Integrative Herb Guide for Nurses

The classic text used in over 17 countries, The Integrative Herb Guide for Nurses by Dr. Martha Libster, a practicing nurse-herbalist, is the first book to present the way nurses can successfully integrate herbs into a caring practice alongside more conventional biomedical therapies. Herbs were once a major source of the remedies used and healing. The development of synthetic drugs during the 20th century largely replaced the use of herbal therapies in nursing practice. This trend is beginning to change again, however, as nurses now encounter patients turned healthcare consumers who actively seek alternatives to biomedicine, such as herbal therapies. Today's nurse is also becoming more aware of a larger demographic group of patients who continue to use generations-old, plant-based remedies. This guide begins with an introduction to medicinal plants and includes a brief overview of botany, safe use information, and suggestions on how to use the guide in practice. The main body of the guide includes 12 chapters profiling 58 common herbs. Each chapter contains practical information on how to integrate plant-based therapies into patient care. This guide concludes by showing nurses ways they can learn more about the use of plant therapies in holistic practice and includes a sample curriculum for a 32-week introductory course on the integrative use of plant therapies.