ABSTRACT

Should patients be told they are dying? How do families react when one of their members is facing death? Who should reveal that death is imminent? How does hospital staff-doctors, nurses, and attendants-act toward the dying patient and his family?

part One|26 pages

Introduction

part Two|90 pages

Types of Awareness Contexts

chapter 3|18 pages

Closed Awareness

chapter 5|15 pages

The Ritual Drama of Mutual Pretense

chapter 6|28 pages

The Ambiguities of Open Awareness

chapter 7|10 pages

Discounting Awareness

part Three|141 pages

Problems of Awareness

chapter 8|17 pages

Direct Disclosure of Terminality

chapter 9|19 pages

The Unaware Family

chapter 10|22 pages

The Aware Family

chapter 13|32 pages

Awareness and The Nurse’s Composure

part Four|28 pages

Conclusions

chapter 14|15 pages

The Practical Use of Awareness Theory