Berger provides a unique blend of (1) a discussion of issues that have been problematic in the ethical consideration of end of life issues and (2) the provision of policies and forms that can be used by hospitals and other health care facilities. Very useful to health care institutions and to physicans regarding responsibilities and documentation in end of life situations. General; undergraduate; professional; two-year technical program students.

Choice

Although written primarily for physicians and hospital administrators, When Life Ends is certainly appropriate, and perhaps even essential reading for attorney (and their clients) working in health fields, estate planning, and elder law, as well as for social workers, clergy, and private citizens. End-of-life decisions will surely touch many of us either as caregivers, relatives, or patients. When Life Ends provides an objective framework for this often difficult, emotional subject. It is unreservedly recommended for law libraries, medical libraries, and social services collections in universities.

Legal Information Alert

…a valuable resource and practical tool for physicians, nurses, medical staffs, legal professional, hospital administrators, and hospital bioethics committees because it provides (1) in-depth legal commentaries on the refusal of life-sustaining treatment, advance directives, surrogate decisionmaking, and the Patient Self-Determination Act; (2) more than seventy medical and legal documents to be used in connection with end of life decisions; and (3) hospital policies and procedures to suggest guidelines to hospital bioethics committees as they carry out their functions of developing policies and procedures to address end of life legal and ethical issues.

Issues in Law & Medicine