A Time to Be Born, a Time to Die: Conflicts and Ethics in an Intensive Care Nursery - Hardcover

Gustaitis, Rasa; Ernle, Young

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0201115557 ISBN 13: 9780201115550

Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1986

Synopsis

Examining the issues raised by modern medical technology, this book looks at the ethical question of life and death in the intensive-care nursery

About this title

From Library Journal

Gustaitis, Rasa & Ernle W.D. Young. A Time To Be Born, A Time to Die: conflicts and ethics in an intensive care nursery. Addison-Wesley. 1986. 280p. bibliog. index. LC 85-26804. ISBN 0-201-11555-7. $18.95. ethics/med Both of these books represent notable attempts to bridge the gap between neonatal intensive care technology and the moral, ethical, and economic dilemmas that have arisen as a result of that technology. Both books address the expanded choices and complexities of language accompanying this new technology, and offer guidelines for rational therapy decisions. Frohock, a political scientist, and Gustaitis, a journalist, spent considerable amounts of time observing daily events and recording interviews in two of the 600 ICNs in the United States. Basically, each offers a personalized, even intimate approach to these issues of informed consent, rights, etc., though Frohock is philosophically and journalistically more concise while Gustaitis and ethicist Young detail the historical and political ramifications. Both books stress the ICN as a kind of "separate culture," where "what decisions are made and by whom represents one of the greatest societal challenges we face." And both conclude that many of these matters may be guided by the physician's Hippocratic duty to "do no harm," within the context of other social, cultural, and religious influences. Implications for the future make this important reading for policy makers and concerned citizens, as well as medical professionals. Some collections may want both titles; most could choose either. Nancy B. Burrell, M.L.S., IBID Inc., Sarasota, Fla.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Addison-Wesley
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 0201115557
• ISBN 13: 9780201115550
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 267