What are nursing students taught about complementary therapies and integrative nursing? A literature review

Abstract

Introduction: In Europe, more and more people use complementary therapies (CT) for the management of pain, anxiety, sleep problems and discomfort. However, nursing students are generally not taught about CT. Furthermore, nurses are not taught how to communicate about patients’ complementary health seeking behavior, nor how to integrate CT in their nursing practice. The aim of this literature review was to explore what has been published about CT in nursing education. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane databases. Articles on educational courses, programs and lectures were included. Instructions for nurses as part of clinical studies were excluded, as these do not reflect formal nursing education. Data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. Furthermore, we extracted data on educational context, educational content and educational methods. Results: From 5273 records, sixteen articles were eligible. The course content varied but suggested that general information about CT and hands-on techniques is important, such as practicing communication about CT and critical thinking skills. A range of methods were used to teach, but only three articles described competencies, which included emphasis on safety and good communication skills. Conclusion: Despite patients’ high CT use and demand for information from health care professionals about its use, information on how such knowledge is implemented in nursing education is scarce, especially in Europe. Developing a handbook for teachers about how to teach nursing students in Europe about CT in the context of nursing is needed.