A Clinician's Guide to Palliative Care

When curing a disease is not possible and death is imminent, the effective clinician shifts to a palliative model of care to manage pain and symptoms while attempting to maximize the quality of life. This practical medical text offers the latest treatments in managing the end stage of chronic diseases. It was written by practicing clinicians and designed to help medical students, residents, and practitioners with practical clinical decisions.

A Clinician's Guide to Palliative Care is an introduction to the multidisciplinary field of palliative care. Arranged in chapters by disease systems, the book provides clinical guidelines as well as practical advice for the management of advanced disease. The authors review the assessment of prognosis (determining when the illness is end-stage), how to communicate and face tough decisions with patients and families, the role of hospice care and criteria for admission, and the use and limitations of advance directives.

Use A Clinician's Guide to Palliative Care during medical school, residency, or in your practice. This useful introduction to the care of the dying patient will help you develop clinical judgment and a capability to provide comfort for the patient, the family, and all care-givers, including yourself.

Other features include:

• Chapter on pharmacology of pain relief and symptom control
• Chapter on the special needs of pediatric patients
• Chapter on the nursing home patient
• Balanced coverage of drug and/or interventional therapies useful for both palliation and maximizing survival
• Discussion of appropriate and inappropriate therapies for advanced disease