I'm not big on this series, this chicken soup stuff. But this one mattered to me.

Seventy-four dollars but it's worth your money. If you get floated to another floor in the hospital or a new unit at the clinic, those months doing your externship in nursing school will fly right out of your head. This books has pictures of everything from using a nasogastric tube to assisting a patient to walk. I consult mine a lot.

The size of a small bible, this IS my bible when nursing. I prefer it over others because it goes in straight alphabetical order. Many drug guides have sections for high blood pressure, heart disease, mental illness and so on. If you don't know what it IS, your search is much more difficult.

This book has everyting. Diagnostic Codes, care plans, conversion charts and dosae calculations. It's illustrated with some great stuff (huge pic of herpes is one example). I keep this at my computer. I consider it essential reference.