Complementary/alternative Therapies in Nursing

From The Critics

Reviewer: Patricia Blagman, EdD, RN(Pace University)
Description: Each chapter in this third edition describes a technique nurses might utilize for mind/body/spiritual healing.
Purpose: The purpose is to assist nurses, as we move into the 21st century, to meet the demands of individuals and health practitioners to deliver the "type of health care society desires." This is certainly a worthy objective as the public seeks better health outcomes. The 28 therapies included in this book provide ways for nurses to meet this objective.
Audience: Nurses in almost any practice setting as well as graduate and undergraduate nursing students will find it useful. Most chapters are written by faculty in schools of nursing. More than half the contributors hold doctorates, but their areas of expertise are not cited.
Features: Information on each therapy includes: a brief history; definitions and scientific bases of the therapy; a description of the intervention; research on outcomes and ideas for future research; uses and precautions; and references. Each chapter is well referenced and the index is thorough. Some of the techniques would have benefited by illustrations.
Assessment: This book introduces nurses to the wide spectrum of techniques available. It takes the reader well beyond basic nursing texts in areas such as imagery, meditation, therapeutic touch, and progressive muscle relaxation. However, some chapters are well covered in standard nursing texts, i.e., active listening, breathing, massage. Some chapters make it clear that nurses need intensive study, training, and credentialing to become skillful before integrating the therapy into their practice. An introductory chapter would have given the reader a fundamental grounding in complementary therapies in the role of healing. This book can be useful in university bookstores and libraries.

Patricia Blagman

Each chapter in this third edition describes a technique nurses might utilize for mind/body/spiritual healing. The purpose is to assist nurses, as we move into the 21st century, to meet the demands of individuals and health practitioners to deliver the ""type of health care society desires."" This is certainly a worthy objective as the public seeks better health outcomes. The 28 therapies included in this book provide ways for nurses to meet this objective. Nurses in almost any practice setting as well as graduate and undergraduate nursing students will find it useful. Most chapters are written by faculty in schools of nursing. More than half the contributors hold doctorates, but their areas of expertise are not cited. Information on each therapy includes: a brief history; definitions and scientific bases of the therapy; a description of the intervention; research on outcomes and ideas for future research; uses and precautions; and references. Each chapter is well referenced and the index is thorough. Some of the techniques would have benefited by illustrations. This book introduces nurses to the wide spectrum of techniques available. It takes the reader well beyond basic nursing texts in areas such as imagery, meditation, therapeutic touch, and progressive muscle relaxation. However, some chapters are well covered in standard nursing texts, i.e., active listening, breathing, massage. Some chapters make it clear that nurses need intensive study, training, and credentialing to become skillful before integrating the therapy into their practice. An introductory chapter would have given the reader a fundamental grounding in complementary therapies in the role of healing. This bookcan be useful in university bookstores and libraries.

Booknews

Explains 28 therapies that nurses can use independently. The systematic format includes a definition, review of current research, description of uses and techniques, precautions, and a list of questions for further research. Many of the therapies, such as massage and applying heat, have traditionally been part of nursing practicing; more recent additions include imagery, meditation, and biofeedback. Student or practicing nurses in any setting could find helpful suggestions. The two earlier editions were published as by Delmar in Albany, New York, in 1985 and 1992. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

4 Stars! from Doody