Managing Death in the ICU The Transition from Cure to Comfort [Hardcover]

This volume reviews the state of the art in caring for patients dying in the ICU, focusing on both clinical aspects of managing pain and other symptoms, as well as ethical and societal issues that affect the standards of care received. The book also addresses the changing epidemiology of death in this setting related to managed care, practical skills needed to provide the highest quality of care to terminal patients, communicating with patients and families, the mechanics of withdrawing life-supporting therapies, and the essential role of palliative care specialists in the ICU. The book briefly describes unique issues that arise when caring for patients with some of the more common diseases that precipitate death in the ICU. Contributors for the book were chosen because they have experience caring for patients in the ICU and are also conducting current research to find ways of improving care for terminal patients in this setting.

Section I: The Changing Landscape of Death in the ICU
1. Introducing the Concept of Managing Death in the ICU,J. Randall Curtis and Gordon D. Rubenfeld
2. The Changing Ethics of Death in the ICU,Richard A. Mularski and Molly L. Osborne
3. The Changing Nature of Death in the ICU,John M. Luce and thomas J. Predergast
4. Making a Personal Relatinship with Death,Mitchell M. Levy
Section II: The Decision to Limit Life Support in the ICU
5. Outcome Pretiction in the ICU,Marin H. Kollef
6. Decision-Making and the Role of Bias,Deborah J. Cook
7. The Role of Health Status and Quality of Life in decisions about ICU Care,J. Randall Curtis and Donld L. Patrick
8. Advance Care Planning in the Outpatient and ICU Setting,Joan M. Teno
Section III: Practical Skills Needed to Manage Death in the ICU
9. How to Discuss Dying and Death in the ICU,J. Randall Curtis and Donald L. Patrick
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