many countless others that place the primary focus on sharing with women. I am glad that I purchased the text for my library and found it helpful, but it was certainly not what I expected. I feel that certain sections of this text whould not be included (ie. Circumcision for one could feel that the author of this chapter believes wholeheartedly in the practice of routine circumcision). I did not expect such brutality in a Midwifery text.

Rating:
Summary: Technically accurate, boring read
Review: I am impressed by Varney's vast knowledge of hospital procedures as they relate to midwifery care. However, I found this to be "textbook" as a very boring read. Her information did not really cover the practice outside the hospital setting as thoroughly as would be needed for someone praticing in that setting. Her information would be most appreciated by the CNM and the L&D nurse - a great resource for them.

Rating:
Summary: Technically accurate, boring read
Review: I am impressed by Varney's vast knowledge of hospital procedures as they relate to midwifery care. However, I found this to be "textbook" as a very boring read. Her information did not really cover the practice outside the hospital setting as thoroughly as would be needed for someone praticing in that setting. Her information would be most appreciated by the CNM and the L&D nurse - a great resource for them.

Rating:
Summary: This is not for homebirth midwives...
Review: I believe this books does not provide a true respect for the homebirth midwife. The token pictures of a homebirth does not reflect that reality of the increase of homebirths in North America. The chapter on CIRCUMSCION has no place in a midwifery text book, it is unnecessary for health reasons. It is a painful and cruel practice should not be promoted as a skill to learn. There are many other midwifery textbooks other than this one so keep looking!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent refereal and teaching text
Review: I commend Ms. Rooks on her accomplishment, HOWEVER , please DELETE the section on circumcision. Let the patient and pediatric practitioner address this subject. We midwives do not belong in this field except to personally respond to inquiries of the patient. We should point out the "cons" of this barbaric procedure in the same way we do to routine anesthesia during labor and birth.

Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: I have always found Varney to be useful and easy to read, especially in comparison to Speroff or Gabbe. I think that this book was never intended to be the definitive text on home birth. If a midwife's interest lies in homebirth, seek out books that cater to that option. I found the skills sections especially helpful. It isn't Varney's job to unite midwives, her primary job is to educate. You can not teach the spirit of midwife through a book, that's where mentoring comes into play. This is certainly a must have for all practicing midwives, regardless of educational background.