OCTOBER 11, 2011 (ALEXANDRIA, VA) -- Filmakers Library, an imprint of Alexander Street Press, announces the addition of In the End: A Medical Dilemma to its growing catalog of film titles.

The poignant film by Charlotte Roseby takes viewers into an intensive care unit to uncover a dilemma now faced by patients, their families and their doctors on whether to use new medical technology to prolong life, even when the chances of actually getting better are slim.

The modern-day shift from using advanced technologies only on younger patients to the increasingly common use on elderly patients coincides with the shift from doctors having the predominant say on the use of treatments to families and patients holding more decision power. The result is that families are frequently finding themselves in the odd position of wanting treatment for their loved one but struggling with the reality of having them in prolonged intensive care.

“I watched this film with a lump in my throat,” said Andrea Traubner, Director of Filmakers Library. “The film quietly brings you into the lives of families and of a compassionate intensive care specialist who are all struggling with the challenge of accepting death when acceptance is no longer the only option. Healthcare and psychology students alike will find this film instrumental in preparing for work with intensive care patients and their families.”

Not only does the film explore the families’ dilemma, but it also looks at the views of the doctors. Intensive care specialist, Dr. Charlie Corke, director of the intensive care unit the film visits, states that “the difficulty comes because we are able, quite often, to prevent death but not to restore health.”

In the End is currently available for purchase on DVD. Later this month, this title will be available online in streaming video through Alexander Street’s Academic Video Store at http://academicvideostore.com, and as part of Alexander Street’s Filmakers Library Online collection.

A preview of this video can be found on the Alexander Street Press YouTube channel. For more information on In the End: A Medical Dilemma or to order the DVD, visit http://www.alexanderstreet.com/filmakers.htm. Qualified faculty and library staff may request trial access and pricing information for Filmakers Library Online by emailing sales [at] alexanderstreet [dot] com ( sales [at] alexanderstreet [dot] com).

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About Alexander Street Press
Alexander Street Press is an electronic publisher of award-winning online collections for scholarly research, teaching, and learning. Our products are available to libraries and educational institutions worldwide via annual subscription or one-time purchase. Learn more at http://www.alexanderstreet.com.

Contact for Media Inquiries / Reviewer Access:
Audrey DeGregorio, Marketing Communications Associate
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