Complementary and alternative medicine: nurse practitioner education and practice

Area of Science:

• Integrative Health
• Nursing Practice
• Evidence-Based Healthcare

Background:

• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has significantly increased in recent decades.
• Limited inquiry regarding CAM use by healthcare providers, including nurse practitioners (NPs), is a notable gap.
• The integration of CAM into standard healthcare requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize existing literature on nurse practitioner (NP) knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
• To assess the extent to which NPs utilize and discuss CAM with patients.
• To identify the need for enhanced NP education and practice regarding CAM.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies published on NP knowledge and use of CAM.
• Analysis of research focusing on healthcare provider-patient communication about CAM.
• Synthesis of findings related to current educational preparation of NPs in CAM.

Main Results:

• Literature indicates a gap in comprehensive NP knowledge regarding various CAM modalities.
• Evidence suggests that NPs infrequently initiate discussions about CAM with their patients.
• Current educational curricula may not adequately prepare NPs to address CAM effectively.

Conclusions:

• Nurse practitioners require improved knowledge and training in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to meet patient needs.
• Enhanced communication skills and educational resources are essential for NPs to address CAM use.
• Further research is needed to explore effective strategies for integrating CAM discussions into primary care.