Hospice Palliative Care Book Reviews &
The Palliative Care Book of the Month
Dr. Woodruff, MD
(Australia)
Visit our Hospice and Palliative Care Bookshop at:
www.hospicecare.com/bookshop/
LAST THINGS FIRST, JUST IN CASE…
The Practical Guide to Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care
Jo Kline Cebuhar, J. D.
Murphy Publishing, 2006
227 pp ISBN 0-9661851-2-9
RRP $US24.95
While reading this book, I wondered how many palliative care workers of the Baby Boomer generation had written Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care. Well, after all, we deal with it every day and death is not a taboo subject for us. Hmm… I wonder. Perhaps it’s not the same thinking about your own end-of-life care.
Written by a practising attorney who became involved as a Director and then Chairman of the Board of Iowa’s first and largest hospice organization, this book clearly sets out why we should have these documents, the pitfalls (both personal and legal) in completing them, and the advantages that may flow from them. I couldn’t help thinking of the countless hours I spend with patients who have totally unrealistic expectations and no end-of-life thoughts (never mind plans), other patients who are welcoming to death but their families refuse to discontinue treatment, and fractured or dysfunctional families who cannot agree amongst themselves. There’s not much dignity for anyone in those situations. The middle portion of this book deals with the State laws concerning these documents on a state-by-state basis, information that is vital to anyone living in the USA , but of less importance to people in the rest of the world. But the rest of the information in this book—basically the why and the how—is universally applicable. The book is clearly written and easily understandable to the layperson. I like her style of saying something in a jocular vein, as one might hear in a conversation with a friend, and then warning you to take the point seriously.
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PALLIATIVE CARE CONSULTATIONS: HEAD AND NECK CANCER
Sarah Booth and Andrew Davies (Eds)
Oxford University Press, 2006
195 pp ISBN 0-19-853074-9
RRP £29.95, $US55.00
The latest in Oxford University Press’ Palliative Care Consultations series deals with that diverse group of tumours that we refer to as head and neck cancers. This is a particularly welcome addition as, in my experience, these tumours can cause an enormous amount of local morbidity but lead only slowly to the patients’ demise. In other words, they can be a real challenge for people working in palliative care. There are chapters on palliative surgery, non-surgical management, airway problems, oral problems, improving swallowing and communication, nutritional support, the management of complex wounds, the treatment of pain, dealing with psychological issues, and terminal care. The material in the book is clearly set out and the information is accessible. I thought it would have been useful to have some practical guidelines for the management of alcohol and/or nicotine dependence in a hospice/palliative care ward setting, as they so often accompany these tumours.
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THE LIVING MODEL A Resource Manual for Indigenous Palliative Care Service Delivery
Pam McGrath and Hamish Holewa
Researchman Publications, 2006
129 pp RRP $AU27.45 (plus postage)
Available from the International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research.
An order form for credit card payment can be downloaded at
http://www.ipp-shr.cqu.edu.au
Pam McGrath and her co-researchers at IPP-SHR conducted a two-year project to develop an innovative, research-based model for the delivery of palliative care within the Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory of Australia. The important principles underpinning service delivery were cultural safety, equity, autonomy, importance of trust, humane and non-judgmental care, seamless care, emphasis on living, and respect. The model was entirely developed through research findings to ensure the results reflected in total the ideas of the participants. The findings provide an insightful reflection on modern palliative care as we know it in the big cities, and define the barriers that prevent effective and appropriate delivery of palliative care in the Aboriginal communities. The recommendations will obviously be vital to any one working in palliative care with Australian Aborigines, but I think this book would be useful to anyone working at a cultural interface.
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EMERGENCIES IN PALLIATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE CARE
David Currow and Katherine Clark
Oxford University Press, 2006
325 pp ISBN 0-19-856722-7
RRP £19.95, $US39.50
Before you jump to any conclusions, the term Emergencies is defined in a subjective manner and is here used in its widest context. The challenge of dealing with changing symptomatology in palliative and supportive care includes making the diagnosis and knowing what treatment is appropriate given the status of their underlying life-threatening illness and any intercurrent illnesses the patient may have. This little pocket-sized book provides a guide through the maze. The first section (52 pages) is about frequently encountered symptoms, how they should be assessed and how they may be symptomatically treated. The remainder of the book is about specific clinical syndromes from oral mucositis to fat embolism. What is particularly useful is that the sections on investigations and management are divided into three separate sections depending on whether the patient’s prognosis before the onset of this problem was hours to days or weeks or months to years. This book will be very useful for nurses and junior medical staff as a quick reference in their day-to-day work in palliative care.
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PALLIATIVE CARE AND END-OF-LIFE ISSUES IN CRITICAL CARE
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006
59 pp ISBN 0-7637-4027-6
RRP $US72.95, £38.98, $AU140.00.
Deaths occurring in ICU, where everything is about rescue and saving lives, requires nurses to have additional skills. The clinical recommendations in this guideline are divided into five sections—symptom management, family issues and interventions, withholding and withdrawing life support, communication and conflict resolution, and caring for the caregiver. The guidelines are very brief (21 pages) but contain a lot of distilled wisdom and experience. I was reminded of Stuffit Expander and a file that took a second or two to download and then balloons into a huge document—each line of the guidelines would provide the basis for an hour’s discussion. As such, they would be very useful in a classroom setting and the AACN are to be commended. But I thought the price was outrageous. A visit to AACN ( http://my.aacn.org ) showed that they have produced a wide range of publications for continuing education.
For palliative care there are AACN Home Theatre on CD-ROM: Palliative Care: Symptom Reprieve and Drug Therapy $US32.00 Foregoing Life-Sustaining Therapy: How to Care for the Patient Who is Near Death (139pp) $US30.00 Managing Death in the ICU: The Transition from Cure to Comfort $US62.50. Care Always: Quality Care at the End-of-Life (18 minute DVD and Study Guide) $US325.00. The only explanation that I have for the excessive pricing of some of these items is that the Association is selling continuing education points. Particularly with regard to our less well off colleagues in developing countries, IAHPC has always felt a responsibility to provide information at the minimum or no cost. AACN should consider making the materials available at cost and develop a system for Members to do an on-line test to earn their points and for which they pay a fee. Good product. Marketing needs adjustment.
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THE HEALING POWER OF LOVE Transcending the Loss of a Spouse to New Love
Gloria Lintermans and Marilyn Stolzman
Champion Press, 2006
216 pp ISB 1932783512
RRP $US16.00
When the grief and mourning at the loss of a spouse begins to ebb, many people do not know how to deal with the problems of forming new relationships. Professional writer Lintermans and grief counsellor Stolzman (The Healing Power of Grief) have joined together again to present the stories of twelve new and loving relationships. The problems and pitfalls are not disguised and the stories are honestly told. The book is affirming of both life and love and would be very helpful to someone coming out of mourning who feels the need for a meaningful relationship in their life.
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Roger Woodruff
Director of Palliative Care, Austin Health,
Melbourne, Australia
(January 2007)
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Procedure to submit a book for review:
If you would like to have a book reviewed and included in the IAHPC bookshop, please send a copy to the IAHPC Bookshop Editor:
Dr. Roger Woodruff
IAHPC Bookshop Editor
210 Burgundy Street Suite 9
Heildberg, Victoria 3084
AUSTRALIA
Note: Books sent to our bookshop editor become property of IAHPC and the review may take some time to appear in the Newsletter. Only books related to palliative care and with an ISBN number will be reviewed. Others will be discarded. Thank You!
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