There are various alternative therapies, the most prevalent of which can often be found in psych wards and may even be covered by insurance policies.
Alternative therapy complementary practices provide some people with a sense of control over their treatment, especially when conventional remedies don’t seem to do much good. But exactly how these therapies work remains unclear.
Qualifications
Alternative health practitioners do not always hold university degrees or any formal qualifications at all. Those that do may hold various credentials ranging from diplomas to bachelor’s or master’s degrees in their area of specialization. Furthermore, certain fields of alternative health may require a license or certification from their state or territory of practice.
Many professionals who work in alternative medicine must obtain professional indemnity insurance in order to safeguard themselves against claims of malpractice or negligence in their practices, which is especially applicable for acupuncturists – who require several years of training before becoming certified practitioners.
As with any service provider, it is wise to research their qualifications prior to engaging their services. Furthermore, references from past clients can provide invaluable information about a therapist’s level of professionalism and quality treatments provided.
Additionally, many CAM associations require their members to have professional indemnity insurance, which protects them in case of legal claims made against them. Its legal requirement largely depends on which field an individual works in and any applicable regulations; having liability coverage can provide valuable protection from costly malpractice claims that often arise against practitioners in alternative health or complementary medicine practices.
Continuing Education
As a healthcare professional, joining an alternative therapy professional association can be the key to staying abreast of current research and trends in your industry. Many members offer continuing education courses that can expand knowledge while keeping professionals up-to-date on best practices in their industry. Furthermore, such courses can teach practitioners new skills that help provide holistic and effective care to their patients.
Massage therapists who attend a hypnosis workshop may use what they learn to assist clients with anxiety and depression, while aromatherapy courses teach aromatherapists how to help their clients manage pain naturally. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses various healing philosophies, approaches, therapeutic modalities not generally considered part of allopathic medical practice; The National Institutes of Health describes CAM as: “a collection of diverse health systems practices products not typically considered part of mainstream medicine”.
Continuing education is an integral component of health care professions, including alternative therapies. A professional association can offer access to courses tailored specifically for your needs that will enhance patient outcomes and increase professional growth.
Alternative Therapy Professional Associations provide educational opportunities to students interested in pursuing careers in alternative therapy, including courses, workshops, internships and training programs that will equip you with all of the tools needed for a successful alternative therapy career. These organizations may vary in price but all have one thing in common – to provide you with all of the knowledge needed for a fulfilling career as an alternative therapist.
Alternative and complementary medicine continuing education courses can assist nurses in fulfilling their licensing requirements by keeping abreast of current developments in their fields. Courses on this subject might explore such subjects as acupuncture, yoga and meditation for pain management; or natural remedies from nature like naturopathic remedies. Other courses may even address holistic nursing approaches which take into account all three elements of a patient’s being.
Professionalism
Professionalism is an essential aspect of alternative therapy, helping maintain high standards in its practice. Merriam-Webster defines professionalism as “a form of behavior characterized by respect for other individuals, the pursuit of truth, and adherence to ethical principles”. Critiques of professions during the 1970s and ’80s frequently depicted professionalism as an effective strategy to advance occupational self-interest and preserve their monopoly in any given market. Professionalism can also be seen in how an alternative therapy practitioner interacts with clients. This means adhering to workplace policies and speaking clearly, respectfully and in an appropriate tone based on age and circumstance of clientele.
Ethics
Practitioners of alternative therapies must recognize the ethical challenges involved with their work. While some alternative treatments may appear harmless, they could have adverse consequences on a patient’s health and should only be used under supervision by trained clinicians. Additional issues involve harm caused by misrepresentation, false advertising or unethical practices which could harm patients.
Physicians must recognize the risks involved with alternative therapies and make an extra effort to ask pertinent questions about them. In addition, they should educate patients about possible interactions or side effects; as many alternative therapy patients fear telling their physicians about using such treatments out of fear of ridicule or ridicule from medical providers. This is important since many alternative therapy patients remain silent about using them due to fearing stigmatization or ridicule from them.
Alternative medicine has grown increasingly popular, yet many practitioners lack proper medical training and cannot provide scientific backing for their methods of treatment. This poses serious danger for patients, according to Sugarman; thus it should remain the responsibility of clinicians to ensure only safe and effective therapies are delivered to patients.
Under utilitarianism’s ethical principle of utilitarianism, physicians must assist their patients in meeting their therapeutic goals. If traditional treatments cannot meet those needs, alternative solutions such as acupuncture may be offered instead; for instance a person living with advanced testicular cancer might prefer this option over surgery and physicians must be willing to explore this avenue if it appears clear that person has accepted his prognosis and wants to maximize quality of life.
Ethics of justice also play a key role in this area, given that some complementary therapies are costly; those without financial resources to use them often lack access. Thus, clinicians need to balance offering alternative therapies against their ethical duty of creating a just society.
Physicians abide by an ethical principle known as nonmaleficence, which dictates they do no harm to patients. Unfortunately, this could be undermined if physicians fail to obtain a full medical history and inquire into alternative remedies being used by their patient – for example a depressed individual may take St John’s wort which could interfere with antidepressant medications.