An Extraordinary Journey

Today, with most deaths in developed countries occurring in hospitals and the likely exponential increase of this over the coming decades, it is an opportune time to reflect on the care of patients in the hospital setting and how the quality of care can be optimised to ensure that patient needs and expectations are sufficiently met.

Written by Teik E. Oh, author of the internationally acclaimed Oh’s Intensive Care Manual, this timely new title addresses the clinical, ethical, societal and legal imperatives of end-of-life care. Oh includes considered reflections on death and dying in hospitals, which address issues in hospital end-of-life care and the choices that patients, families and healthcare professionals face during this extraordinary journey - all of which improve understanding of dying and end-of-life care in hospitals.

Table of Contents:

Foreword
Preface
Introduction

Part I Twilight Zone

Chapter 1 End of life
Chapter 2 Ethics in death and dying
Chapter 3 Advance care directives

Part II Futility

Chapter 4 Do not resuscitate
Chapter 5 Prognostications
Chapter 6 Withdrawing treatment

Part III Communication

Chapter 7 Communication
Chapter 8 Informed consent

Part IV Death

Chapter 9 Brain death and vegetative states
Chapter 10 Euthanasia
Chapter 11 Organ donation

Part V Faiths

Chapter 12 Religions at the end of life
Chapter 13 Cultures and ethnicities

Part VI Health Services

Chapter 14 The healthcare system
Chapter 15 The intensive care unit
Chapter 16 Distributive justice
Chapter 17 Medical mishaps

Glossary and Acronyms
Index