Prepare and Protect

Description This book discusses safe behavior as a critical component of biosafety. Purpose The purpose is to present aspects of human behavior and how they impact biosafety plans and safe environments. These are most worthy objectives exceedingly well met by this book. Audience This book was intended for scientists, nurses, doctors, and healthcare and biosafety professionals to increase awareness and understanding of how behavior serves as the bridge between safety plans and safer outcomes. The author is absolutely correct in identifying this admittedly very large group as the intended audience. He is extraordinarily well recognized as an authority in this area. Features This is an incredible book. The presentation from a behavioralist perspective is so refreshing. Laboratorians are accustomed to focusing on science and fact in our daily work and do not readily recognize how behavior influences the success of our safety plans. But the author hits the nail on the head. How many times does a standard operating procedure (SOP) never get hardwired? Most of us would agree it is most of the time. After reading this book, it is clear that it is because we are not addressing behavior. This book is a series of revelatory aha moments and I felt awakened. While the typical review process involves skimming a book and focusing on a few key areas, I was completely riveted and read the whole thing. I loved the very accessible writing style. I loved the author's humility. I loved how he used personal examples in his everyday life to accentuate the points made. I loved the first-person stories of biosafety breaches - so compelling, touching, and persuasive. I cringed when Brucella and Neisseria meningitidis exposures and consequences were discussed, a still-occurring scenario in (unfortunately) enough clinical laboratories today (including mine). I was enthralled with the chapter on effective training strategies. It clearly demonstrated non-adherence to SOPs is not just an employee problem, but is because we as lab leaders have not motivated them effectively. While all the information is valuable, the beaking method for removing gloves and how it was identified is priceless. All in all, this is a fascinating and worthwhile read and contains strategies laboratory professionals should incorporate in their everyday practice and leadership. Assessment This is a truly enlightening book on how addressing behavior can lead to safer laboratory practices and environments. I will use it daily. I recommend you get it and take its lessons to heart. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 8 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 3 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 3 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 3 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 4 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? N/A -Valerie Ng, PhD, MD (Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)