Patricia M. Dillon

Author of Nursing Health Assessment:
A Critical Thinking, Case Studies Approach

When asked what inspired her to pursue a career in nursing, Patricia M. Dillon jumps on the answer: "I always wanted to be a nurse...I like working with people." Most assuredly, her approach and commitment to the profession back that up.

Patty Dillon lives in the Philadelphia area. She earned her ASN in 1971 and her BSN in 1973 at Gwynedd-Mercy College, which is just north of the city. She acquired an MSN - Advanced Practice Cardiovascular CNS from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978. Following a stretch to raise a family (more on that later!), she continued her education, earning her Post-Graduate Certificate in 1995 and finally, a Doctorate of Nursing Science in 2002 - both at Widener University.

Patty has been a nurse since 1971, starting as a Staff Nurse, then up the ladder to Head Nurse, Supervisor, and Clinical Specialist at Philadelphia area hospitals Holy Redeemer, Atlantic City Medical Center, and Mercy Catholic Medical Center. She became an educator "to share her love of nursing with others", returning to her alma mater to teach at Gwynedd-Mercy College, and is currently at the Temple University School of Nursing.

Nursing Health Assessment: A Critical Thinking, Case Studies Approach Edited by Patricia M. Dillon, RN, MSN, DNSc

In 1989, she contributed the case studies in Morton's Health Assessment in Nursing, published by Springhouse Corp. and several other freelance projects followed. Then the biggie was presented to her - in 1997 Lisa Deitch, Nursing Publisher at F.A. Davis Company, approached her about writing a core textbook to implement an innovative new method for teaching nursing health assessment. What followed five years later was Dillon's 969-page text: Nursing Health Assessment: A Critical Thinking, Case Studies Approach. The suite of products that she authored for F.A. Davis also includes two audio CDs that come with the text, titled Developing Your Auscultation Skills, and the companion books, Nursing Health Assessment: Student Applications and Nursing Health Assessment: Clinical Pocket Guide. (For more information on these and additional resources, please click here: http://www.fadavis.com/dillon.)

F.A. Davis Company dubbed Patty's innovative method to teaching nursing health assessment, "The Dillon Difference." Patty emphasizes that the difference between her book and other health assessment texts is that her book "helps make students think," mainly through two unique approaches. The case studies incorporated into each chapter provide a context in which assessment can be applied, and integration figures throughout the text encourage students to look at the relationship of every body system to the whole person. While teaching nursing health assessment herself, Patty recognized that other texts do not encourage critical thinking because the answers are usually provided. With the case studies, her book brings students closer to "actual patients" and asks them to think through the assessment process.

Patty says, "Students can learn so much from their patients" and that's the approach her book takes. She still sees the same interest, passion, and desire to become a nurse in today's students that she felt when she was a student. One concern that she has for students now is how little experience they have when they enter their professions. Patty asserts that clinical experience should start from day one. She relates one "funny" incident with a nervous student's first attempt to inject insulin into a patient. The student did everything right except she only pumped about half of the medication into the patient before removing the needle. All's well that ends well, though -- the student went on to become an honor student and president of the student council - and the patient was okay, too!

As far as writing Nursing Health Assessment: A Critical Thinking, Case Studies Approach is concerned, Dillon really enjoyed being part of an evolving project. She enjoyed the growth that was inherent to the process as well as the challenge of putting her knowledge into words that students would understand. Obviously, Patty was thrilled to see the labors of her love when she first opened the finished, bound book. The most rewarding aspect, though, was the feedback she got from other people, that they liked her book. Students, in particular, are saying that it is very easy reading and that they are feeling very comfortable with assessment, even early in the curriculum.

Nursing Health Assessment: An Interactive Case Study Approach, on CD-ROM Edited by Patricia M. Dillon, RN, MSN, DNSc and Christine Hooper, EdD, RN

One word of advice that Patty would have for other first-time textbook authors - "Make sure you have a back up in mind with the book's contributors" as this was a source of frustration at times for her with the project. Regarding working with F.A. Davis, Patty is most appreciative of how supportive everyone was - from the guidance she received from the developmental editor through the book's graphic design, production, and finally, marketing. She said that F.A. Davis "stayed true to what I believed needed to be done?they didn't try to change everything."

Patty's rule of life translates very well for her chosen profession: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." What motivates her most is the love of the work she does with her patients and with her students - "The reward you get back is tenfold," she states. Back to the family, Patty has been married to Joe Dillon for 27 years and they have three children, Joe (22), Katie (20), and Patty (18). The kids do not have plans to follow their mother's footsteps into nursing, but they were very supportive of their mother's endeavor throughout the entire process. Patty's husband runs the garden center/flower shop that they own and manages several office buildings as well.

Again, for more information on Patricia M. Dillon's Nursing Health Assessment suite of products, please click here: http://www.fadavis.com/dillon.