![]() ![]() ![]() There are interjections into the story that break up the flow of both the ethical debate and the human story. The ethical and legal problems are discussed, but not in enough depth for the reader to form a clear opinion. We never find out if the author managed to stick to her principles (there is a hint that she did not) or what happened to the patient and his family. This story exposes some of the flaws in the book. Eventually, Shalof refuses to take care of him because her conscience can no longer let her do what she sees as harm to the patient. As his condition worsens, the doctors and nurses argue about the ethics of keeping him alive when there is no hope of recovery. He stays in the unit for more than six weeks. The patient begins to develop numerous complications and is on maximum life-support measures, but his family refuses to stop treatment. In spite of this, his family wants everything done for him. A CT of his head shows irreversible brain damage. For example, one 76-year-old patient with cancer has surgery, then a cardiac arrest on the ward, with a prolonged resuscitation. Some of the stories she recounts are horrific, others are funny, and still others are tragic. ![]() ![]() This book follows her life as part of a nursing team in an Intensive Care Unit. Tilda Shalof is a critical care nurse in a major hospital. ![]()
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