Book Reviews
Palliative care: A patient-centered approach
By Mitchell G
ISBN: 13: 978 1 85775 739 2; 2008; 168 pages; Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford;
Reviewed by Cathie Pigott
Project Manager
National Cancer Nursing Education Project
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Melbourne, Victoria
This well written, easy reading book helps to demystify palliative care for the non-specialist clinician. The target audience of this book is general practitioners (GPs) and primary care health clinicians, including nurses. Respected palliative care specialists from the United Kingdom and Australia have written the nine chapters, and each chapter has an introduction that summarizes its content. The references used by most of the authors are extensive and relatively recent (generally from 2000-2005). The book is part of a series of books that uses a 'patient centred conceptual framework'. This framework is well suited for the target audience as the components include: involving the patient in decision making; developing an understanding of the whole person; and utilizing key teaching opportunities for prevention and health promotion. The use of case studies throughout the book aids its application to the clinical situation. The emphasis of the GP being a key person in the provision of palliative care in the home setting is highlighted in many of the chapters. The GP, who is likely to have known the person with a lifelimiting illness for a long time, is one of a number of health professionals that may be involved with the care of a person. Many palliative care textbooks refer to care being provided by a multidisciplinary team and this book provides a broad understanding of such a team. Whilst not necessarily identified as a 'team' the idea that 'a sense of cohesion and purpose' (p. 133) can still occur even if a 'string of professionals were involved' (p. 133) focuses on the role of the GP in providing continuity and cohesive care. The chapter, 'Health promotion and palliative care', offers some excellent suggestions for promoting the discussion of death and related issues in the local community as well as in the waiting room of the general practice.This is an area rarely addressed in palliative care texts. Another feature is the inclusion of the child and adolescent perspective in the palliative care situation. Aspects of management to consider for a child requiring palliative care, as well as when the family member of someone requiring palliative care is a child, are included. In general, the text offers a good introduction to palliative care for non-specialists, but with only 159 pages, obviously is not able to go into the depth of a palliative care textbook.The framework is useful for primary health care practitioners to use to broaden their perspective and consider the many issues across the lifespan that may affect the person and their family facing a life-threatening illness.
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