Nursing and Cam Therapy
Running head: NURSING THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATING CAM 1
Nursing, the Gateway to Integrating CAM Therapy
A Review of Literature
NeShana Bilbrew
Loyola University, New Orleans
NURSING THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATING CAM THERAPY 2
Nursing, the Gateway to Integrating CAM Therapy
A Review of Literature
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies with conventional medicine practices. This review of literature evaluates the value of using CAM on professional nursing practice by answering the following questions:
1. What encompasses complementary and alternative medicine?
2. How does CAM fit into nursing practice?
3. What is the potential impact of CAM on professional nursing?
Since nurses are skilled in coordinating patient care and have the most patient contact of all other healthcare team members, it only natural that nurses become overseers of integrating CAM therapies with conventional treatments.
What encompasses complementary and alternative medicine? Complementary medicine includes treatments and products that are used along with conventional therapies, while alternative medicine consists of therapies that are used instead of conventional medicine. A more recent trend involves integrative therapy, which is a combination of complementary, alternative and conventional therapies to develop the most complete treatment plan. Typically with conventional medicine,
NURSING THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATING CAM THERAPY 3 the majority of treatments are pharmaceutical in nature and one medicine is used to treat one particular disease or condition. CAM therapies are far less specific and often include alternative medical systems, biologically based treatments, energy therapies, manipulative and body-based methods, and mind interventions. As one of the largest group of diseases, cancer affects millions of families. “Pain and depression are
Nursing, the Gateway to Integrating CAM Therapy
A Review of Literature
NeShana Bilbrew
Loyola University, New Orleans
NURSING THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATING CAM THERAPY 2
Nursing, the Gateway to Integrating CAM Therapy
A Review of Literature
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies with conventional medicine practices. This review of literature evaluates the value of using CAM on professional nursing practice by answering the following questions:
1. What encompasses complementary and alternative medicine?
2. How does CAM fit into nursing practice?
3. What is the potential impact of CAM on professional nursing?
Since nurses are skilled in coordinating patient care and have the most patient contact of all other healthcare team members, it only natural that nurses become overseers of integrating CAM therapies with conventional treatments.
What encompasses complementary and alternative medicine? Complementary medicine includes treatments and products that are used along with conventional therapies, while alternative medicine consists of therapies that are used instead of conventional medicine. A more recent trend involves integrative therapy, which is a combination of complementary, alternative and conventional therapies to develop the most complete treatment plan. Typically with conventional medicine,
NURSING THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATING CAM THERAPY 3 the majority of treatments are pharmaceutical in nature and one medicine is used to treat one particular disease or condition. CAM therapies are far less specific and often include alternative medical systems, biologically based treatments, energy therapies, manipulative and body-based methods, and mind interventions. As one of the largest group of diseases, cancer affects millions of families. “Pain and depression are
References: Cady, R. (2009, June). Legal issues related to complementary and alternative medicine Regulation, 11, 46-51. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=887340 Cherry, Barbara & Jacob, Susan R. (2008). Contemporary Nursing: Issues, trends, & Management (4th ed.) Fouladbakhsh, J. (2010). Gender, symptom experience, and use of complementary and alternative medicine practices among Kroenke, K., Theobald, D., et al (2010). Effect of telecare management on pain and depression in patients with cancer. October 3, 2010. Laurenson, R.(2006). Working complementary therapies into mainstream healthcare