A. M. Barker, ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2009. $59.95. ISBN 978-0-7637-4899-9. 588 pp.

Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession provides advanced practice students and nurses with comprehensive, introductory information addressing each of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's graduate core curriculum elements. This resource will also be appreciated by graduate program faculty members as they integrate these curriculum elements into their programs. Although the content addressing the core elements is generally excellent, faculty will need to be aware of a few inaccuracies related to advanced practice nurse regulation. In addition, faculty from master's level advanced practice nursing programs that are not in the process of transitioning to the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) will need to be aware of the pro-DNP stance taken by the chapter's author.

The editor's purpose for creating the book was to address the core knowledge needs of students in master's degree and DNP programs who are preparing for a variety of both direct and indirect advanced nursing practice roles. The editor intended that this introductory core knowledge would continue to be built upon through additional materials and coursework as students progress through their specialty. The book is divided into 5 sections: professional roles for advanced nursing practice, healthcare policy, quality and information, theory and research, and other core knowledge, which includes chapters on ethics and diversity. The section on healthcare policy is the largest and provides information pertaining to the United States' healthcare system, healthcare finance, managed care, and the political process. Throughout the book, chapter content is supported by multiple tables, diagrams, and interactive material. Faculty who adopt this book will appreciate the discussion questions included in each chapter.

This book was created by compiling previously published work from experts in the field. Each chapter is well written, although there tends to be some overlap in content among chapters in some sections of the book. Although the information published in this book is not new, the editor contributed to the field of advanced nursing practice by compiling into one place this core curriculum information. Graduate students and faculty will benefit from having available this ready source of information.