Palliative Care

The care of patients with advanced and terminal illness can be extremely rewarding but often causes junior and indeed senior clinicians a considerable amount of discomfort. Patients with advanced disease present some of the most challenging ethical, physical, psychological, spiritual and social issues to clinicians and indeed to society. In line with the new integrated medical curricula, Palliative Care introduces the medical student and junior doctor to the problems experienced by patients with advanced disease. Information is provided in an accessible, user-friendly and interactive way and covers a wide range of physical and non-physical symptom management. Multiprofessional team work is addressed, as is the role and support of families. There is also a consideration of the dilemmas and decisions that may be encountered by doctors around and the end of a patient's life. Although intended primarily for students in the clinical years of the medical course, the book will also appeal to junior doctors, nurses and all those who need to know something about caring for terminally ill. It provides the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to be able to care for the 'whole' patient with advanced terminal illness.