Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine: A Practical Guide - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184800351X ISBN 13: 9781848003514

Publisher: Springer London Ltd, 2009

Synopsis

A 'how-to' book for medical aid workers - doctors, nurses and paramedics - working in hostile environments (natural disasters, man-made disasters, conflict in all its forms and remote or austere industrial settings). This manual provides information on what is going on, how to get involved, how to get ready, guidance on what to do out there, and how to get home bridging the fields of medicine, nursing international relations, politics, economics and history.

About this title

Review:

From the reviews of 1st edition:

"[T]akes a welcome step towards collating essential knowledge, both theoretical and practical, for healthcare workers contemplating humanitarian work." (Douglas M. Bowley, JRSM, September 2002, vol 95, 472-473 )

"[R]epresents and ambitious project with a broad scope of interests. Few books take health care providers through every step of relief work, from contemplating their own motivations and suitability for the task and packing safe and practical clothing. Alternately handbook and reference book, this collection offers advise for settings in which the ‘medicine is often more straightforward than the logistics.’ It should prove most useful for providers who are inexperienced in rendering health care outside of the traditional hospital or clinic setting, whatever their level of training." (Rebecca S. Newton, NEJM, 13.03.2003, 1070-71)

"[A] very useful book for all physicians, nurses and paramedics, as well as other medical professionals who consider or plan to join the ranks of many thousands of humanitarian aid workers. This book would also be an excellent entry-level course book for various introductory courses, workshops and other educational activities. [T]his book takes an enormous step in helping to understand and act in appropriate manner. I certainly would pack this book along next time I go." (Ari Leppaniemi, Scandinavian Journal of Surgery, March 2002, vol 91, 127-128)

"I strongly recommend it for any student considering an elective, doctor considering a post-graduate posting or brief locum in an area of conflict, or administrator working with a humanitarian organization. It is an excellent book which could be made even better in a second edition." (Michael Jones, Tropical Doctor, April 2003, vol 33, 125)

From the Back Cover:

The second revised, expanded and updated edition of Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine: A Practical Guide provides a framework for use by health professionals visiting a resource-constrained environment. Since the first edition was written in 2002, there have been seismic changes following on from the terrorist assault on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The Middle East, the Far East and parts of Africa are convulsed by conflict, much of them verging on civil war. Further, natural disasters of staggering scale have occurred since the first edition –Tsunamis in South East Asia, Earthquakes in Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan and a monster Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. The working environment for the prospective humanitarian volunteer has changed forever.

Encompassing problems brought about by local conflict or natural disasters, this book covers preparation, organisation, logistics, treatment of major trauma and medical emergencies, and the special problems of delivering medicine in a hostile environment.

Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine: A Practical Guide comprehensively tackles:
- self-preparation of health professionals to face a range of medical and related problems which occur in hostile and remote environments;
- war and disaster medicine, covering acute management, rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention;
- bridging the fields of medicine, nursing, international relations, history, politics and economics.
Other topics covered include nutrition, infection, trauma, psychiatry and psychological medicine and training.

James M Ryan Leonard Cheshire Professor at UCL, London, UK

Alan Hawley OBE Director, Conflict and Catastrophe Faculty at Society of Apothecaries & Major General DGAMS, UK

David Burris Professor & Chairman, Department of Surgery, United Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA

Adriaan Hopperus-Buma Netherlands Convenor for Diploma in the Medical Care of Catastrophes (DMMC). Medical Services, Royal Netherlands Navy, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Peter F Mahoney OBE Consultant in Anaesthetics and Resuscitation, Defence Medical Services, Birmingham, UK

About this edition

• Publisher: Springer London Ltd
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 184800351X
• ISBN 13: 9781848003514
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 664
• Editor: Hopperus Buma Adriaan P. C. C., Burris David, Hawley Alan, Ryan James, Mahoney Peter F.