This rich collection of accounts explores the personal and professional experiences of palliative care workers. Contributors from a variety of disciplines associated with care at the end of life – among them social workers, a nurse, a doctor, a counselling psychologist, an academic researcher, a psychotherapist and a creative writing therapist – explain how and why they came to work in palliative care, what they bring to the work and the ways in which it has enriched their own lives.
Including descriptive examples of their work with clients and families, they discuss the spiritual needs of patients, how to manage personal boundaries and power relations, the use of narrative and story telling in care work and the impact of working with people who are very ill and grieving on every day life.
This thoughtful and positive book presents a variety of experience-based perspectives on working in palliative care. Emphasising the use of self and the importance of reflective practice in professional work, this book will be of relevance to all professionals in medical and social care who want to gain a deeper understanding of their work and of the motivation underlying it.
Table of Content
Introduction. Christina Mason, St Joseph’s Hospice, London.1. Basic Themes. Christina Mason, St Joseph’s Hospice, London .2. Medicine and Palliative Care: The bronze serpent. Louis Heyse-Moore, Medical Director, St Joseph’s Hospice, London. 3. Early Challenges in Palliative Care from a Social Work Perspective: The gift of serendipity. Julia Franklin, Retired Social Worker and now Supervisor and Consultant to a number of Hospices. 4. On becoming a Practitioner: The view of a psychologist Robin Trewartha, Psychologist and former Probation Officer. 5. Explorations in Creative Writing: `I recharge myself from my experience’. Gillie Bolton, Senior Research Fellow in Medical Humanities, Sheffield University. 6. Learning in Palliative Care: Stories from and for my journey. David Oliviere, Principal Lecturer, Middlesex University. 7. Accompanying the Dying. Lois Pollock, Social Worker, St Christopher’s Hospice. 8. The Loss of Children: Thinking the unthinkable. Gordon Riches. 9. Reflections on my Roots and Personal Journey. Christina Mason, St Joseph’s Hospice, London. 10. The Nursing Perspective: Pain is the breaking of the shell that encases your understanding. Kevin Yates, Director of Nursing, St Joseph’s Hospice, London. 11. Overview. Christina Mason, St Joseph’s Hospice, London. Index.About the author
Gillie Bolton has worked in reflective and therapeutic writing for personal and professional development for twenty-five years, and has written and edited five books, one of which is now in its third edition. A grandmother of three, she lives in Bloomsbury, London, and Hope Valley, Derbyshire.More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
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