Psychology in Medicine

E-book

Iveta Cimbolákováa kol.

The premise “today’s research shapes the healthcare of tomorrow” expresses the importance of medical research and the reason for its pursuit. Scientific research and advances in biomedical sciences, as well as their application in medical practice and in the process of delivering healthcare, nevertheless bring new problems in the area of ethics.

Biomedical research itself requires the precise definition of hypotheses, which are tested both under laboratory conditions and on experimental animals. Although clinical studies on human subjects are expected to benefit individual participants and to advance fundamental biomedical knowledge, they also entail certain risks depending on the nature of the research. These risks must be minimized, and the experiment should be conducted freely while also taking place within specific measures to protect all involved-not only the test subjects, but also the researchers themselves.

The presented publication provides an overview of the general conditions and ethical principles of research involving laboratory animals and human subjects, the issue of professional and ethical assessment of projects, as well as fraud and the publication of results. At present, we are witnessing tremendous progress in molecular biological sciences, which brings ethical dilemmas also in the field of genetics. For this reason, one of the chapters is devoted to the latest findings in this area.

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 Soňa Grešováa kol.

The object of the practical textbook is both theory and practice. The student is familiar with the investigative methods used in patients at different clinics as well as research institutes. Investigative methods are a source of knowledge about the state of the internal environment of an individual, the functionality of the various systems of the body, based on which it is possible to establish a conclusion on whether the individual is healthy or not. 

Authors

František Sabola kol.

Although we are not really sure if “Love is coming from the Heart” and nor we know where “the Residence of Soul” is, we are still overwhelmed by its unprecedented effort to keep us alive. Our lives are nowadays fulfilled with enormous chances to satisfy our needs and wishes. Hand in hand is changing our way of life, the intake of calories is growing and the amount of physical activity decreasing. We live longer and maybe happier but our hearts
and vessels are like mirrors showing us how we live. Diseases of the Heart and vessels have become the number one cause of death in highly developed countries including our homeland.
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases has become and an important social and health care system issue. The knowledge requirement of basic principles of cardiology and heart surgery is increasing. Without an understanding of basic principles a good clinical practice is hardly possible.
Together with my Colleagues of Heart surgery department of VÚSCH and LF UPJŠ we prepared this short overview of basic knowledge about surgery of the human heart. We hope that reading it will be more an adventure than a painful journey. If you find some answers to your unanswered questions our effort was not a waste of time.

Authors

E-kniha

Silvia Farkašová Iannaccone a kol.

The history of ethics represents the search for a fundamental principle that would enable a person to distinguish between moral and immoral, good and evil, or right and wrong. The main issues are the motives, methods, and consequences of human actions.

The integrity of the medical profession emphasizes lifelong study and practice according to professional competence, and, last but not least, adherence to ethical principles and standards of medical ethics. Medical ethics and the related communication in the process of providing healthcare are becoming increasingly relevant topics. Communication between doctor and patient itself constitutes a very important part of the diagnostic process and treatment; it significantly contributes to the creation of a mutual relationship and, to a considerable extent, ensures patient cooperation.

The development of various information and network technologies allows for rapid communication even in medicine; however, a kind word and real contact with the patient, with an appropriate choice of verbal and nonverbal communication tools in personal contact, cannot be replaced by modern technology. The present era places demands on certain communication skills of the physician. Another ethical and legal issue is informed consent, which brings the patient’s active participation in the process of providing healthcare.

The presented publication provides basic information about medical ethics, communication in medicine in general, and communication skills in medical practice. Further chapters are devoted to the issue of informed consent, ethics, and the specifics of communication with selected groups of patients. We believe that this publication will clarify for the reader the basic ethical pillars and will be helpful for basic orientation in the issues of medical communication.

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