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Complementary and alternative therapies: a new frontier for nursing education?
1Arkansas Tech University, Department of Nursing, Russellville 72801-2222, USA. jennifer.helms@atu.edu
The Journal of Nursing Education
|March 28, 2006
Summary
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used by the public, necessitating its integration into nursing education. Nurse educators must adapt curricula to include CAM, overcoming implementation challenges.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Health
- Nursing Education
Background:
- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a growing area in Western healthcare.
- Public adoption of CAM therapies is increasing, requiring healthcare professionals to adapt.
- Recent inclusion of CAM in the NCLEX-RN exam mandates curriculum changes in nursing programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the need for integrating CAM into nursing education.
- To discuss strategies for incorporating CAM topics into nursing curricula.
Main Methods:
- Review of current trends in CAM adoption.
- Analysis of NCLEX-RN blueprint changes regarding CAM.
- Discussion of potential challenges and solutions for curriculum integration.
Main Results:
- Nursing education programs must incorporate CAM due to its growing use and NCLEX-RN inclusion.
- Nurse educators have a history of successfully adapting to curriculum changes.
- Specific strategies for CAM integration are available.
Conclusions:
- Integrating CAM into nursing curricula is essential for preparing future healthcare professionals.
- Proactive curriculum development can address challenges in implementing CAM education.
- Effective strategies exist to support the inclusion of CAM in nursing programs.
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