Training nurses in auriculotherapy/auricular acupuncture: possible paths for Portugal

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Auriculotherapy

Background:

• Auriculotherapy/auricular acupuncture is an emerging complementary therapy.
• There is a need for standardized training programs for nurses in this modality.
• Portugal currently lacks specific training guidelines for nurses in auriculotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of a training course in auriculotherapy/auricular acupuncture for nurses in Portugal.
• To adapt existing training guidelines to the Portuguese nursing context.
• To evaluate the feasibility of such training within a nursing education framework.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive experience report utilizing Donabedian's framework and descriptive analysis.
• A collective training course designed for 19 nurses with no prior auriculotherapy experience.
• Educational objectives aligned with Bloom's Taxonomy, incorporating 75 hours of online theory and variable practical components (5-20 hours).

Main Results:

• The training course was successfully developed and delivered to 19 nurses in Portugal.
• The curriculum was adapted based on established guidelines and Bloom's Taxonomy.
• The course structure included a significant theoretical component (75 hours online) and tested practical elements.

Conclusions:

• This training experience is the first of its kind in Portugal for nurses in auriculotherapy.
• The initiative offers a model that could support the regulation of auriculotherapy/auricular acupuncture as a nursing intervention.
• The findings suggest a potential pathway for integrating auriculotherapy training into Portuguese nursing education, drawing parallels with the Brazilian model.