Research in Pediatric Healthcare: Profile on Dr. Luanne Linnard-Palmer
Dr. Luanne Linnard-Palmer, chair of Dominican University of California's Department of Nursing, has just published a book entitled, When Parents Say No: Religious and Cultural Influences on Pediatric Healthcare Treatment.
It is attracting wide attention in the press, including a Reuters interview that was distributed internationally and picked up by numerous local and national news sources. This book examines the religious and cultural doctrines that lead a parent to refuse medical care for an acutely ill child. According to Linnard-Palmer, "Few healthcare professionals know exactly what to do when a parent refuses or limits recommended treatment."
When Parents Say No presents information designed to enable healthcare and social services professionals to create favorable outcomes when faced with these parental refusal situations, including how to anticipate religious or cultural healthcare conflicts, how to work with the family and clergy to favorably resolve the conflict, and when and how to initiate legal action to save the child's life. "I hope that this book will lead to a deeper understanding of the complexities of the ethical dilemma surrounding treatment refusal in pediatrics," says Linnard-Palmer.
Dr. Linnard-Palmer is currently working with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to identify and submit proposals to fund further research on how culture and religion affect healthcare decisions and treatment across the United States. She also hopes to make presentations at healthcare sites to educate medical practitioners on how to effectively manage the legal and ethical challenges that arise when parents refuse medical treatment for their children.
Dr. Linnard-Palmer's book has been published by the Honor Society of Nursing and is available for order via Amazon.com.
