A Christian for the Christians, a Christian for the Muslims! An Attempt at an Argumentum ad Hominem

Schmidt and Egler's critique of Christianity's exclusivist claimto truth rests on two suppositions: (a) that inter-religiouspastoral care for dying patients requires a respect for theircultural backgrounds which necessitates accepting the equalvalidity of their respective (non-Christian) religions, and(b) that exclusivism is incompatible with the Christian love-of-neighborcommandment. In opposition to this critique, (a) the authors'own "pluralist" understanding of Christianity is refuted ontwo levels. First, it leads to inconsistencies in the authors'own (and very adequate) understanding of pastoral care, especiallywith regard to their notion of intolerance, and second, it isirreconcilable with explicit New and Old Testament claims toabsoluteness. In addition, (b) the authors' understanding ofthe way in which "exclusivism" justifies intolerance and missionaryviolence is shown to rest, first, on a secularized reductionof Christianity, i.e., of Christians' own "religious identity"as well as of the Christian way of "helping those in need,"and second, on a merely theoretical (rather than also practical)view of Christians' commitment to God. As a corollary to thatrefutation, a reconsideration of the truly Christian sourcesof obedience and charity is recommended.     

Message in a bottle: a comparative study of spiritual needs of children and young people in and out of hospital

Using the metaphor of a message in a bottle as a framework and sending an S.O.S. to adults, the question of what are the three biggest needs of children and young people was asked. Data consisting of 107 important needs of children and young people was collected from 36 children and young people both in and out of hospital: in hospital by chaplains and other health care professionals, and out of hospital by children and youth work undergraduate students. This was a convenience sample across the United Kingdom with the majority of respondents in the Midlands. The data were coded and then thematically analysed and separately compared to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Emotional needs was the largest theme for hospitalised children and young people and relationship needs for the non-hospitalised children and young people. For both groups Maslow’s level 3 need of belonging was the greatest averaging at just over half the needs shared. A discussion of the results of the analyses identifies some ways in which the needs of hospitalised children and young people may differ, identifying some implications for practice.     

Depth of Field: Using photographs and narratives to explore and reflect on ageing

The learning landscape of the higher education environment is changing, with an increased focus over the past decade on how educators might begin to cultivate reflective skills in health professions students. In addition, changing professional requirements demand that health professionals are adequately prepared to practise in today’s complex healthcare systems, including responding to changing demographics of population ageing. In this educational case study, we will share how we (a group of education, medical and nursing academics) developed ‘Depth of Field: Exploring Ageing’ a digital, consumer-driven, interprofessional reflective learning resource that uses photographs, narrative and small-group work to strengthen reflective capacity in current and/or future health professionals.     

The Curious Case of the De-ICD: Negotiating the Dynamics of Autonomy and Paternalism in Complex Clinical Relationships

This article discusses the response of our ethics consultation service to an exceptional request by a patient to have his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) removed. Despite assurances that the device had saved his life on at least two occasions, and cautions that without it he would almost certainly suffer a potentially lethal cardiac event within 2 years, the patient would not be swayed. Although the patient was judged to be competent, our protracted consultation process lasted more than 8 months as we consulted, argued with, and otherwise cajoled him to change his mind, all to no avail. Justifying our at times aggressive paternalistic intervention helped us to reflect on the nature of autonomy and the dynamics of the legal, moral, and personal relationships in the clinical decision-making process.     

Adolescent Health Care Training in Predoctoral Psychology Internship Programs: A Model of Interdisciplinary Training Needs in Health Care

This needs assessment of predoctoral psychology programs in a large southeastern state reveals that although many programs include adolescent health issues and often involve the psychiatry discipline in their curricula, many trainees do not have exposure to medicine, nutrition, or nursing disciplines. Opportunities for greater interdisciplinary adolescent health care training exist in psychology training programs in this southeastern state. Integrating such training into psychology programs may enhance psychology's ability to function as a vital component of adolescent health care teams within academic medical centers across the country.     

Myths and Small Groups: Development, Managed Care, and the Year 2000

In this article, the author defines myth and shows that disguised myths of archaic and primitive peoples can be found in the modern world. He discusses the myths that guide the development of small groups. He sketches out mythic aspects of the encounter between group therapy and managed care. Finally, he suggests the mythic significance of the year 2000 for the future of group development and of group therapy.     

Embedding prevention services within systems of care: Strengthening the nexus for children

System-of-care models that offer a continuum of integrated mental health services for children are being widely implemented in local communities. Preventive services, arising from the theoretically grounded prevention sciences, are an important but neglected component of this model. Studies of the use of mental health services by children are reviewed, and an integrative model is proposed to incorporate prevention services as a component of the child mental health service system. Construction of the prevention sciences has followed a linear phase model that has advantages and disadvantages for bridging prevention sciences and services research. As prevention science progresses into broader field tests of its effectiveness, studies of child services can be informative, especially in advancing the applicability and dissemination of research findings. Future directions are outlined to strengthen the nexus between services research and prevention science, and to construct a new genre of prevention services research.     

美国院前急救医患沟通＂十条金律＂解析

医患沟通的能力和技巧是院前急救人员必备的重要素养之一,与院前急救服务的效率和质量密切相关.在美国急救医疗服务体系中,普遍遵循医患沟通＂十条金律＂,包括：（1）保持职业化状态;（2）始终保持与患者目光接触;（3）给予患者恰当的称呼;（4）使用患者听得懂的语言;（5）保持恰当的语速、语调和语气;（6）与他人谈论患者病情务必谨慎;（7）当心自身的肢体语言;（8）给患者留下回答问题或反应的时间;（9）告诉患者病情真相;（10）注重与特殊群体的沟通.本文简要解析了＂十条金律＂的内涵与意义,对我国院前急救人员或有借鉴意义.     

浅谈无痛人流与人文关怀

随着经济与医疗卫生事业的发展和医疗模式的转变,病人群体对诊治措施的质量也有了更高和更明确的要求。对非意向性怀孕妇女来说,在舒适、无痛的环境下进行人流手术便成了发展的必然,也符合伦理要求,体现了医者对病人的人文关怀。