Lorraine Steefel - What Nurses Know...Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

WHAT NURSES KNOW...

CHRONIC
FATIGUE
SYNDROME

Lorraine Steefel, RN, MSN, DNP, CTN-A

ISBN: 978-1-932603-87-3
E-ISBN: 978-1-617050-28-2
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2012 Lorraine Steefel. All rights reserved. This book is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, editors, and publisher, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. The editors and publisher welcome any reader to report to the publisher any discrepancies or inaccuracies noticed.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Steefel, Lorraine.

What nurses know-- chronic fatigue syndrome / Lorraine Steefel.

Summary: What Nurses Know ... CFS provides validation to the more than one million PWCFS in the United States. It presents an overview of the illness and the latest information about, and description of, symptoms, as well as suggested management of them. It discusses getting a diagnosis and putting together a health care team; for example, readers may choose a neurologist for management of their newly acquired headaches or a rheumatologist for joint pain. Emphasis is placed on the importance of finding a knowledgeable, caring health care provider who is supportive, learning how to communicate with the health care provider and team, and making the most of appointment timeProvided by publisher.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-932603-87-3 (pbk.)

1. Chronic fatigue syndromePopular works. I. Title.

RB150.F37S74 2011

616[H11032].0478dc23 2011028540

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About the Author

Lorraine Steefel, RN, MSN, DNP, CTN-A, is a professional writer and an adjunct professor in the doctoral program at UMDNJ School of Nursing, Newark, NJ. Her interest in CFS developed when her daughter Trisha was diagnosed at age 12 with the illness. As a parent and an RN, she searched for information necessary to help her daughter cope with and manage this illness. She became a volunteer trainer in the program Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): A Diagnostic & Management Challenge prepared and sponsored by the CFIDS Association of America, and presented this program to RNs and other health care professionals across the country. In addition, she is a member of and volunteer for the New Jersey CFS Association. Her fact sheet Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Information for Family, Friends and Caregivers appears on the organizations website. Lorraine lives in Marlboro Township, NJ, with her husband Peter. She has two daughters, Kimberly and Trisha, and son-in-law, Russ.

WHAT NURSES KNOW...

Nurses hold a critical role in modern health care that goes beyond their day-to-day duties. They share more information with patients than any other provider group, and are alongside patients twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, offering understanding of complex health issues, holistic approaches to ailments, and advice for the patient that extends to the family. Nurses themselves are a powerful tool in the healing process. What Nurses Know gives down-to-earth information, addresses consumers as equal partners in their care, and explains clearly what readers need to know and want to know to understand their condition and move forward with their lives.

Titles published in the series

What Nurses Know... PCOS

Karen Roush

What Nurses Know... Menopause

Karen Roush

What Nurses Know... Diabetes

Rita Girouard Mertig

What Nurses Know... Multiple Sclerosis

Carol Saunders

What Nurses Know... Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Sylvia Llewelyn Bower

What Nurses Know... Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Lorraine Steefel

Forthcoming books in the series

What Nurses Know... HIV and AIDS

Rose Farnan and Maithe Enrigue

What Nurses Know... PTSD

Mary Muscari

This book is dedicated to my daughter Trisha, whose journey through CFS inspired me to write. I would also like to thank the New Jersey Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association, Inc. (NJCFSA) and its members who have shared their stories. Their courage and continued perseverance to get on with life despite and withsymptoms that vary in intensity day to day, hour to hour, and minute to minute have touched me deeply. Because of this organization, I was provided with many of the tools necessary to support Trisha when she was diagnosed at the age of 12 with CFS.

Lorraine Steefel has penned an informative, well-written, and well-researched book worth reading by anyone affected by chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and those who know and love them. As a nurse and parent of a person dealing with CFS, she is uniquely qualified to write about the personal as well as medical aspects of this chronic illness. The first two chapters explain the syndrome and how it is diagnosed, which should help anyone interested in getting a better understanding of the illness as well as the difficulty and frustration with obtaining a diagnosis. The vignettes in each chapter bring home the various aspects that help the reader relate to the information presented.

As a nurse-author and a person living with a chronic disease myself, I especially liked the chapters concerning the importance of a supportive health care team, alternative and complementary therapies, and advocacy. The advice in lists and explains the various current medical treatments for CFS.

When someone experiences an illness with symptoms as varied and changeable as those of CFS, it is helpful to read about the possibilities and be prepared to seek medical care in a timely manner if and when they occur. The research presented in this book should help health care practitioners to better understand the symptoms these clients experience, the many tests useful in ruling in or ruling out their connection to CFS, and providing appropriate care. Above all, these health care professionals should be encouraged to give respect and understanding the clients with this syndrome and their families deserve.