This book is a brilliant blend of health policy and nursing practice. It identifies the forces that have dominated change in the national health systems of industrialised countries - the shift of priorities from hospital to ambulatory care, the vast expansion in modern technology, the rise in expenditures and efforts at cost-containment, the renewed emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion. At the same time, this book brings to life the impact of these forces and the actual practice of nursing, demonstrating how 'technology' and 'caring' can be harmonised. It shows through international case studies ways for nurses to maximise their contribution to patient care and to contribute to the improved effectiveness of national health systems.' Milton I Roemer, in the Foreword