Ask a Nurse

In the hospital or at the doctor's office, it's the nurses whom patients trust to answer their questions simply, directly, and understandably. So who better to provide inside information about how to manage common health conditions, apply simple home treatments, and make the most of the health care system? Compiling the expertise of 550 nursing schools and 100 nurses nationwide, Ask a Nurse is a one-of-a-kind quick-reference book of invaluable hands-on treatment and healing tips. Every word in it has been written by nurses: nurses who practice nursing, nurses who teach it, nurses who spend all their days working with and caring for patients. They know what works and what doesn't; they can tell you when you need a doctor's care and what you can do yourself. Ask a Nurse focuses on the everyday complaints -- acne, allergies, cuts and scrapes, diarrhea, flu, hemorrhoids, insomnia, stress, and more -- that you can most easily treat yourself, at home in most cases. Arranged alphabetically, the entries explain common conditions, list detailed symptoms, and offer top-to-bottom treatment "e;menus,"e; featuring everything from effective over-the-counter medications to tried-and-true home remedies and self-care. Alternative and herbal therapies are included: readers will learn, for instance, that devil's claw can ease arthritis pain, tea tree oil can relieve athlete's foot, and a tea bag can reduce swelling. The nurses address men's, women's, and children's unique health issues separately, with special attention paid to identifying and treating addictions and eating disorders; showing what type of contraception to use and how to avoid sexually transmitted diseases; and highlighting when infertility and sexual dysfunction can be handled at home. The nurses also present a complete guide to consumer rights, dispensing tips on how to make a hospital stay more comfortable, choose a reliable pharmacist, put together a home medical kit, and finally, decide when a living will or do-not-resuscitate order is appropriate. With easy-to-find reader-friendly boxes and charts supplementing the A-Z directory of everyday ailments, Ask a Nurse offers readers all the comfort, care, and reassuring practical advice for which nurses have always been known. With 100 nurses putting their names to their personal tricks of the trade, this book provides the insider information that you can use to make wise decisions regarding your health.