title: Complementary therapies and healing practices: faculty/student beliefs and attitudes and the implications for nursing education.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge and attitudes of nursing faculty and students (BSN and MS) regarding complementary/alternative therapies (C/AT) and their integration into nursing practice. Implications for curricular and faculty development were also identified. A cross-sectional survey (n = 170) of graduating BSN students (n = 73) and MS and PhD students (n = 47) and faculty (n = 50) was conducted in a university-based nursing program. The self-administered questionnaire contained 134 forced choice items. Questions assessed attitudes and knowledge about training in, personal use of, perceived barriers to, and intent to integrate C/AT into clinical practice. Over 95 percent of the students and faculty agreed that clinical care should integrate the best of conventional and C/AT practices. Few had received formal C/AT education; the highest number had received some education about massage, music, prayer/spiritual healing, and therapeutic/healing touch. They desired more education but not necessarily the skills to perform these therapies themselves. Faculty and students expressed positive attitudes about incorporating C/AT into curricula and nursing practice. Current knowledge lags behind interest, however, suggesting a situation ripe for change. The most important perceived barrier to incorporation was lack of evidence. Curricular change is needed to fully integrate C/AT in nursing programs at all levels; faculty development and nursing research is needed to facilitate these changes.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 6-101 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. halco001@umn.edu
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Halcón
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chlan
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kreitzer
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Leonard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D029181:Spirituality; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires