Book reviews

Edward I^irssell
RGN

Paterson and Zderad Humantshc Nurstng and concepts that contribute to the

Theory by Nancy O'Cormor Senes-

Post-basic Paedtatnc Nurstr^ Student, Notes on Nursing Theones Sage,

Queen Elizabeth College of Nursmg, Newbury Paric, Cabfomia, 1993 52
Btrmtngham

pages, 6 50, ISBN 0-8039-4489

This small book is a monograph about
the development of Paterson and
Zderad's 'humanistic nursmg theory'
'There is Nothing More I Can Do' An
The
text is mformahve and encapsulates
lntroduchon to the Bhtcs of Palltahve Care
by David Jefcey Patten Press/Lisa a vast amount of detail about this parSamsbury Foundahon, Londoa 1993 hcular nursmg persp>echve The book is
one of a senes, the aim of which is to
116 pages, 5 95, ISBN 1-872229-11-5
provide a senes of monographs which
This book has a htle which immediately have been designed to provide the reader
attrads the attenhon of those workmg m with a conase descnphon of conceptual
the field of paUiahve care, smce it is aben frameworks and theones of nursing
to their philosophy Its author (who is They are not mtended to replace the
well qualified to wnte on the subjed, pnmary works of the nurse theonsts,
bemg a medical officer of a hospice and but to provide diredion of their use
holdmg a master's degree m medical by graduate and undergraduate nursmg
ethics) goes on to demonstrate that there students
IS much whidi can be done
Although the book is mformahve, it
The book is aimed mainly at dodors does appear to have two major disand nurses workmg m the commuruty, advantages which it shares with a great
but the author hof>es it will be of mterest deal of nursmg theory perspechves,
to those based m hospices and hospitals, namely, the text is predominantly
which I am sure is corred Many mter- Amencan and uses a great deal of
estmg ethical asp>eds are considered jargon which at times app>ears to have
mdudmg autonomy, quabty of life, difficulty crossing the Anglo-Amencan
breakmg bad news, mformed consent divide and app>ears to make the assumpand euthanasia These, and other issues, hon that all its readers are gomg to be
are discussed m relahon to the palbahve
well-versed m the idiosyncrasies of
care setting
nursmg theory However, the author
The book's strongest attnbute is that has attempted to give an mformahve
it links ethical prmaples to dmical situ- overview about humanishc nursmg
ahons whidi are very fanubar and very theory m 52 pages and for that she
real The final chapter presents a work- should be congratulated
able and useful ethical model of approThe text contains biographical
pnate palliahve care, appbcable to all sketches of Paterson and Zderad and
care settings The author places much seven bnef chapters which discuss vanemphasis on the importance of all memous aspeds of humanishc nursmg theory
bers of the mterdisaplmary team and
These chapters examine issues surrounddearly recognizes the contnbuhon of
mg the histoncal developiment of the
nurses m palbahve care
model, its impbat assumphons about the
In my opmion, the book only bnefly nature of reabty together with sumcovers several important issues, as one manes concemmg existential thought
might exped from 'mtrodudion to the and phenomaiological tradihon In adethics of palbahve care' It is deariy not dition, the author analyses Paterson and
an exhaushve pubbcahon but it should Zderad's perspechves of the metaparashmulate thought and mterdisaplmary digm elements that form the baas of
discussion
their model namely, the persoa nursing,
Denise Bircumshaw health and tiie environment, before
MN BA(Hons) RGN Oncology bnefly discussing the genoal theory of
Certificate nursmg and what other nurse theonsts
Macmtllan Nurse Specialist, say about the vanous
Untverstty Hospital, Nothngham
1850

wealth of nursing theory

The text devotes two chapters to the
appbcahon and future development of
humanishc nursmg theory and bnefiy
discusses some of the ethical issues surroundmg the nurse-pahent relahonship.
In addition, the text contams a useful
glossary and a comprehensive reference
and bibbography sedion
Throughout the book, the text has
been presented m short chapters and,
where necessary, divided mto sechons
and sub-sedions to danfy certam issues
for the reader The text has been well
referenced usmg the Harvard system to
provide evidence for pomts made m the
text and to enable the reader to access
the academic sources of information for
further refledion and study
Although the monograph is informative and provides a conase overview of
tbs nursmg perspechve, it is arguable
whether anyone who has not got an
m-depth knowledge of nursmg theory
would find tbs text beneficial m applymg humanishc nursmg theory m the
dinical environment However, the text
IS pmnanly designed for nurses studymg
at degree level and the mformahon contamed m this small book may prove to
be mvaluable to them
Andrew Oldnall
RGN DPSN
Charge Nttrse,
Dudley Road Hospttal, Btnnmgham

Psychology, Psychtatry and Chronic Patn

edited by SP Tyrer ButterworthHememann, Oxford, 1993 212 pages,

35 00, ISBN 0-75060573
As an mtrodudory text on chroruc pam
this book IS a very valuable and welcome
contnbuhon wbch wiU not only be of
mterest to nurses and other health care
profiessionals but also to diroruc pam
sufferers Acoordmg to die editor, 'the
language used is mtended to be free of
jargon and should be understandable by
lay persons' and m this it is very successfill Although there is consid^le overlap with existing bt^ture, tbs book is
parhcuiaily usdiil heatme it offers a