Overview
Palliative care is a recent branch of health care. The doctors, nurses, and other professionals involved in it took their inspiration from the medieval idea of the hospice, but have now extended their expertise to every area of health care: surgeries, nursing homes, acute wards, and the community. This has happened during a period when patients wish to take more control over their own lives and deaths, resources have become scarce, and technology has created controversial life-prolonging treatments. Palliative care is therefore faced with more ethical problems that other areas of health care. This book, by a clinician, teacher, and writer on health care ethics, has been written to provide all those who care for the terminally ill—doctors, nurses, social workers, clergymen, physiotherapists—with the concepts and principles which will assist them with difficult decisions. It challenges many received doctrines of palliative care, but its well-illustrated central theme is that technical expertise must be controlled by humane, non-technical judgments.
The book contains no figures.
Editorials
Lawrence R. LaPalio
This book is divided into two parts. The first four chapters express a philosophy of palliative care and the last seven chapters deal with a wide range of clinical topics. A major theme throughout the book is the premise that a professional expertise in emotional care does not exist. "The purpose of the book is to be used as a ^^companion^^ to the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine and to remind the health care professional to be a good ^^companion^^ to patients. There is an emphasis on the team approach and how patients and families through their partnership affect their own care. The book tries to fuse theory and practice in a practical, meaningful manner. These are worthy objectives and are well met through the unique style of this competent author. "This book is written especially for physicians, nurses, and other members of healthcare palliative teams but would also be useful for health care students and other non-healthcare professionals who want to understand about the care of terminal illness. "Each chapter, prefaced by a brief literary quotation, is written so that it could stand alone. They are short and concise, and well written. The index and up-to-date references are well organized. "This book can stand alone as a textbook of ethical issues concerning palliative care and terminal illness. It does not have to be used as a companion to main textbook and I disagree with the premise that professional expertise in emotional care does not exist. This book is an example of how these issues can be taught and learned. I highly recommend this book for anyone who deals with or wants to obtain a fuller understanding of terminal illness and how it affectsindividual patient lives.From The Critics
Reviewer: Lawrence R. LaPalio, MD(Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine)Description: This book is divided into two parts. The first four chapters express a philosophy of palliative care and the last seven chapters deal with a wide range of clinical topics. A major theme throughout the book is the premise that a professional expertise in emotional care does not exist.
Purpose: The purpose of the book is to be used as a "companion" to the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine and to remind the health care professional to be a good "companion" to patients. There is an emphasis on the team approach and how patients and families through their partnership affect their own care. The book tries to fuse theory and practice in a practical, meaningful manner. These are worthy objectives and are well met through the unique style of this competent author.
Audience: This book is written especially for physicians, nurses, and other members of healthcare palliative teams but would also be useful for health care students and other non-healthcare professionals who want to understand about the care of terminal illness.
Features: Each chapter, prefaced by a brief literary quotation, is written so that it could stand alone. They are short and concise, and well written. The index and up-to-date references are well organized.
Assessment: This book can stand alone as a textbook of ethical issues concerning palliative care and terminal illness. It does not have to be used as a companion to main textbook and I disagree with the premise that professional expertise in emotional care does not exist. This book is an example of how these issues can be taught and learned. I highly recommend this book for anyone who deals with or wants to obtain a fuller understanding of terminal illness and how it affects individual patient lives.
3 Stars from Doody