You are here

Health Care Ethics
Share
Share

Health Care Ethics
Lessons from Intensive Care

First Edition

Other Titles in:
Nursing | Philosophy (General)

April 2004 | 160 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Health Care Ethics examines the way ethical dilemmas are played out in everyday clinical practice and argues for an approach to ethical decision-making which focuses more on patient needs than competing professional interests.

While advances in medical science and technology have improved the ability to save and prolong lives, they have also given rise to fundamental questions about what constitutes life and personhood, especially in the context of what are termed 'persistent vegetative state' and 'brain death'. Drawing on the example of intensive care where such questions feature strongly in everyday practice, Kath M Melia examines how decisions are taken within the context of multiprofessional teamworking, including

· whether to admit a patient and commence treatment

· what the aim of treatment should be (i.e. palliation, care or cure)

· when to limit, withhold or withdraw treatment

· when to donate organs.

As an area in which different professional groups work closely together, the author argues that there are lessons to be learnt from intensive care which can be applied to ethical decision making in all areas of health care for the greater good of patients.

The book makes a significant contribution to the literature on ethics in health care and to the development of ethical decision making which prioritises the needs of patients. It is essential reading for ethicists, sociologists and health care professionals.

 
Health Care Ethics
 
Intensive Care Admission and Withdrawal
 
The Palliation-Care-Cure Triangle
 
Caring for Bodies, Caring for People
 
From Teamwork to Ethics

For instructors

This book is not available as an inspection copy. For more information contact your local sales representative.

Purchasing options

Please select a format:

ISBN: 9780761971450
£51.00
ISBN: 9780761971443
£186.00

SAGE Knowledge is the ultimate social sciences digital library for students, researchers, and faculty. Hosting more than 4,400 titles, it includes an expansive range of SAGE eBook and eReference content, including scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, series, professional development titles, and more.

The platform allows researchers to cross-search and seamlessly access a wide breadth of must-have SAGE book and reference content from one source.

SAGE Knowledge brings together high-quality content from across our imprints, including CQ Press and Corwin titles.