Nurse's Role

Although yoga has been practiced in Eastern culture for thousands of years as part of life philosophy, classes in the United States only recently have been offered to people with cancer. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to bind, join, and yoke. This reflection of the union of the body, mind, and spirit is what differentiates yoga from general exercise programs. Yoga classes in the United States generally consist of asanas (postures), which are designed to exercise every muscle, nerve, and gland in the body.

Integrative alternative therapies, also known as holistic therapies, have many applications in hospitals and health centers. These may include relaxation therapies, meditation, massage, reflexology, and Reiki or healing touch. Patients today are looking for these services, and institutions continue to explore ways to provide them without affecting their bottom line. The Integrative Cardiac Wellness Program is such a service, and its growth and longevity comes out of the personal investment of the staff to the program and to their patients.

Pregnancy presents many problems without working through additional problems in coping with an ostomy. Yet many women with an ostomy do get pregnant and do deliver healthy babies. Evidence-based nursing is of the utmost importance, as there is little published information on this topic. Because of the scarcity of pregnant subjects within the ostomy category, most studies, by necessity, select a purposive subject base. Therefore, other information sources regarding nursing management of the pregnant woman with an ostomy take on considerably more importance.

Mindfulness meditation (MfM) is a mind-body therapy identified by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Initially taught in a formal classroom setting, MfM is a sustainable intervention with minimal costs that can be used over time. For veterans, after mastery, this technique shows promise in improving health outcomes and quality of life. This article describes MfM, discusses the conceptual framework and evidence-based research for MfM, and identifies the implications of MfM use by health care providers who are caring for war veterans.

PURPOSE: To provide nurse practitioners (NPs) with clinical research about Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and demonstrate its usefulness for reducing stress in a variety of populations. DATA SOURCES: A literature review was conducted using the following databases: EBSCO, Cinahl, Pschyline, and Medline. English language articles published between 2000 and 2006 in peer-reviewed journals were reviewed. Search terms "mindfulness,"meditation," and "stress" were used. Additional information was obtained through select, reputable Internet sites.

Pregnancy presents many problems without working through additional problems in coping with an ostomy. Yet many women with an ostomy do get pregnant and do deliver healthy babies. Evidence-based nursing is of the utmost importance, as there is little published information on this topic. Because of the scarcity of pregnant subjects within the ostomy category, most studies, by necessity, select a purposive subject base. Therefore, other information sources regarding nursing management of the pregnant woman with an ostomy take on considerably more importance.

1. Homeopathy is an accepted form of health care in many countries worldwide. 2. Homeopathy is deeply healing, yet does so without causing side effects, tolerance, or addiction problems. 3. Homeopathic remedies are available over the counter in health food stores and some pharmacies. 4. Homeopathy is distinct from herbal medicine and does not interact with conventional treatments.

Increasingly, individuals are turning to complementary therapies to reduce or cope with chronic pain. Acupuncture, one of the oldest complementary therapies, originated from China more than 2500 years ago. It has steadily gained popularity in the United States over the last few decades as a modality for pain relief among both practitioners and patients. A 1997 National Institutes of Health consensus conference concluded that acupuncture needling releases endorphins and other neurotransmitters in the brain and should be considered as an appropriate pain treatment option.

Integrative alternative therapies, also known as holistic therapies, have many applications in hospitals and health centers. These may include relaxation therapies, meditation, massage, reflexology, and Reiki or healing touch. Patients today are looking for these services, and institutions continue to explore ways to provide them without affecting their bottom line. The Integrative Cardiac Wellness Program is such a service, and its growth and longevity comes out of the personal investment of the staff to the program and to their patients.

Research on touch therapies is still in the early stages of development. Studies of Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and Reiki are quite promising; however, at this point, they can only suggest that these healing modalities have efficacy in reducing anxiety; improving muscle relaxation; aiding in stress reduction, relaxation, and sense of well-being; promoting wound healing; and reducing pain. The multidimensional aspects of healing inherent in patient care continue to be expanded and facilitated by our understanding and application of energy therapies.