Narrative and Stories in Healthcare: Illness Dying and Bereavement

About this book

BL Brings together a diversity of experience and perspectives of the use of narrative and stories from leading international scholars and practitioners in the social sciences and palliative care BL Considers the value use and impact of narrative approaches in the delivery of palliative and end of life care including narrative medicine research education therapy rehabilitation patient particiption spiritual care family and bereavement care BL Identifies methods of working more effectively with narrative in everyday clinical practice BL Engages with theoretical ideas and concepts from a range of disciplines The use of narrative methods has a long history in palliative care pioneered by Dame Cicely Saunders founder of the modern hospice movement. Narrative and Stories in Health Care provides a vibrant multidisciplinary examination of work with narrative and stories in contemporary health and social care with a focus on the care of people who are ill and dying. It animates the academic literature with provocative real-world examples from international contributors including palliative care service users and those working in the social and human sciences medicine theology and the creative arts. Narrative and Stories in Health Care addresses and discusses key questions: What is a narrative? What is a story? What are some of the main methods and models that can be used and for what purposes? What practical and ethical dilemmas can the methods entail in work with illness death and dying? As well as highlighting the power of stories to create new possibilities the book also acknowledges the conceptual methodological and ethical problems and challenges inherent in narrative work. As the hospice and palliative care movement evolves to meet the challenges of 21st century health care this fascinating book highlights how narratives and stories can be attended to in ways that are productive ethical and caring.