Chris Carter is a Major in Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, where he has had roles as a practitioner and as an educator. He is currently a nurse lecturer at the Defence School of Healthcare Education, Department of Healthcare Education, Birmingham City University, UK. Major Carter chairs the Royal College of Nursing Defence Nursing Forum.

• 1. Introduction: Expect the unexpected2. Working in a resource limited environment3. Cultural awareness and sensitivities Sue Viveash4. International agendas 5. Access and provision of healthcare services 6. Providing critical care in resource limited environments 7. Critical care equipment 8. Environmental and infection prevention control considerations 9. Managing a major incident in critical care 10. Ethical considerations and mission creep 11. Recognition of the acutely ill patient 12. Oxygen therapy and monitoring 13. Mechanical ventilation14. Sepsis and septic shock 15. HIV 16. Tuberculosis 17. Tropical medicine 18. Malaria 19. Tetanus 20. Cholera 21. Sickle cell anaemia 22. Principles of trauma care 23. Principles of burns care 24. Surgical care 25. Principles of wound care 26. Surgical site infection27. Pain management 28. Women’s health 29. Paediatrics 30. Organophosphate poisoning 31. Snake and scorpion bites 32. Hypertension 33. Diabetic keto-acidosis 34. Resuscitation 35. Useful calculations 36. Rehabilitation and physiotherapy 37. Nutrition 38. Sharing best practice and knowledge39. Conducting audit and research in resource limited environments

"The book is purposeful, practical and a model of professionalism. The author never resorts to the sensationalism or sentimentalism that pervades the literature from the global north about nursing in low-income countries. The author has a dispassionate style that is rational and mindful of the need to provide unequivocal information. The single-author approach has given the book a consistent style of writing that avoids overlap and repetition. The clinical content is as detailed as possible and contains many guidelines, and black and white pictures and photographs. The references are superb and contain a considerable amount of evidence and information about a fledgling topic. The book describes the phenomenon of global health and provides some justification for the growing number of critical care units in low-income countries. Another worthy feature of the book is the information about defence nursing and the type of resource-limited environments that confront the military."David Muir. PhD Candidate, University of Hull