aloud, and ask a critical friend to com-ment.

I would like to add that it is useful toread through what you have written andremove the word `the' wherever poss-ible. You will be surprised how often weuse this when it is not needed. To helpwith this and solve awkward he/sheproblems, put things into the plural.`The nurse should give a clear informa-tion lea¯et to his/her patient' is better as`Nurses should give clear informationlea¯ets to patients'.

Plain Words for Nurses is a short buthighly informative book that is anexample of good writing skills. I havebeen able to give just a ¯avour of it inthis review. Buy it for yourself or yourworkplace ± it will soon pay its waywith grateful patients and acceptanceletters from journal editors!

Christine WebbEditor

The GP's Guide to PersonalDevelopment Plansby Amar RughaniRadcliffe Medical Press, Oxford, 2000,142 pages, £17á95, ISBN 1 857 75427 1.

If UK nurses think that they are alone inhaving to maintain a personal portfoliothen they should read this book. Tradi-tionally, GPs have not had to undergosuch formal postregistration educationrelying instead on quite poor postbasictraining and, certainly, never having had

to demonstrate that they had learnedanything. However, times are changingand revalidation ensures that GPs willhave better postbasic training and thatthey will have to record this systematic-ally. This book is an excellent, clear andconcise introduction to the concept.It also provides concrete examples ofhow this can be achieved.

Essentially, the process is self-drivenand, using Kolb's learning cycle oflearning, application and refection asa model, the author has provided anexcellent framework for busy GPs. It issuitable for the busy GP because theprocess is driven by re¯ection on prac-tice. Using PUNs (patient unmet needs),DENs (doctor's educational needs) andSEAs (signi®cant event analysis)Rughani explains how to put these intopractice usefully. In fact, the processcould easily be put to very good use bynurses and educationalists in their ownprofessional development and registra-tion maintenance.

Roger WatsonMedia Reviews Editor

Midwifery, Mind & Spiritby Jennifer HallButterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 192pages, £14á99, ISBN 0 750 64297 1.

This book is well written and presentedand will be of interest to practitioners,educationalists and students. There are12 chapters, which explore emerging

issues of care. A number of exemplarcases are included which illustrate verywell, how spirituality could be integra-ted into all aspects of midwifery care.The author poses a number of ques-tions to the reader throughout the bookwhich prompt re¯ection from a personaland professional viewpoint. Chapter 12is entitled Where do we go from here?The author considers the way forwardand the future whilst discussing thelimitations of the book which include®rstly, the lack of research and litera-ture related to the spiritual care andspirituality of pregnant women; andsecondly, the need to base the informa-tion on American sources and nursingresearch.

I have to confess that I was somewhatsceptical when asked to review thisbook and I think that the book willreceive a mixed reaction. I found the®rst chapter and part of the secondchapter quite dif®cult to read but onlybecause I probably ®nd spirituality dif-®cult to relate to. However as I contin-ued to read I could relate to the specialrelationship some midwives and womenhave and how this can enhance the careof the woman and her family. By the endof the book I felt that I had learnt thingsabout myself and developed anincreased awareness of `spiritual' mid-wifery care.

Anne-Marie SteeleUniversity of Hull, UK

Ó 2001 Blackwell Science Ltd, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 36(6), 814±815 815

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