Book Description
Palliative care is a rapidly growing area within health care and one in which there are many ethical dilemmas. Chronically and terminally ill patients increasingly wish to take control of their own lives and deaths, resources are scarce and technology has created controversial life-prolonging treatment. This book has been written by a clinician and a teacher and writer of health care ethics to provide all those who care for the terminally ill - doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, clergy and other carers - with the concepts and principles to assist them in difficult decisions. A central theme, that technical expertise must be controlled by humane, non-technical judgements, runs through the challenging and thoughtful text. Palliative Care Ethics, in this second edition, is now more user- friendly and includes genuine case histories to illustrate ethical issues in the real world. The authors have expanded the section on rationing in respnse to the changing health care environment and confront the issues of patient rights to a far greater extent..There is also a new chapter covering terminally ill children. As the philosophy of palliation is increasingly recognised to be important from diagnosis, the coverage of more general cancer care ethics has been much increased. 'An excellent book' Palliative Medicine 'A thorough reference for practitioners of palliative care' Toronto Medical Journal 'The authors tackle many delicate concerns with professional and human integrity' Journal of Medical Ethic


Book Info
Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust, UK. Discusses issues that arise in dealing with terminally ill patients. Includes relatives, patient autonomy, and the ethical problems of withholding and withdrawing treatment. Previous edition, c1996, had the subtitle: A Good Companion. For clinicians, nurses, social workers, and clergy. Softcover. DNLM: Confidentiality.

ANNOTATION

The book contains no figures.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Palliative care has developed outwards from its origin in hospices and is now seen to be an important aspect of every branch of health care: primary care, nursing home, acute wards, oncology wards, and the community.. "The success of the first edition has led the authors - a medical consultant in palliative care and a philosopher - to extend the discussion of some issues and to add consideration of more recent ones, such as the problems which arise in dealing with relatives, the recent over-emphasis on the idea of patient autonomy, and the ethical problems of withholding and withdrawing treatment. New cases are added, and a final chapter provides a novel and challenging way of looking at the ideas of the quality and value of life. The authors attempt to alter the image of a cosy and inward-looking philosophy by challenging much received opinion in and about palliative care.. "Palliative Care Ethics should interest all those who care for the terminally ill: especially doctors, nurses, social workers, and the clergy. The well-illustrated central theme applies to every area of health care: that technical expertise must be controlled by humane non-technical judgement.

FROM THE CRITICS

Nadine Coudret

This is a provocative, comprehensive reference and companion to Doyle's Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine (Oxford University Press, Inc., 1995). The first section presents the authors' philosophy of palliative care followed by a discussion of clinical issues. Case studies are included. The authors' response to critics of the first edition and a discussion of the quality and value of life conclude the book. The textbook discussions include references to current British law and practices. "This book provides an authoritative useful reference source for healthcare professionals and others involved in palliative care clinical decision making. It serves a similar purpose for other individuals personally or professionally interested in the ethics of palliative care. "The intended audience includes physicians, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare providers. Policy makers and others involved in making and interpreting public policy will also find this book useful. In addition, students majoring in ethics and philosophy may find this a useful reference. "At the beginning of each chapter there is a relevant, thought-provoking quotation. The conclusions that accompany each chapter provide a concise summary of major chapter points. There is an absence of illustrations, figures, and tables, but an index is included. "A number of books focus on medical ethics and most of these books include content related to end-of-life issues. There are also a number of books related to palliative care and hospice that include one or two chapters on ethics. I did not identify any book that directly paralleled this one. The added features of this second edition support theaddition of this book to the libraries of individual practitioners, educators, and policy makers.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Nadine Coudret, MSN, EdE (University of Southern Indiana)Description: This is a provocative, comprehensive reference and companion to Doyle's Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine (Oxford University Press, Inc., 1995). The first section presents the authors' philosophy of palliative care followed by a discussion of clinical issues. Case studies are included. The authors' response to critics of the first edition and a discussion of the quality and value of life conclude the book. The textbook discussions include references to current British law and practices. Purpose: This book provides an authoritative useful reference source for healthcare professionals and others involved in palliative care clinical decision making. It serves a similar purpose for other individuals personally or professionally interested in the ethics of palliative care. Audience: The intended audience includes physicians, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare providers. Policy makers and others involved in making and interpreting public policy will also find this book useful. In addition, students majoring in ethics and philosophy may find this a useful reference. Features: At the beginning of each chapter there is a relevant, thought-provoking quotation. The conclusions that accompany each chapter provide a concise summary of major chapter points. There is an absence of illustrations, figures, and tables, but an index is included. Assessment: A number of books focus on medical ethics and most of these books include content related to end-of-life issues. There are also a number of books related to palliative care and hospice that include one or two chapters on ethics. I did not identify any book that directly paralleled this one. The added features of this second edition support the addition of this book to the libraries of individual practitioners, educators, and policy makers.

RATING

3 Stars from Doody

ACCREDITATION