Relational Care

Lisa Zammit taught as an assistant professor at South University for over 10 years, teaching surgery, bioethics, and geriatrics. With degrees in Surgeon Assistant and Physician Assistant studies, she worked in a variety of clinical settings. Her clinical experience included critical care, surgery, emergency medicine, and research. While in Savannah, she served on the regional hospital’s medical ethics board. While obtaining her Master’s in Health Science at George Washington University, she focused on communication issues with Patients and Families, particularly End-of-Life conversations. During this time, she began collaboration with Georgeanne Schopp who informally supervised Lisa’s Master’s submission. Georgeanne Schopp obtained her Master’s Degree in Family and Child Development. While practicing as a Marriage and Family Therapist, she specialized in Thanatology and Grief. She supervised psychotherapy students, novices, and medical and mental health clinicians. Her experience in training medical professionals, clergy, and the public in care of the ill, dying, and bereaved was instrumental in the development of Relational Care. Utilizing their extensive clinical, teaching, and research experiences, the authors bring a unique and valuable perspective to the Patient/Family/Clinician relationship. Authoring two publications on communication issues, the partners teach Telling Bad News and Systems Theory in Relational Care to PA students and professionals, MDs, mental health professionals, and nurse practitioners. The collaboration of these two disciplines – medicine and psychotherapy – culminates in Relational Care.

Part I: Opening Our Eyes, 1. Introduction, 2. Defining the Problem, Part II: Elements of the Whole, 3. Body, 4. Mind, 5. Spirit, 6. Relational System, Part III: Barriers and Baggage, 7. Dying and Death, 8. Grief, 9. Cautionary Issues, 10. Stress, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, Part IV: Creating Solutions, 11. Telling Bad News, 12. Bridging the Gap, 13. Taking Care of the Caregiver