Those “getting started” are reminded that the IAHPC has its own regularly updated list of recommended books on almost every aspect of Hospice and Palliative Care, most available from Amazon. Each has been reviewed by experienced and eminent members of the IAHPC who understand the needs of all working in palliative care.
Listed below is only a small selection of highly recommended books, all ideal for new libraries:
Alexander M F, Fawcett J N, Runciman F J. (2000)
Nursing Practice: Hospice and Home - The Adult. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.
(Written for both student nurses and those returning to nursing, with an excellent section on palliative care. A useful book for the new library)
Booth S, Bruera E, Oliver D. (2004)
Palliative Care Consultations in Primary and Metastatic Brain Tumours. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Beecher R and Gamlin R. (2004) Palliative Care Nursing: Fundamental Aspects of Nursing. Mark Allen Publishing.
Bruera E, Higginson I, Ripamonti C and Von-Gunten C. (2006) Palliative Medicine. Arnold Publishers, UK.
Buckman R. (1988)
I don't know what to say - how to help and support someone who is dying. Macmillan, London.
(Invaluable for those faced with this challenge and as a teaching text)
Buckman R. (1993)
How to break bad news - a guide for health care professionals. Macmillan, London.
(Excellent for students, junior doctors and family doctor)
Dickman A, Schneider J, Varga J. (2005)
The Syringe Driver: Continuous Subcutaneous Infusions in Palliative Care. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(The authoritative text on syringe drivers/pumps)
Doyle D. (2002)
Volunteers in Hospice and Palliative Care: a handbook for volunteer service managers. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(New edition due 2009)
Doyle D, Hanks G W, Cherny, N, Calman KC. (2004)
The Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine. 3rd Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(The definitive reference book on every aspect of palliative medicine. The 4th edition is due 2009).
Doyle D, Jeffrey D. (2000)
Palliative Care in the Home. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Written exclusively for non-specialist doctors and nurses working in the community. A new edition will be published in 2009)
Ellershaw J, Wilkinson S. (2003)
Care of the Dying: A Pathway to Excellence. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(The best book on care pathways – the Liverpool Pathway)
Fallon M, Hanks GWC (2006) ABC of Palliative Care. Balliere Publishing.
(A book for doctors and nurses as well as students)
Ferrell B, Coyle N. (2005)
Textbook of Palliative Nursing. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Probably the best text for nurses specialising in palliative care)
Faull C, Carter Y, Woof R. (1998)
Handbook of Palliative Care. Blackwell Science, London.
(A multi-professional book excellent for nurses as well as doctors)
Goldman, A. (1998)
Care of the Dying Child Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Written by a specialist in paediatric palliative care - Essential reading for anyone called upon to care for children).
Higginson, I J. (1993)
Clinical Audit in Palliative Care. Radcliffe Press, Oxford.
Higginson I J. (1997) Health Care Needs Assessment: Palliative and Terminal Care. Radcliffe Medical Press. Oxford.
Kinghorn S and Garner S. (2007) Palliative Care Nursing: Improving End of Life Nursing. Balliere Tindall.
Lugton J and McIntyre R. (2006) Palliative Care – The Nursing Role. Churchill Livingstone.
MacDonald N, Hagan N, Oneschuk D. (2005)
Palliative Medicine: a case-based manual. 2nd edition Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Ideal for teaching medical students and junior doctors)
Payne S, Seymour J, Ingleton C. (2008) Palliative Care Nursing. Palliative Care Nursing: Principles and Evidence for practice (2ed) Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Randall F, Downie RS. (2006) The Philosophy of Palliative Care: Critique and Reconstruction, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Comprehensive coverage of all major ethical issues encountered in palliative care).
Robbins M. (1998)
Evaluating Palliative Care: Establishing the Evidence Base Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Sims R, Moss VA (1995)
Palliative Care for People with AIDS Edward Arnold, London.
(Highly recommended for all called upon to provide palliative care to patients with AIDS).
Walsh D, Foley KM, Glare P, Caraceni AT, Fainsinger R, Goh C, Lloyd-Williams M, Nuñez Olarte JM, Radbruch L. (2008) Palliative Medicine. Saunders, UK.
Watson M, Lucas C, Hoy A, Black I. (2005)
Oxford Handbook of Palliative Care Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Comprehensive, compact and based on the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine)
Woodruff R. (2004)
Palliative medicine: Evidence-based Symptomatic and Supportive care for Patients with Advanced Cancer and AIDS. 4th Edition. Oxford UniversityPress, Oxford.
(Comprehensive, authoritative and reasonably priced)
Woodruff R, Doyle D. (2009)
IAHPC Manual of Palliative Care - Read Online at IAHPC
(The basics - Completely revised and brought up-to-date)