Complementary health and healing in nursing education

This study is a description of the current status of complementary health and healing in undergraduate nursing education in the United States. A sample of 105 respondents from 202 baccalaureate nursing programs accredited by the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education in fall 2001 completed an 11-item survey. Findings revealed the majority of nursing programs (77%) responding include content and/or experiential learning in complementary health and healing in the curriculum. A wide range of content related to mind-body healing, alternative medicine, herbal supplements, manual and energy healing, and environmental modalities is included. Experiential learning is incorporated less frequently than is didactic content. Use of a holistic nursing curriculum model facilitates the inclusion of nursing interventions that promote complementary health and healing. Integration of content and experiential learning can promote students' critical thinking and communication skills, appreciation and honoring of diversity, self-care and healing practices, and leadership skills in addressing the public's health needs.