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COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES IN NURSING, 4TH EDITION
Mariah Snyder, Ruth Lindquist, eds. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2002. Hardcover. 335 pages, $49.95.

Reviewed by Dorothy Anderson Falcone RN, MS, ANP-C

Even if you own or have read previous editions of this book, edited by Snyder and Lindquist, this latest edition offers much new information. The book presents discussions of 4 fundamental aspects of holistic nursing practice, followed by descriptions of 23 complementary therapies. Nine of the complementary techniques surveyed in the book are new additions, and new authors examine many of the techniques compared with previous editions. The fourth edition is organized differently than the previous edition, and offers a fresh and timely analysis of interventions that are categorized as complementary or alternative for nursing practice.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Nursing is suited for any practicing nurse or nursing student who wants to increase his or her knowledge regarding any or all of the therapies included in the book. Because practicing nurses at all levels are likely to encounter patients who are interested in or are already using complementary therapies, this book provides vital information to enable the nurse to plan patient care and provide information in those areas. Although the book provides an excellent foundation for the understanding of holistically oriented patient care and a broad overview of most of the therapies nurses are likely to use or encounter, it is not intended to provide a deep understanding of any particular therapy. However, the references provided at the end of each chapter add potential depth for those who wish to pursue a topic.

The book is well organized; it begins with 4 chapters that describe elements fundamental to holistic nursing care, which is new to this edition. The remaining chapters concern particular interventions, and are organized according to the categories established by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health. Each chapter describes a therapy and includes an overview, a definition, the scientific basis for the therapy, current and landmark research, a description of the intervention that includes outcome measurement and precautions, uses for the intervention, and future research suggestions. This method of organization enhances understanding of the therapies both overall and with respect to each described therapy. The authors are mostly nurses, but other appropriate disciplines are also represented.

The presentations are well suited to the nursing audience, and are universally clear. Although no inaccuracies were noted, the chapter on healing touch includes a listing of research that is misleading because predominantly therapeutic touch studies are cited. Healing touch does include therapeutic touch, but therapeutic touch is a distinct therapy that is represented in a separate chapter of the book.

Regarded in its entirety, the fourth edition of Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Nursing offers high-quality discussions of well-chosen holistically oriented nursing interventions, and would be a reliable resource for any nurse in clinical practice. One could only wish that the book could be larger so that it could include more therapies! An appendix of resources would be a welcome addition, and this could, perhaps, include other therapies that could not be covered in the book, such as homeopathy and gardening.

Dorothy Anderson Falcone is a PhD candidate at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, College Park, Md.

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