Biomedical treatments may be effective in curing illnesses, but less so in relieving distressing symptoms. Therefore, many patients turn to alternative therapies as a form of relief.
Nursing has an expansive history in offering complementary and alternative therapies, and conducting extensive research on them. Nurses using such therapies to demonstrate their holistic philosophy and advance nursing practice.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an increasingly popular alternative therapy used to treat various health issues. It is especially useful in managing pain from injuries or illness. Acupuncture has also been found to lessen side effects associated with prescription medications; thus making it a safe and non-invasive form of medicine.
Acupuncturists use small needles to stimulate specific points on the body to promote healing. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and its foundation is that qi, which circulates along meridians, keeps us physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. Acupuncture can also be combined with massage, herbal medicines or exercise for maximum benefit.
There are few specific contraindications for acupuncture; however it should not be performed on those suffering from certain medical conditions, including bleeding disorders, uncontrolled diabetes or severe infections. A licensed acupuncturist must know all their patient’s medical histories prior to performing treatment.
Nurses frequently incorporate complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) into patient care, using music as one example (Snyder & Lindquist, 1998); nurses can identify CAT that will enhance quality of life for their patients as well as increase satisfaction with the experience of treatment.
Massage
Massage therapy uses touch to both relax and promote healing, relieving tension, alleviating pain and increasing circulation. Massage also makes patients feel cared for, which may foster improved communication between nurses and their patients. As part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), massage can be combined with biomedical treatments for many health conditions.
Nurses may provide massage in both traditional health care settings like hospice and units for people living with mental health conditions as well as more unorthodox settings like private practices and unpaid practitioner practices, including hospice, as well as in nontraditional ones such as aromatherapy or acupuncture treatments. Massage may be combined with complementary therapies like aromatherapy or acupuncture; practitioners can focus on massaging the whole body or specific tight spots; classic Swedish techniques include effleurage, petrissage and kneading strokes with hands covered in lotion to create this classic technique of Swedish massage.
Some people may find full-body massage difficult, so reflexology offers an alternative, using different pressure points on feet, hands, or ears. Reflexology sessions usually occur while clients wear lightweight clothing or are completely undressed during massage sessions. When meeting with practitioners for reflexology sessions it is essential that any relevant health conditions, such as blood clots or severe rheumatoid arthritis be disclosed so they can tailor treatment appropriately. Some research indicates massage helps premature infants gain weight more rapidly while decreasing hospital length of stay while other studies have not found similar effects.
Yoga
Yoga is an exercise, meditation and spiritual practice which originated in India over 2,500 years ago and now enjoys worldwide popularity. Yoga promotes general wellness by supporting positive lifestyle habits like eating well and sleeping soundly; reducing anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms; alleviating some forms of pain such as neck, migraine or tension-type headaches and knee osteoarthritis pain relief; helping individuals lose weight or lower blood pressure – just to name a few benefits of practicing it regularly!
Hatha Yoga, the most widely practiced type of yoga in the US, primarily focuses on asanas (postures), breathing exercises and stress relief as a means of physical fitness and stress reduction. Raja and Isha Yoga include various practices less focused on physical bodies but more on spirituality and meditation.
Complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) have become increasingly popular with both consumers and nurses, making CAT an integral component of nursing practice. Nurses must become acquainted with different forms of CAT as well as its benefits to patients. Studies on their efficacy vary depending on design and subject selection; when searching for literature on this topic it’s essential to look for articles based on solid scientific research using randomized methods; this ensures results can be applied directly into nursing practice.
Meditation
Meditation is an alternative therapy practiced by sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing, with the goal of relieving stress and anxiety–both symptoms that nurses often suffer from. Meditation may also help with better sleep quality and mental wellbeing; according to studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health, numerous meditation practices were correlated with positive results when used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, depression insomnia chronic pain anxiety.
Nurses can add mindfulness and meditation techniques into their holistic care plans for improved work environments and patient outcomes. Implementation of such therapies into nursing practice, however, requires dedication from both nurses and healthcare leaders alike. Nurses can begin by adding short mindfulness exercises into daily routines; taking breaks during shifts to meditate or stretch; using end-of-shift meditation as a mental “clock out” device – these strategies all can help keep work stress at bay!
Nurses can educate patients on the advantages of meditation, as well as encourage them to try it. While some individuals may initially be skeptical, sharing success stories and research findings can change people’s opinions of it. Nurses can also expand their knowledge about alternative therapies by reading books or watching videos; continuing education courses provide the skills needed for administering such treatments to patients – but only those therapies which have strong scientific backing that are safe for use across various health conditions are recommended by nurses.
Nutrition
Nutrition is at the core of high quality nursing care, so nurses must recognize subtle indications of patients’ nutritional status and take corrective actions quickly. For instance, they might notice difficulty swallowing at mealtimes and recommend an evaluation to avoid aspiration. A nurse can also assist patients in accessing and administering other forms of nutrition like enteral or parenteral feedings.
Nurses must understand the ways nutrition affects patients on multiple fronts – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social – in order to provide holistic care that addresses all their needs. Nutrition should form part of any nurse’s baccalaureate or graduate education programs.
Nursing has long incorporated complementary therapies into its practices and Nightingale was the pioneer for such practices. Unfortunately, however, many nurses lack knowledge regarding all of the available complementary therapies and how best to implement them into their practices.
This literature review’s aim was to assess the current state of research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in nursing by using text mining and topic analysis on eight databases. Our final selection comprised 12 nursing-related articles as well as 22 non-nursing-related ones from four randomized controlled trials, three non-randomized comparative studies, four descriptive survey studies as well as four randomized controlled trials. Its findings suggested that better understanding nursing research on CAM can facilitate its integration into healthcare settings more successfully.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is an increasingly popular alternative therapy used to address various symptoms and conditions. Contrary to what may be depicted in movies or stage performances, individuals do not lose control during hypnosis sessions; typically people sit down with a health care provider who guides them into a state of deep relaxation using mental imagery and soothing verbal repetition, after which time they become more receptive to constructive and transformative suggestions.
For instance, if you experience anxiety when public speaking, hypnotherapists might suggest speaking confidently before an audience. Studies have revealed that such positive suggestions affect specific areas of the brain, making you feel more at ease and less self-conscious.
Hypnotherapy can also assist with shifting unhelpful beliefs and associations, for instance if you fear dogs after experiencing one as a child, it can help shift these limiting thoughts so you no longer focus on its danger, relieving anxiety and permitting you to leave home more freely.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of hypnotherapy as an aid to alleviate discomfort during medical procedures, but before making your decision about this form of treatment it’s wise to consult your health care provider first.
