Resources pertaining to alternative therapies.
Select one of the following areas where alternative therapies are being used:
Cancer treatment
Cancer symptom management
End-of-life care
Palliative care
Find at least one scholarly journal article discussing alternative therapies in your chosen subtopic.
By Day 3
Respond to the following:
Identify at least one challenge associated with the nurse’s role in providing alternative therapies for patient care.
Explain how the nurse might integrate the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approaches in your chosen subtopic and discuss the ethical issues nurses may face.
What are the main elements you would include in a teaching plan for nurses on the use of CAM in your chosen subtopic?
What is the shared role of the nurse and patient in developing care plans?
Sample Solution
Resources pertaining to alternative therapies
Cancer patients are often poly-symptomatic which distressingly affects their quality of lives. Although, conventional management provides adequate symptoms control, yet is coupled with some limitations. Alternative therapies have shown beneficial effects in cancer patients for symptomatic relief. For example, acupuncture is effective for reducing treatment related side-effects, pain and fatigue. Other therapies such as massage techniques, energy therapies, and spiritual interventions have also demonstrated positive role in managing cancer-related symptoms and improve overall well-being. Harm can come to both patients and nurses if scope of practice for alternative medicine is not clear. The patient could be harmed by a nurse practicing alternative therapy on the patient for which the nurse is not prepared. The nurse could be harmed professionally by practicing outside of her scope of practice or by practicing questionable therapies.
