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Overview
This is one of the few texts available that focuses on the human aspect of managing pain and suffering. Through personal accounts and professional studies, this collection of essays examines the impact of pain and suffering from the viewpoints of patients, family members, clergy and caregivers. The book promotes a holistic understanding of human suffering that extends beyond the scope of pain management to stress the overall importance of a fully developed patient-provider relationship. The authors emphasize the necessity of human engagement, which is often considered as falling outside the bounds of medical treatment, as crucial to a patient's experience. Because the personalization of caregiving is an issue so important to the future of health care, this is an essential text for health care providers who are new to the field as well as those who are seasoned professionals.The book contains black-and-white illustrations.
Synopsis
This is one of the few texts available that focuses on the human aspect of managing pain and suffering. Through personal accounts and professional studies, this collection of essays examines the impact of pain and suffering from the viewpoints of patients, family members, clergy and caregivers. The book promotes a holistic understanding of human suffering that extends beyond the scope of pain management to stress the overall importance of a fully developed patient-provider relationship. The authors emphasize the necessity of human engagement, which is often considered as falling outside the bounds of medical treatment, as crucial to a patient's experience. Because the personalization of caregiving is an issue so important to the future of health care, this is an essential text for health care providers who are new to the field as well as those who are seasoned professionals.
Doody Review Services
Reviewer:Mary K. S. Ashcroft, RN, BA(Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center)
Description:This new resource for healthcare providers addresses a very sensitive topic: the human experience of suffering. Through personal accounts it examines ways by which suffering affects the lives of patients, family members, and healthcare providers. The book begins with a general theoretical and research-based review of suffering, moves into an understanding of suffering from the perspectives of the individual and the professional, and ends with a basis for humanizing the experience.
Purpose:The purpose is to impart to professional healthcare providers an understanding of human suffering and the importance of therapeutic interpersonal patent-provider relationships. Indeed a worthy objective, it is skillfully met.
Audience:Targeted for physicians, nurses, and social workers in a variety of settings, this collection of essays focuses on the human aspect of managing pain and suffering. The editor has written extensively on quality of life and terminal illness. The authors of each section are well-known experts in their fields.
Features:The title reflects the contents of the book. It synthesizes the experience of suffering in children and adults and is well researched. Each section has an extensive reference list that will be useful to the researcher, clinician, and educator. The foreword, written by a well-known expert in the field of death and dying, provides a wonderful background on the topic. The overall appearance of the book is appropriate; however, the graphics strongly represent the Christian faith, and symbols from other religions could broaden the book's appeal.
Assessment:This is an excellent resource for healthcare providers working with terminally ill patients and cancer survivors. It provides an insight into the complexities and uniqueness of suffering as experienced by different individuals and promotes a holistic understanding of human suffering. It successfully integrates first-person accounts of suffering with the theoretical and research basis of the concept. It is highly recommended for the libraries of all healthcare practitioners.
Editorials
From The Critics
Reviewer: Mary K. S. Ashcroft, RN, BA(Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center)Description: This new resource for healthcare providers addresses a very sensitive topic: the human experience of suffering. Through personal accounts it examines ways by which suffering affects the lives of patients, family members, and healthcare providers. The book begins with a general theoretical and research-based review of suffering, moves into an understanding of suffering from the perspectives of the individual and the professional, and ends with a basis for humanizing the experience.
Purpose: The purpose is to impart to professional healthcare providers an understanding of human suffering and the importance of therapeutic interpersonal patent-provider relationships. Indeed a worthy objective, it is skillfully met.
Audience: Targeted for physicians, nurses, and social workers in a variety of settings, this collection of essays focuses on the human aspect of managing pain and suffering. The editor has written extensively on quality of life and terminal illness. The authors of each section are well-known experts in their fields.
Features: The title reflects the contents of the book. It synthesizes the experience of suffering in children and adults and is well researched. Each section has an extensive reference list that will be useful to the researcher, clinician, and educator. The foreword, written by a well-known expert in the field of death and dying, provides a wonderful background on the topic. The overall appearance of the book is appropriate; however, the graphics strongly represent the Christian faith, and symbols from other religions could broaden the book's appeal.
Assessment: This is an excellent resource for healthcare providers working with terminally ill patients and cancer survivors. It provides an insight into the complexities and uniqueness of suffering as experienced by different individuals and promotes a holistic understanding of human suffering. It successfully integrates first-person accounts of suffering with the theoretical and research basis of the concept. It is highly recommended for the libraries of all healthcare practitioners.
4 Stars! from Doody