In a world of rapid technological advances, the moral issues raised by life and death choices in healthcare remain obscure. Life and Death in Healthcare Ethics provides a concise, thoughtful and extremely accessible guide to these moral issues.
Helen Watt examines, using real-life cases, the range of choices taken by healthcare professionals, patients and clients which lead to the shortening of life. The topics looked at include:
* euthanasia and withdrawal of treatment
* the persistent vegetative state
* abortion
* IVF and cloning
* life-saving treatment of pregnant women
Clearly written and insightful, Life and Death in Healthcare Ethics presupposes no prior knowledge of philosophy. It will be of interest to anyone confronting healthcare ethics for the first time, or seeking to develop his or her understanding of some core topics in the field.

About the Author
Helen Watt is Research Fellow at the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Ethics in London.

Reviews

'This small, slim book can only be commended ... For students who want - or need - a very basic text to introduce them to the subject, I could not recommend anything better.' - Verena Tschudin, Nursing Ethics

'I can recommend this book as a very useful, easily accessible resource book for health care workers.' - Mary Byrne, Bioethics Outlook, March 2001

'Short introductions to anything are very appealing to me as they usually provide principles upon which I can develop ideas and pursue other reading. In this respect Helen Watt does not disappoint. She has created an introduction to a number of life and death issues that all of us could face via the exploration of actual cases... Additional notes, at the end of the book, provide the reader with a wide range of potential reading material. Should you buy the book? Buy it or borrow it, it is a book worth reading because its content is very applicable to A&E work.' - Lynn C. Sbaih, Accident and Emergency Nursing, 2002

'Compact and at the same time profound...an interesting and original work.' - Medicine, Healthcare and Philosophy

Book Information
ISBN 9780415215749
Author Helen Watt
Format Paperback
Page Count 106
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 200g