Download or read book A Practical Guide to Palliative Care written by Jerry L. Old and published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. This book was released on 2007 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Designed for easy use at the bedside, this manual contains the practical information health care professionals need to provide optimal end-of-life care. The book presents a multidimensional, holistic approach to assessment and management of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of the patient and family. Topics covered include cultural diversity in end-of-life care; communicating with patients and families; predicting life expectancy; terminal care; non-pain symptom management; pain control; palliative interventions; pediatric palliative care; record keeping; and ethics. The succinct, user-friendly presentation features bullet points and numerous quick-reference tables. Each chapter includes an "In a Nutshell" summary of key points.