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Abstract:
This article is based on a research begun in 1990 to gain a portrait of persons in the various holistic occupations in Québec. From this research, the author came to question the motivation that pushed so many nurses to go into holistic practices. The goal of the research was not to collect specific data about nurses but to identify those individuals now working in holistic therapies. The author summarizes the theoretical framework of the first project and outlines the research methods used. Since the results identified those therapists with a nursing background, it was possible for her to review part of the data to identify certain characteristics of this group. The most popular holistic therapy practised was acupuncture, usually accompanied by complimentary therapies such as relaxation techniques, massage therapy, polarity and therapeutic touch. The author presents the hypothesis that nurses choose this type of practice partly to find a holistic concept that is coherent with health care, and partly to find concrete interventions compatible with traditional nursing values. She is of the opinion that it is not through this type of practice that nurses will find a solution to their professional identity problem. The study consisted of a pre-tested 29 page questionnaire with a total of 89 questions sent to 954 individuals. Not all of the 89 questions were applicable to all the respondents. Of the 954 questionnaires mailed out, 11.8 percent were returned marked "incorrect address". Of the 841 therapists who received the questionnaire, 319 returned completed forms. Of these 319 respondents, 86 individuals indicated they had a nursing education.