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Research: OTZEKIN and others,
Listed in Issue 143
Abstract
OTZEKIN and others, Florence Nightingale College of Nursing, Istanbul University, Kadikoy, 34726 Istanbul, Turkey. dnzoztekin@hotmail.co, have surveyed the attitudes of nursing trainees towards using CAM with cancer patients.
Background
It is important for student nurses to be knowledgeable about complementary and alternative therapies and to provide accurate information to both cancer patients and other health care professionals. The aim of this study was to examine nursing students’ willingness to use these therapies, availability of sources of information, use of the therapies for self care, and opinions about the integration of these therapies into nursing curriculum.
Methodology
A self-administered questionnaire was offered to 640 nursing students in Istanbul, descriptive statistics were used, and comparisons among responses were made with chi-square test.
Results
Willingness to use CAM for cancer patients was highest for nutritional therapy (76.1%), breathing therapies (74.5%), and Tui Na massage (71.9%). Use of information sources was highest for nutritional therapy (75.6%), breathing therapies (71.9%), and Tui Na (62.3%). Over half of the nursing students used music therapy (54.2%), and Tui Na (53.6%) for self-care. Breathing therapies (87.2%) were the most desired therapy chosen to be included in nursing curriculum. Although students had not previously been exposed to these therapies use with oncology patients, many of students expressed a desire to integrate therapies learning into nursing curriculum.
Conclusion
In this survey, trainee nurses were on the whole very interested in CAM, both as self-care and for use with cancer patients.
References
Oztekin DS, Ucuzal M, Oztekin I, Isever H. Nursing students’ willingness to use complementary and alternative therapies for cancer patients: Istanbul survey. Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 211 (1): 49-61, Jan 2007.
