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Nurses, some people think, are a breed unto themselves. They know stuff. They are mysterious and amazing. Angels with PhDs, or something like that.
And while I would love to simply bask in the glow of the admiration, there are some misconceptions about all this that badly need to be set straight.
1. Nurses are ordinary people. Average intelligence. The only thing different is that they devoted several years of their lives to a specialized education, and probably practice what they learned (or at least a portion of it) pretty much every day.
2. Nurses are ordinary people. If they could learn all that "stuff", so can you. (It's hard work. But you CAN.)
3. The best nurses are always thinking. Always asking questions. Always wondering what if. Always trying to figure things out. You can too.
The healthcare system in America is facing an unprecedented crisis and it doesn't look to be getting better anytime soon. I anticipate seeing many people needing to treat conditions of a severity and urgency that we never could have imagined, at home.
Start now, to learn, to educate yourself, and to practice. And remember, nurses are ordinary people. If we can, you can too.
So, on that note, here is a list of books to get you started. Some of these are books I used in nursing school. Others are books I’ve used on my own journey toward better health, when conventional medicine failed. And still others are reference books recommended by friends who are smarter than I in a particular area.
If you purchase all of these, you will have a respectable library. But that would be expensive, so I did my best to tell you a little about each book, and to group them from basic to more advanced, so you can get what you need and not waste your hard-earned money. (All links are affiliate links. This means that I get a few pennies from each purchase made through them, but it doesn’t cost you more.)
Medical Reference
The books on this list are basic reference works that I come back to over-and-over. Mostly they are useful for looking stuff up and understanding medical terminology.
Taber’s Encyclopedia Think of this one as a dictionary specifically for medical and healthcare terminology. I still refer to this when I’m having trouble understanding an imaging report or a doctor’s note. It gives clear explanations of each term, with some pictures.
Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses This is a must-have. You can look up hundreds of drugs/pharmaceuticals and learn what they are most commonly used for, side effects, danger signs, and potential interactions.
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Like Taber’s, this gives you definitions, but is geared more toward understanding diagnoses and thinking through therapies. A thoroughly useful reference.
Home Remedies and Basic Herb Use
These are the books that my non-medical friends tell me they find the most useful. First up is a three-book series by herbalist Rachel Weaver. These are full of useful and accessible information. I strongly recommend also using other reference books, since the information in these is sometimes simplified a little too much to be safe. However, they remain an excellent resource.
Be Your Own Doctor II The first book in the series. If you’re only going to purchase one of them, this should be it.
Backyard Pharmacy Learn how to use common herbs, including some the might be growing in your own backyard. Good basic information.
Be Your Child’s Pediatrician is similar to Be Your Own Doctor, but geared for mothers caring for young children.
Prescription for Nutritional Healing One of my favorite reference books for nutritional therapies and knowing what supplements might be most helpful. Easy to use, with an excellent index. This is better researched and more professional than the previous books in this section.
10 Essential Herbs A thorough and informative book to get you started using ten common and very useful herbs.
The How-to Herb Book Highly recommended by several friends, but not one that I’ve personally used yet.
Going Deeper
This section contains both more in-depth books on topics already covered above, as well as those that go beyond the physical. We are body, soul, and spirit, and all three must be considered in seeking true health.
A More Excellent Way looks at the spiritual roots of disease. One problem with this approach is that there is very little consideration of the fact that not all disease has a spiritual root. Nonetheless, I find this a very helpful volume, based on decades of experience.
The Biblical Guide to Alternative Medicine helps us look at the spiritual roots of medicine, and discover that not all alternative medicine is as innocent as it appears. I highly recommend this volume to all Christians who are choosing to use alternative therapies.
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine This thick volume is the gold standard reference work in natural medicine. Like all really good reference works, it is expensive, but may be worth it if you want just one volume.
The Green Pharmacy Less expensive than the one above, this book still has plenty of information, and it is laid out in a fairly easy-to-use format.
Trim Healthy Mama Plan is one of very few nutrition plans that are biblically based. It wil not be the right plan for everyone, but if you want a simple “diet” to follow, this is a good one to consider.
Nourishing Traditions encourages good, whole, real food. This has helped many, many people. Ignore the long-age evolutionary theory and enjoy the good food.
When Pigs Move In provides a simple but hard-hitting look at some of the spiritual health issues. It is easy to read, but will give you a lot to think about.
As Your Soul Prospers Okay. I can’t have a list of recommended books and not include my own. So here it is. Short and very easy to read, this little book contains some of the most important principles of health from a biblical perspective.
“Expert” Level books
This section is for those who really want to dig in and learn a lot about how the human body works and the intricacies of different areas. Several of these are my go-to reference works for working with clients.
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration is the research behind Nourishing Traditions and the work of dentist Weston A Price.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a deep dive into hormones and hormonal health. At this writing I have not yet read the whole thing, but it comes highly recommended from multiple people who know what they’re talking about.
Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis. Understanding lab results is challenging. This book looks at optimal ranges, not just “normal” ranges, and helps you begin to put the pieces together. This is crucial reference for my work.
Where There is No Doctor is intended for community health workers in remote village locations, but has a ton of helpful information. Especially recommend if you want to be prepared for a time when healthcare as we know it might no longer exist.
And there you have it. Twenty-one books that will get you well on the way to a nurse’s level education. Don’t get overwhelmed by the big stack, but take them one or two at a time. Start with the one that looks the most interesting or relevant to your situation. And remember, if I could learn this stuff, you can too!