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Ethical issues in nursing
Book Reviews highlights the individual responses of the police, fire 81 rescue, ambulance service and mobile medical team as they each arrive at
a chapter on different approaches to teaching ethics. Parts of this section may be ‘hard going’ for some nurses, introducing the
the scene of an RTA. The viewer is introduced to the concepts of scene assessment, namely: command and control, safety, communication, patient assessment, triage, treatment and transport. Assessment and management of an injured patient’s airway, breathing and circulation are introduced and continually reinforced throughout. As the video progresses, issues such as entrapment, extrication and advanced patient management techniques are introduced. For the experienced emergency nurse, this video will provide valuable reinforcement of the principles involved in pre-hospital care. For the novice nurse, it will provide an excellent insight into the responsibilities of the various agencies involved at the scene of an accident. Importantly for the novice emergency nurse, this production will introduce the principles of advanced trauma life support, be it pre-hospital or hospital based.
reader to theories such as deontology, but this does not detract from the general usefulness of the book. Indeed, all the chapters have been subdivided into sections that are clearly sub-headed and with a comprehensive contents and index, this ensures that it is an easy book to access. The
Ian Wood RGN,
A GE
Cerf T,TCC
(P)
Charge Nme, NeuJcaslle
Nursing ethics I E Thompson, K M Melia & K M Boyd Churchill
Livingstone,
1994
ISBN 0 443 048 11 8, 234pp The third edition of this book should be welcomed by all nurses, but may be of particular interest to those working in the field of Accident and Emergency nursing where healthcare ethics has increasingly become an issue. The authors clearly present many of the key ethical problems facing nursing today - from practical issues such as ‘whistle blowing’ and the right to life, to the wider issues of the impact of the internal market of the health service. The book does not pretend to provide ready made answers to these dilemmas, but attempts to set out and criticise arguments for and against the moral alternatives in a way that is both readable and useful. It is divided into four separate sections. Section one would provide a good basis for the nurse for whom nursing ethics is a relatively new area of study, dealing as it does with the social context of nursing values. Section two looks at some practical applications and includes some thought-provoking case studies. The third section examines broader health policy and social issues, including the problems of limited resources versus quality of care arguments. The final section is concerned with decision making and moral theory with
text is interspersed with helpful boxes, summarising key points or illustrating particular models. In summary, this book would provide a useful framework for those studying ethics, as well as assistmg any nurse requiring guidance in coming to terms with ethical and moral decision making.
A practical approach emergency medicine R J Stine, C K Aaron & C R Chudnofsky (eds)
to
Little, Brown G Co, 1994, ISBN 0 3 16 8 162 72, 116Opp, ,&60.00 This is an American medical text aimed at the practising emergency physician. The sections are conveniently divided into life support, medical emergencies, surgical emergencies and specialty emergencies with useful appendices on various medical data. The book takes a disease or problem approach to emergency medicine, rather than a symptom approach, and is organised logically in note form. Information is easy to access and there is liberal use of algorithms. The content is up-to-date at present and is well researched. Authors acknowledge that the text is based on their practice in Washington, US and although a rationale for treatment is given, there are few alternative options suggested. This book is skillfully prepared for use by physicians and may be useful as a reference for A & E nurses. However, there is no reference to psychosocial aspects of patient care, nor is there recognition of the role of the multidisciplinary team. Care of relatives, legal and moral considerations are also omitted and there is no attempt to address minor injury aspects of emergency care. In summary, a useful reference book for A & E nurses despite the limitations identified.
Ethical G Iiunt
issues (Ed)
IO9
in nursing
Routledge, 1994, ISBN 0 415 08145 9, 232py
L-12.99
Written from a nursing perspective, rather thaln from a biomedical viewpoint, this book on ethics sets out to examine major ethical issues in nursing practice. Rather than taking an abstract approach to the subject, the authors have highlighted difficulties that nurses experience in their day-to-day practice. Comprised of a wide range of contributors, this book consists of a series of critical essays and, as a result, it is an easy book to access to read specific chapters or to read systematically. Ethical issues are divided into two parts; specific and general. Whilst there is no chapter directly relating to Accident and Emergency work, many of the issues discussed are relevant. For example, nursing accountability; codes of conduct; informed consent; and an excellent chapter on the topical issue of ‘Nurse time as a scarce health resource’. Throughout the book, salient points are illustrated by the use of case studies and nurse experiences, many of which the reader will relate to. There is a thought provoking chapter on care of the elderly Overall, this book is presented well, in a straight forward easy to read format. It should have broad appeal to nursing students, practising nurses and nurse lecturers and would be an ideal resource book for use in discussion groups. The aim of examining major ethical issues in nursing practice has been achieved with clarity and openness.
Treatment of suicidal people A A Leenaars, J T Maltzberger & R A Niemeyer (Eds) Taylor
G Francis,
3994,
ISBN 1 56032 287 X, 249pp,
939.00
Reading about suicide and all it involves can be heavy going; this book is no exception. However, it takes an intensive look at the treatment of suicidal people, broken down into the assessment, treatment and evaluation of care given. The role of crisis centres, inpatient/outpatient care, and drug usage to redress neurochemical imbalance, thought to be a reason for some suicides, are all examined. Various aspects of society and suicide, e.g. the suicidal adolescent through to suicide in the elderly and the terminally ill, are also discussed. A chapter is devoted to looking at the legal implications of suicide. Litigation occurs frequently in the US and the care of
a chapter on different approaches to teaching ethics. Parts of this section may be ‘hard going’ for some nurses, introducing the
the scene of an RTA. The viewer is introduced to the concepts of scene assessment, namely: command and control, safety, communication, patient assessment, triage, treatment and transport. Assessment and management of an injured patient’s airway, breathing and circulation are introduced and continually reinforced throughout. As the video progresses, issues such as entrapment, extrication and advanced patient management techniques are introduced. For the experienced emergency nurse, this video will provide valuable reinforcement of the principles involved in pre-hospital care. For the novice nurse, it will provide an excellent insight into the responsibilities of the various agencies involved at the scene of an accident. Importantly for the novice emergency nurse, this production will introduce the principles of advanced trauma life support, be it pre-hospital or hospital based.
reader to theories such as deontology, but this does not detract from the general usefulness of the book. Indeed, all the chapters have been subdivided into sections that are clearly sub-headed and with a comprehensive contents and index, this ensures that it is an easy book to access. The
Ian Wood RGN,
A GE
Cerf T,TCC
(P)
Charge Nme, NeuJcaslle
Nursing ethics I E Thompson, K M Melia & K M Boyd Churchill
Livingstone,
1994
ISBN 0 443 048 11 8, 234pp The third edition of this book should be welcomed by all nurses, but may be of particular interest to those working in the field of Accident and Emergency nursing where healthcare ethics has increasingly become an issue. The authors clearly present many of the key ethical problems facing nursing today - from practical issues such as ‘whistle blowing’ and the right to life, to the wider issues of the impact of the internal market of the health service. The book does not pretend to provide ready made answers to these dilemmas, but attempts to set out and criticise arguments for and against the moral alternatives in a way that is both readable and useful. It is divided into four separate sections. Section one would provide a good basis for the nurse for whom nursing ethics is a relatively new area of study, dealing as it does with the social context of nursing values. Section two looks at some practical applications and includes some thought-provoking case studies. The third section examines broader health policy and social issues, including the problems of limited resources versus quality of care arguments. The final section is concerned with decision making and moral theory with
text is interspersed with helpful boxes, summarising key points or illustrating particular models. In summary, this book would provide a useful framework for those studying ethics, as well as assistmg any nurse requiring guidance in coming to terms with ethical and moral decision making.
A practical approach emergency medicine R J Stine, C K Aaron & C R Chudnofsky (eds)
to
Little, Brown G Co, 1994, ISBN 0 3 16 8 162 72, 116Opp, ,&60.00 This is an American medical text aimed at the practising emergency physician. The sections are conveniently divided into life support, medical emergencies, surgical emergencies and specialty emergencies with useful appendices on various medical data. The book takes a disease or problem approach to emergency medicine, rather than a symptom approach, and is organised logically in note form. Information is easy to access and there is liberal use of algorithms. The content is up-to-date at present and is well researched. Authors acknowledge that the text is based on their practice in Washington, US and although a rationale for treatment is given, there are few alternative options suggested. This book is skillfully prepared for use by physicians and may be useful as a reference for A & E nurses. However, there is no reference to psychosocial aspects of patient care, nor is there recognition of the role of the multidisciplinary team. Care of relatives, legal and moral considerations are also omitted and there is no attempt to address minor injury aspects of emergency care. In summary, a useful reference book for A & E nurses despite the limitations identified.
Ethical G Iiunt
issues (Ed)
IO9
in nursing
Routledge, 1994, ISBN 0 415 08145 9, 232py
L-12.99
Written from a nursing perspective, rather thaln from a biomedical viewpoint, this book on ethics sets out to examine major ethical issues in nursing practice. Rather than taking an abstract approach to the subject, the authors have highlighted difficulties that nurses experience in their day-to-day practice. Comprised of a wide range of contributors, this book consists of a series of critical essays and, as a result, it is an easy book to access to read specific chapters or to read systematically. Ethical issues are divided into two parts; specific and general. Whilst there is no chapter directly relating to Accident and Emergency work, many of the issues discussed are relevant. For example, nursing accountability; codes of conduct; informed consent; and an excellent chapter on the topical issue of ‘Nurse time as a scarce health resource’. Throughout the book, salient points are illustrated by the use of case studies and nurse experiences, many of which the reader will relate to. There is a thought provoking chapter on care of the elderly Overall, this book is presented well, in a straight forward easy to read format. It should have broad appeal to nursing students, practising nurses and nurse lecturers and would be an ideal resource book for use in discussion groups. The aim of examining major ethical issues in nursing practice has been achieved with clarity and openness.
Treatment of suicidal people A A Leenaars, J T Maltzberger & R A Niemeyer (Eds) Taylor
G Francis,
3994,
ISBN 1 56032 287 X, 249pp,
939.00
Reading about suicide and all it involves can be heavy going; this book is no exception. However, it takes an intensive look at the treatment of suicidal people, broken down into the assessment, treatment and evaluation of care given. The role of crisis centres, inpatient/outpatient care, and drug usage to redress neurochemical imbalance, thought to be a reason for some suicides, are all examined. Various aspects of society and suicide, e.g. the suicidal adolescent through to suicide in the elderly and the terminally ill, are also discussed. A chapter is devoted to looking at the legal implications of suicide. Litigation occurs frequently in the US and the care of