598 Volume 24, Number 6

I highly recommend this book to any nurse who wish-es to expand his or her knowledge base regarding the inte-gration of ancient complementary therapies into their prac-tice. I believe the information and concepts in this book areadaptable to all nursing practice regardless of the specialtyand could be easily integrated into emergency nursingpractice. In addition, we all could use the information in thisbook to help us personally in choosing complementarymodalities for families and ourselves. The emergency de-partment is often in crisis mode, dealing with patients atthe worst and most vulnerable moment of their life. Thisarena provides an excellent opportunity for the true healingabilities of nurses to be encouraged and supported.—PC

Complementary/Alternative Therapies in Nursing. Snyder M,Lindquist R, editors. 3rd ed. New York: Springer PublishingCo, 1998, 364 pp, $30, ISBN 0-8261-1169-6.

Do you think we will ever see an “alternative emer-gency department,” where patients such as those with mi-graine headaches will have the option of finding reliefthrough guided imagery therapy, soft music in a darkenedroom painted in pastels, and a cup of chamomile tea? Suchtreatment sounds similar to that offered at some healthspas. Despite our personal belief or disbelief in the effec-tiveness of alternative therapies, these treatments are fre-quently used in conjunction with allopathic care. Emer-gency nurses will encounter more references to thesetherapies as the public searches for more treatment options.

Complementary/Alternative Therapies in Nursing wasfirst published in 1985 under the title Independent NursingInterventions as a “compendium of approaches to wellnessand healing that nurses could use which did not involvemedication, surgery, or physicians.” The editors believethat nurses are natural providers of holistic services. Theyacknowledge that much of the history of nursing care in-volved activities to heal the mind, body, and spirit, yetmany of these therapies have been replaced by interven-tions of the allopathic system of Westernized medicine.

This book is divided into 28 chapters, each describing acomplementary/alternative therapy. Each chapter uses asimilar format. The authors first supply a definition and sci-entific basis for the treatment, followed by a description ofthe intervention, its uses and precautions, research ques-tions, and references. Persons who enjoy case histories willbe happy to know that the authors make use of this teachingmethod to illustrate the practical application of the therapy.

Many of the complementary/alternative therapies de-scribed have their roots in psychiatry. I can recall referencesto biofeedback, validation theory, and active listening dur-ing my psychiatric clinical rotation in nursing school. Be-cause many of the therapies require establishment of atrusted nurse-client relationship, they are not appropriatefor use in episodic care–based emergency departments.Some of the therapies seem to overlap in their descriptions.Purposeful touch and therapeutic touch have many similar-ities. Emergency nurses will find the chapters on massage,application of heat and cold, positioning, active listening,and humor to be the most applicable to emergency care. Weuse cold therapy in the treatment of injury. Positioning of

JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY NURSING

patients with head injuries to reduce intracranial pressureis an intervention that is often utilized. During our patientassessments and interactions, we try to be good listeners.The chapter on humor makes reference to “gallows humor”used in emergency departments as a way for staff to copewith the stress of human tragedy. Trauma nurses involvedin the care of families will find the chapters on groups andfamily support especially helpful.

Emergency nurses actually use many of the techniquesoutlined in this book on a small scale and in a modified man-ner, given the time constraints of emergency care. This bookprovides a detailed review of the many alternative/comple-mentary therapies available to nurses. The authors are quickto point out the additional training required for many of theinterventions. The scientific basis for the therapies is one ofthe book’s strengths and may encourage more emergencynurses to try alternative techniques. Whereas we are notready for a “spa” environment in our emergency depart-ments, we can incorporate some of the calming and anxiety-reducing ideas into our everyday practice.—CR

The Complete Medicinal Herbal. Ody P. Toronto, Ontario,Canada: Key Porter Books, Ltd, 1993, 192 pp., $26.95 (paper-back), ISBN 1-55013-480-9 (hardbound), ISBN 1-55013-886-3(paperback).

How would you respond if a patient stated she hadbeen taking pot marigold for her irregular and painful men-strual periods, and went on to say she had then tried an in-fusion of shepherd’s purse and asked if she could soak hermenstrual pad with the infusion? Most emergency nursesare familiar with some of the herbs used by patients as self-medication, such as garlic and ginseng, but do not have acomprehensive knowledge base to answer such questions.This book is written from the perspective of the herbalistpractitioner. It is both a practical how-to manual for personswanting to prepare medicinal herbs and an excellent re-source for health care personnel who want more informa-tion about preparations their patients may have used.

A detailed history of the use of medicinal herbs fromthe time of ancient civilizations to their controversial resur-gence today provides a solid introduction. A section titled“From Plants to Pills” uses examples of digoxin, which isobtained from foxglove, and morphine, which is obtainedfrom opium poppy, to illustrate the contributions of plantsto modern medicine. The bulk of the book is an “A-Z ofmedicinal herbs” that devotes one page to each herb. Vari-ous photographs of the fresh herb, dried herb, essential oil,tincture, and flower (where applicable) illustrate the plantparts that can be used as medicines. Applications of thepreparations are provided, followed by any precautions.The herbs are listed in alphabetic order using the Latinname. Those of us unfamiliar with Latin will need to use theindex to locate particular herbs. Home remedies are dis-cussed in the last section of the book. Ailments are groupedaccording to body systems, life stages, or action (for exam-ple, headaches and migraines). The author is quick to pointout that her home remedy list is not complete and that shehas included only the more popular uses for the variousherbs.