Nurses are positioned on healthcare's front line, intimately connected to individuals, families, and communities. How can they leverage this position to work for the common good? In Toward a Better World, Mark Lazenby, a philosopher and a nurse, presents a plan of action. He argues that nurses advance the good society when they fulfill fundamental obligations. Promoting equality, peace and respect, providing assistance and safety, and safeguarding the health of our planet are among these obligations. By acting upon them, nurses become a force for social change in their communities. But through the collective power of more than 20 million nurses worldwide, nurses become a global force for making the world a better place-in the present and for the future. A companion to Caring Matters Most, Lazenby's ethics book, Toward a Better World challenges readers to lead good lives of service to others. This book will invigorate all, nurses and non-nurses alike, who wish to spend their lives making the world a better place.

Every one of us will die, and the processes we go through will be our own unique to our own experiences and life stories. It is reasonable to reflect on what kinds of dying processes may be better or worse for us as we move toward our end. Such consideration, however, can raise troubling ethical concerns for patients, families, and healthcare providers. Even after forty years of concerted focus on biomedical ethics, these moral concerns persist in the care of lethally impaired, terminally ill, and inured patients. End-of-Life Care and Pragmatic Decision Making provides a pragmatic philosophical framework based on a radically empirical attitude toward life and death. D. Micah Hester takes seriously the complexities of experiences and argues that when making end-of-life decisions healthcare providers ought to pay close attention to the narratives of patients and the communities they inhabit so that their dying processes embody their life stories. He discusses three types of end-of-life patient populations adults with decision-making capacity, adult without capacity, and children (with a strong focus on infants) to show the implications of pragmatic empiricism and the scope of decision making at the end of life for different types of patients.

Pain is something that everyone feels but has always been difficult to understand and investigate due to its subjective nature. Practical Pain Management is written for all those involved in the care of people suffering from pain. The authors explain why pain is so often disregarded and poorly managed by clinicians. With an emphasis on the practical management of both chronic and acute pain, the book explores the mechanisms involved in pain percepetion, the use of analgesic drugs, local anesthetics, nerve blocks and stimulation techniques. The rehabilitation and care of patients whose pain cannot be adequately relieved is also considered and some ways in which specialist pain services can help with chronic pain syndromes are described. This comprehensive guide will help all those caring for patients in pain to have a better understanding of pain and to work more effectively towards its management.

This volume considers the specific medical, psycho-social and practical issues involved in caring for children dying from chronic diseases. The author, a consultant paediatrician in palliative care at the Hospital for Sick Children, London, recognizes the special needs of terminally ill children and their families. She confronts the problems and issues surrounding this emotive subject in order to help paediatricians and other professionals provide the very best possible care for such patients. A range of contributors experienced in palliative care for children provide comprehensive coverage of the subject including: consideration of the magnitude of the problem and the provision of services pain control symptom management family support and communication with children spiritual issues bereavement and stress.

Psychiatric, or psychosocial, palliative care has transformed palliative medicine. Palliation that neglects psychosocial dimensions of patient and family experience fails to meet contemporary standards of comprehensive palliative care. While a focus on somatic issues has sometimes overshadowed attention to psychological, existential, and spiritual end-of-life challenges, the past decade has seen an all encompassing, multi-disciplinary approach to care for the dying take hold. Written by internationally known psychiatry and palliative care experts, the Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine is an essential reference for all providers of palliative care, including psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health counselors, oncologists, hospice workers, and social workers.

Palliative care affirms the value of holistic support for persons facing death from advanced disease. Increasingly the approach of palliative care is seen as relevant not only to terminal cancer (its initial concern), but also to many other incurable conditions. To date, the major emphasis of specialist neurology has been on diagnosis, and the continuing long term management of the many major diseases has received far less attention. This handbook aims to provide succinct and practical advice on the management of major neurological disorders in both their supportive and terminal phases, recognizing that these conditions are increasing in prevalence in virtually every society as the proportion of elderly persons grows. It demonstrates how the discomforts encountered in dementia, stroke, Parkinson's disease, ALS, Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophies, and multiple sclerosis can benefit from the same comprehensive approach to palliation as has evolved in specialist care for cancer.

Currently, there is no comprehensive source of information available to non-specialist physicians and nurses providing end-of-life care for advanced cancer patients at a level between specialist oncology texts and nursing texts. Two eminent physicians from one of the world's foremost cancer centers have drawn together a remarkable team to provide a handbook which covers the full range of problems non-specialists will encounter. This highly accessible text covers general principles in oncology, each of the primary tumors, and management of specific symptoms and syndromes.

A widely adopted practitioner resource and course text, this book shows how to apply knowledge about behavior change in general -- and the stages-of-change model in particular -- to make substance abuse treatment more effective. The authors are leaders in the field who describe ways to tailor interventions for clients with varying levels of motivation or readiness to change. They draw on cutting-edge theory and research on the transtheoretical model to explain what works (and what doesn't work) at different stages of change. Rich clinical examples illustrate the "whats," "whys," and "how-tos" of using the stages-of-change model to inform treatment planning and intervention for individuals, groups, couples, and families. New to This Edition *Reflects the ongoing development of the stages-of-change model and research advances over the past decade. *Chapter on stage-based brief interventions in health care, social service, and community settings. *Group treatment chapter has been significantly revised. *Expanded coverage of the change processes relevant to each stage. See also Group Treatment for Substance Abuse, Second Edition, by Mary Marden Velasquez et al., a manual for a group-based approach grounded in the transtheoretical model.

This book examines the ethics of end of life care, focusing on the kinds of decisions that are commonly made in clinical practice. Specific attention is paid to the intensification of treatment for terminal symptoms, particularly pain relief, and the withdrawal and withholding of care, particularly life-saving or life-prolonging medical care. The book is structured into three sections. The first section contains essays examining end of life care from the perspective of moral theory and theology. The second sets out various conceptual terms and distinctions relevant to decision-making at the end of life. The third section contains chapters that focus on substantive ethical issues. This format not only provides for a comprehensive analysis of the ethical issues that arise in the context of end of life care but allows readers to effectively trace the philosophical, theological and conceptual underpinnings that inform their specific interests. This work will be of interest to scholars working in the area as well as clinicians, specialists and healthcare professionals who encounter these issues in the course of their practice.

This book will be the first of its kind to offer intensive conversation analysis on patient-clinician interactions in the context of palliative medicine. The book focuses on a series of individual case studies of conversations that revolve, in each case, around one key critical term that is often evoked or understood differently by clinicians and patients.

A handbook for acupuncturists and healthcare practitioners on the use of acupuncture for end-of-life care. The book covers the major hospice and palliative care diagnoses from a Chinese medicine perspective, as well as grief and loss, and includes the roots of Chinese historical perspectives on death and dying. The acupuncturist is introduced to the working medical model of hospice care and the interdisciplinary team approach and provided with evidence-based strategies for the use the acupuncture in symptom management.

This book explores how, in encounters with the terminally ill and dying, there is something existentially at stake for the professional, not only the patient. It connects the professional and personal lives of the interviewees, a range of professionals working in palliative and intensive care. Kjetil Moen discusses how the inner and outer worlds, the psychic and the social, and the existential and the cultural, all inform professionals' experience of work at the boundary between life and death. Death at Work is written for an academic audience, but is accessible to and offers insights for practitioners in a variety of fields.

Cancer and Creativity is a dialogue between accounts by cancer patients and survivors and a more clinical consideration and theoretical discussion from a psychoanalytic point of view of using creativity in coping with serious illness. The contributions featured demonstrate the power of creative expression as a tool for dealing with somatic, chronic and potentially life-threatening illnesses, giving patients a way of expressing and managing their individual cancer journeys and its attendant emotional sequelae. Ten artist-patients and survivors, who were involved in several long-term art therapy groups, give accounts of their experiences with cancer and with their support group, where they create paintings, embroidery, digital photography, comic books, maps and other works to express their experiences of being diagnosed and treated for cancer. The contributors describe their symptoms and their relationships to physicians and family members in words and visual representations. The book also addresses the experience of the public when they are confronted with art by cancer patients. Dreifuss-Kattan's own work as a psychoanalyst and art therapist informs her approach to the art space as what Winnicott calls a "transitional space," influenced by both the personal psychological experience and the physical environment. Dreifuss-Kattan closes her discussion with a reflection on terminal cancer care and the complex transferential and countertransferential relationship between patient and therapist. The book ends with a practical guide for both therapy groups, as well as individuals at home, to creatively address their experiences with cancer and its treatments. Cancer and Creativity will be of great interest to psychoanalysts, psychoanalytic psychotherapists, psychooncologists and art therapists, as well as health professionals working in oncology and in palliative care.

Palliative Care Perspectives is a guide to the art and science of palliative care that links real stories of illness with practical advice to delineate clinical practice in a way that reflects the daily concerns of clinicians. Clearly and compassionately written, this book emphasizes important topics often neglected in formal clinical training, including the history and evolution of palliative care in the United States, as well as how clinicians can better understand aging and dying from both a physiological and human perspective. Written by a recognized pioneer in the field of palliative care, each chapter highlights this human approach to illness with narratives and anecdotes drawn from decades of practice experience. This new edition features thoroughly updated research and citations, a new chapter on burnout and compassion fatigue, and a significant expansion of the topic of intercultural communication. Well-grounded in the academic literature, Palliative Care Perspectives is an ideal introduction to the emerging field of palliative care for care providers new to practice, as well as lay readers seeking to learn more about chronic and terminal illness, presented in a personal and accessible format.

Palliative Care Nursing at a Glance is the perfect companion for nursing students, health and social care practitioners, and all those involved in palliative care delivery, both in the clinical and home setting. Written by an expert team of academics, nurses, educators and researchers it provides a concise and easy-to-read overview of all the concepts and clinical decision-making skills necessary for the provision of good-quality palliative and end-of-life care. Divided into six sections, the book includes coverage of all key clinical applications, principles of symptom management, palliative care approaches for a range of conditions and patient groups, exploration of the roles of the multi-professional team, as well as ethical challenges. * Superbly illustrated, with full colour illustrations throughout * Provides information on delivery of care in a range of settings * Broad coverage makes it ideal reading for anyone involved in palliative care delivery * User-friendly and accessible resource for those working in both specialist and non-specialist adult settings

A practical, empowering guide to navigating your partner's diagnosis of a terminal or life-limiting illness, or death. Receiving the news that your partner has a terminal or life-limiting illness, or has died unexpectedly, is among the worst experiences in life. At a time when you are least able to cope, you are faced with a multitude of difficult decisions, some of which must be made quickly. What you need is a friend who has experienced everything you are about to face, who can support you as you navigate some tough, important choices. This book is that friend. There is plenty of information out there but where to start looking? What information is needed and how can it be accessed? What decisions are essential in the immediate term and what can be left until later? Throughout the book, the emphasis is on protecting and supporting those left behind by presenting almost every choice you may need to make and the possible implications of each decision. You will learn: - The importance of creating a will, arranging power of attorney, organising advanced decisions of treatment, and even getting married or entering a civil partnership - What you are entitled to from the state, the NHS and your employer - How to stabilise your finances and prepare to run a household alone - Where your partner ought to be during treatment and/or palliative care, and how to go about achieving this - Which decisions need to be made after death, from planning the funeral to accessing your partner's estate - How to navigate the grieving process and take control of a happy future No matter where you are in the process, How to Survive Losing a Loved One is a comprehensive, practical and empowering guide to coping with your partner's terminal illness and death, and building the next chapter in your life.

The Art and Science of Compassion, A Primer offers a succinct, all-in-one introduction to the full gamut of compassion, from the evolutional, biological, behavioural, and psychological, to the social, philosophical, and spiritual. Drawing on her diverse background as a clinician, scientist, educator, and chaplain, Dr. Wong presents a wealth of scientific evidence supporting that compassion is both innate and trainable. By interleaving personal experiences and reflections, she shares her insights on what it takes to cultivate compassion to support the art of medicine and caregiving. The training described in this book draws on both contemplative and scientific disciplines to help clinicians develop cognitive, attentional, affective, and somatic skills that are critical for the cultivation of compassion. With striking illustrations for key concepts and concise summaries for each chapter, this book provides a solid conceptual framework and practical approaches to cultivate compassion. Advance Praise for The Art and Science of Compassion, A Primer "Well-written, deeply personal and scientifically-grounded, this book provides strong physiological, psychological, and ethical reasons why cultivating compassion is essential-and provides a thoughtful roadmap for promoting compassion in healthcare and in all of life." - Ron Epstein, MD, author of Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity "Dr. Agnes Wong, a highly distinguished physician and exceptional researcher at the University of Toronto, has written an absolutely uplifting masterpiece about meaning, compassionate care, and the universal journey that all healers must take to sustain their inner being and nobility of purpose. This book is partly her journey to a deeper state of being that places compassionate care in its rightful place in the healing art; it is also a fabulous scientific presentation of the practice and impact of compassionate care on patients and on one's own flourishing as a physician. This is a book that touches the soul and should be read by every medical student or clinician worldwide as they reflect on what it means to really succeed in their "whole selves" as healers and human beings." - Stephen G. Post, PhD, Director, Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics; Professor of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University "Compassion and empathy are traits that make us human, and as Dr. Wong shows, these qualities can be developed, encouraged, and cultivated. In our struggling world, we need this awareness as never before. The future of our species likely depends on it. This book is an example of how science and spirituality can come together in a brilliant synthesis." - Larry Dossey, MD, author of One Mind: How Our Individual Mind Is Part of a Greater Consciousness and Why It Matters

The syringe driver is a simple and cost-effective method of delivering a continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI). A CSCI provides a safe and effective way of drug administration and can be used to maintain symptom control in patients who are no longer able to take oral medication. There have been several developments in this field since the third edition of this highly successful book. The text in this edition has been completely revised, incorporating new treatment options and an extensive list of new compatibility data. This book serves as a valuable reference source, providing comprehensive review of syringe driver use and administration of drugs by CSCI. The first chapter provides an overview of syringe drivers and CSCIs, including a useful array of frequently asked questions. The second chapter provides information about the chemistry of drug incompatibility and degradation. The third chapter comprises revised and referenced information relating to most drugs likely to be administered by CSCI using a syringe driver. The fourth chapter discusses the control of specific symptoms that are often encountered when CSCIs are required. The fifth and final chapter contains an extensive, referenced list of compatibility and stability data relating to drug combinations administered by CSCI.

Palliative care is an essential element of our health care system and becoming increasingly significant amidst an aging society and organizations struggling to provide both compassionate and cost effective care. Palliative care is also characterized by a strong interdisciplinary approach. Nurses are at the center of the palliative care team across settings and populations. The third volume in the HPNA Palliative Nursing Manuals series, Physical Aspects of Care: Nutritional, Dermatologic, Neurologic and Other Symptoms, provides an overview of the principles of symptom assessment and management for symptoms including: fatigue, anorexia and cachexia, artificial nutrition and hydration, urinary tract disorders, lymphedema, skin disorders such as pressure ulcers, wounds, fistulas, and stomas, pruritus, fever, sweats, neurological disorders, anxiety and depression, and insomnia. The content of the concise, clinically-focused volumes in the HPNA series prepares nurses for certification exams as well as quick-reference in daily practice. Plentiful tables, figures, and practical tools such as assessment instruments, pharmacology tables, and patient teaching points make these volumes useful resources for nurses.

Meeting the Needs of Older Adults with Serious Illness: Challenges and Opportunities in the Age of Health Care Reform provides an introduction to the principles of palliative care; describes current models of delivering palliative care across care settings and examines opportunities in the setting of healthcare policy reform for palliative care to improve outcomes for patients, families and healthcare institutions. The United States is currently facing a crisis in health care marked by unsustainable spending and quality that is poor relative to international benchmarks. Yet this is also a critical time of opportunity. Because of its focus on quality of care, the Affordable Care Act is poised to expand access to palliative care services for the sickest, most vulnerable, and therefore most costly, 5% of patients- a small group who nonetheless drive about 50% of all healthcare spending. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness-whatever the diagnosis or stage of illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.Research has demonstrated palliative care's positive impact on health care value. Patients (and family caregivers) receiving palliative care experience improved quality of life, better symptom management, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and improved survival. Because patient and family needs are met, crises are prevented, thereby directly reducing need for emergency department and hospital use and their associated costs. An epiphenomenon of better quality of care, the lower costs associated with palliative care have been observed in multiple studies. Meeting the Needs of Older Adults with Serious Illness: Challenges and Opportunities in the Age of Health Care Reform, a roadmap for effective policy and program design, brings together expert clinicians, researchers and policy leaders, who tackle 16 key areas where real-world policy options to improve access to quality palliative care could have a substantial role in improving value.

The first volume in the HPNA Palliative Nursing Series, Structure and Processes of Care provides an overview of palliative nursing care, reviews National Consensus Project guidelines, and offers tools for initiating and maintaining palliative care programs. The content of the concise, clinically-focused volumes in the HPNA series prepares nurses for certification exams as well as quick-reference in daily practice. Plentiful tables, figures, and practical tools such as assessment instruments, pharmacology tables, and patient teaching points make these volumes useful resources for nurses.

50 Studies Every Internist Should Know presents key studies that have shaped the practice of internal medicine. Selected using a rigorous methodology, the studies cover topics including: preventative medicine, endocrinology, hematology and oncology, musculoskeletal diseases, nephrology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, cardiology, pulmonology, geriatrics and palliative care, and mental health. For each study, a concise summary is presented with an emphasis on the results and limitations of the study, and its implications for practice. An illustrative clinical case concludes each review, followed by brief information on other relevant studies. This book is a must-read for health care professionals and anyone who wants to learn more about the data behind clinical practice.

For patients and family caregivers the journey through illness and transitions of care is characterized by a series of progressive physical and emotional losses. Grief reactions represent the natural response to those losses. Grief is defined by a constellation of physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual manifestations, varying in length and severity. While grief reactions are common and expected responses to loss, they have the potential to cause significant suffering. And, while grief is not a disease, it can develop into a pathological process warranting specialized treatment. Additionally, some aspects of grief overlap with the symptoms of clinical depression and anxiety, making diagnosis difficult. Grief and Bereavement in the Adult Palliative Care Setting provides practical, evidence-based, and clinically effective approaches to understanding the multifaceted nature of grief and bereavement in patients with advanced illness and their caregivers. This handbook is an ideal tool for palliative care providers of various disciplines who provide direct clinical services to patients and family members. It assists clinicians in recognizing and identifying grief reactions as unique expressions of patients and caregivers' history and psychological functioning. Primary care physicians who provide care to patients and families will also find this practical assessment and treatment guide helpful. They will learn how to best support bereaved patients and caregivers when grief is uncomplicated, and when to choose more active interventions that may include appropriate referrals to mental health professionals.

When a person suffers from advanced, progressive illness, palliative care -- treatments that improve the physical and psychological quality of life of patients and their families -- can be just as important as treatments that aim to slow or prevent disease progression. Aimed at general practitioners and trainees in the field, Palliative Care in Clinical Practice offers an accessible and practical introduction to palliative medicine, including a chapter devoted to each of the key areas of symptom management. Clearly and concisely written and fully illustrated throughout, it will be a useful resource for all healthcare professionals who wish to gain an understanding of this important aspect of medicine.