Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Oncology Nurses' Experiences, Educational Interests, and Resources

M. Teresa Rojas-Cooley

Marcia Grant

ONF 2007, 33(3), 581-588. DOI: 10.1188/06.ONF.581-588

Purpose/Objectives: To describe oncology nurses' experiences with patients communicating interest in or use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies along with oncology nurses' CAM resources and educational interests.

Design: National mailed survey.

Setting: A national medical center and research institute.

Sample: A random sample of 850 Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) members who are RNs involved in direct patient care.

Methods: Respondents completed a demographic questionnaire and the Nurse Complementary and Alternative Medicine Knowledge and Attitude Survey. Initial analysis compared the demographics of the sample to the ONS membership. Descriptive analysis was used to further describe nurses' experiences with patients communicating interest in or use of CAM, nurses' interest in CAM education, and nurses' use of CAM resources.

Main Research Variables: Experiences, resources, interests, and CAM therapies.

Findings: Oncology nurses reported their experiences with patients who communicated interest in or use of CAM therapies. Respondents demonstrated considerable interest in learning more about specific CAM therapies and used a variety of resources to find information on CAM therapies.

Conclusions: Assessing oncology nurses' experiences, resources used, and interest in learning about CAM therapies is the first step in determining the learning needs of oncology nurses in the direct patient care environment. The next step is to obtain baseline information on oncology nurses' CAM knowledge and attitudes for developing and providing appropriate education. CAM education will provide nurses with knowledge to support and advocate for their patients.

Implications for Nursing: Oncology nurses are the bridge to help patients safely integrate evidence-based CAM therapies into conventional treatment.

Jump to a section

    References

    Allaire, A.D., Moos, M.K., & Wells, S.R. (2000). Complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy: A survey of North Carolina certified nurse-midwives. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 95, 19-23.
    Ang-Lee, M.K., Moss, J., & Yuan, C.S. (2001). Herbal medicines and perioperative care. JAMA, 286, 208-216.
    Ashikaga, T., Bosompra, K., O'Brien, P., & Nelson, L. (2002). Use of complimentary and alternative medicine by breast cancer patients: Prevalence, patterns, and communication with physicians. Supportive Care in Cancer, 10, 542-548.
    Baldwin, C.M., Long, K., Kroesen, K., Brooks, A.J., & Bell, I.R. (2002). A profile of military veterans in the southwestern United States who use complementary and alternative medicine: Implications for integrated care. Archives of Internal Medicine, 162, 1697-1704.
    Baugniet, J., Boon, H., & Ostbye, T. (2000). Complementary/alternative medicine: Comparing the view of medical students with students in other health care professions. Family Medicine, 32, 178-184.
    Bennett, M., & Lengacher, C. (1999). Use of complementary therapies in a rural cancer population. Oncology Nursing Forum, 26, 1287-1294.
    Boon, H., Stewart, M., Kennard, M.A., Gray, R., Sawka, C., Brown, J.B., et al. (2000). Use of complementary/alternative medicine by breast cancer survivors in Ontario: Prevalence and perceptions. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 18, 2515-2521.
    Burns, N., & Groves, S.K. (1993). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique, and utilization (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders.
    Burstein, H.J., Gelber, S., Guadagnoli, E., & Weeks, J.C. (1999). Use of alternative medicine by women with early-stage breast cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 340, 1733-1739.
    Coss, R.A., McGrath, P., & Caggiano, V. (1998). Alternative care. Patient choices for adjunct therapies within a cancer center. Cancer Practice, 6, 176-181.
    Decker, G.M. (Ed.). (1999). An introduction to complementary and alternative therapies. Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society.
    DeKeyser, F.G., Bar Cohen, B., & Wagner, N. (2001). Knowledge levels and attitudes of staff nurses in Israel towards complementary and alternative medicine. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 36, 41-48.
    Edgar, L., Remmer, J., Rosberger, Z., & Fournier, M.A. (2000). Resource use in women completing treatment for breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 9, 428-438.
    Eisenberg, D.M., Kessler, R.C., Van Rompay, M.I., Kaptchuk, T.J., Wilkey, S.A., Appel, S., et al. (2001). Perceptions about complementary therapies relative to conventional therapies among adults who use both: Results from a national survey. Annals of Internal Medicine, 135, 344-351.
    Ernst, E., & Cassileth, B.R. (1998). The prevalence of complementary/alternative medicine in cancer: A systematic review. Cancer, 83, 777-782.
    Ferketich, S. (1991). Focus on psychometrics. Aspects of item analysis. Research in Nursing and Health, 14, 165-168.
    Ferrell, B., Virani, R., Grant, M., Coyne, P., & Uman, G. (2000). Beyond the Supreme Court decision: Nursing perspectives on end-of-life care. Oncology Nursing Forum, 27, 445-455.
    Fitch, M.I., Gray, R.E., Greenberg, M., Douglas, M.S., Labrecque, M., Pavlin, P., et al. (1999). Oncology nurses' perspectives on unconventional therapies. Cancer Nursing, 22, 90-96.
    Fitch, M.I., Gray, R.E., Greenberg, M., Labrecque, M., & Douglas, M.S. (1999). Nurses' perspectives on unconventional therapies. Cancer Nursing, 22, 238-245.
    Gozum, S., Tezel, A., & Koc, M. (2003). Complementary alternative treatments used by patients with cancer in eastern Turkey. Cancer Nursing, 26, 230-236.
    Halcon, L.L., Chlan, L.L., Kreitzer, M.J., & Leonard, B.J. (2003). Comple-mentary therapies and healing practices: Faculty/student beliefs and attitudes and the implications for nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 19, 387-397.
    Hayes, K.M., & Alexander, I.M. (2000). Alternative therapies and nurse practitioners: Knowledge, professional experience, and personal use. Holistic Nursing Practice, 14(3), 49-58.
    Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. (2002). Position statement: Complementary therapies. Retrieved April 20, 2004, from http://www.hypna.org/filemaintenance_view.aspx?ID=23
    Hsiao, A.F., Wong, M.D., Kanouse, D.E., Collins, R.L., Liu, H., Andersen, R.M., et al. (2003). Complementary and alternative medicine use and substitution for conventional therapy by HIV-infected patients. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 33, 157-165.
    Hyodo, I., Amano, N., Eguchi, K., Narabayashi, M., Imanishi, J., Hirai, M., et al. (2005). Nationwide survey on complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients in Japan. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23, 2645-2654.
    Jordan, J.M., Bernard, S.L., Callahan, L.F., Kincade, J.E., Konrad, T.R., & DeFriese, G.H. (2000). Self-reported arthritis-related disruptions in sleep and daily life and the use of medical, complementary, and self-care strategies for arthritis: The National Survey of Self-Care and Aging. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 143-149.
    Jordan, M.L., & Delunas, L.R. (2001). Quality of life and patterns of nontraditional therapy use by patients with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 28, 1107-1113.
    Kao, G.D., & Devine, P. (2000). Use of complementary health practices by prostate carcinoma patients undergoing radiation therapy. Cancer, 88, 615-619.
    Keenan, N.L., Mark, S., Fugh-Berman, A., Browne, D., Kaczmarczyk, J., & Hunter, C. (2003). Severity of menopausal symptoms and use of both conventional and complementary/alternative therapies. Menopause, 10, 507-515.
    Kelly, K.M., Jacobson, J.S., Kennedy, D.D., Braudt, S.M., Mallick, M., & Weiner, M.A. (2000). Use of unconventional therapies by children with cancer at an urban medical center. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 22, 412-416.
    King, M.O., Pettigrew, A.C., & Reed, F.C. (1999). Complementary, alternative, integrative: Have nurses kept pace with their clients? Medsurg Nursing, 8, 249-256.
    Kreitzer, M.J., Mitten, D., Harris, I., & Shandeling, J. (2002). Attitudes toward CAM among medical, nursing, and pharmacy faculty and students: A comparative analysis. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 8(6), 44-47, 50-43.
    Lee, M.M., Lin, S.S., Wrensch, M.R., Adler, S.R., & Eisenberg, D. (2000). Alternative therapies used by women with breast cancer in four ethnic populations. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 92, 42-47.
    Lippert, M.C., McClain, R., Boyd, J.C., & Theodorescu, D. (1999). Alternative medicine use in patients with localized prostate carcinoma treated with curative intent. Cancer, 86, 2642-2648.
    Loman, D.G. (2003). The use of complementary and alternative health care practices among children. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 17, 58-63.
    Matzo, M.L., & Emanual, E.J. (1997). Oncology nurses' practices of assisted suicide and patient-requested euthanasia. Oncology Nursing Forum, 24, 1725-1732.
    Molassiotis, A., Fernadez-Ortega, P., Pud, D., Ozden, G., Scott, J.A., Panteli, V., et al. (2005). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: A European survey. Annals of Oncology, 16, 655-663.
    National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2001). What is complementary and alternative medicine? Retrieved March 12, 2002, from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
    Navo, M.A., Phan, J., Vaughan, C., Palmer, J.L., Michaud, L., Jones, K.L., et al. (2004). An assessment of the utilization of complementary and alternative medication in women with gynecologic or breast malignancies. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 22, 671-677.
    Norred, C.L. (2002). Complementary and alternative medicine use by surgical patients. AORN Journal, 76, 1013-1021.
    Oncology Nursing Society. (2002). The use of complementary and alternative therapies in cancer care [Position statement]. Retrieved October 23, 2002, from http://www.ons.org/publications/positions/ComplementaryTherapies.shtml
    Peltzer, K., & Khoza, L.B. (2002). Attitudes and knowledge of nurse practitioners towards traditional healing, faith healing and complementary medicine in the northern province of South Africa. Curationis, 25(2), 30-40.
    Poss, J.E., Jezewski, M.A., & Stuart, A.G. (2003). Home remedies for type 2 diabetes used by Mexican Americans in El Paso, Texas. Clinical Nursing Research, 12, 304-323.
    Rao, J.K., Mihaliak, K., Kroenke, K., Bradley, J., Tierney, W.M., & Weinberger, M. (1999). Use of complementary therapies for arthritis among patients of rheumatologists. Annals of Internal Medicine, 131, 409-416.
    Richardson, M.A., Sanders, T., Palmer, J.L., Greisinger, A., & Singletary, S.E. (2000). Complementary/alternative medicine use in a comprehensive cancer center and the implications for oncology. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 18, 2505-2514.
    Salmenpera, L., Suominen, T., & Lauri, S. (1998). Oncology nurses' attitudes towards alternative medicine. Psycho-Oncology, 7, 453-459.
    Sirven, J.I., Drazkowski, J.F., Zimmerman, R.S., Bortz, J.J., Shulman, D.L., & Macleish, M. (2003). Complementary/alternative medicine for epilepsy in Arizona. Neurology, 61, 576-577.
    Sohn, P.M., & Loveland Cook, C.A. (2002). Nurse practitioner knowledge of complementary alternative health care: Foundation for practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 39, 9-16.
    Sparber, A., Bauer, L., Curt, G., Eisenberg, D., Levin, T., Parks, S., et al. (2000). Use of complementary medicine by adult patients participating in cancer clinical trials. Oncology Nursing Forum, 27, 623-630.
    Taylor, A.G., Lin, Y.S., Snyder, A., & Eggleston, K. (1998). ED staff members' personal use of complementary therapies and their recommendations to ED patients: A southeastern US regional survey. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 24, 495-499.
    Tsen, L.C., Segal, S., Pothier, M., & Bader, A.M. (2000). Alternative medicine use in presurgical patients. Anesthesiology, 93, 148-151.
    Wang, S.M., Caldwell-Andrews, A.A., & Kain, Z.N. (2003). The use of complementary and alternative medicines by surgical patients: A follow-up survey study. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 97, 1010-1015.
    Warrick, P.D., Irish, J.C., Morningstar, M., Gilbert, R., Brown, D., & Gullane, P. (1999). Use of alternative medicine among patients with head and neck cancer. Archives of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, 125, 573-579.
    White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. (2002). Final report March 2002. Retrieved March 25, 2004, from http://www.whccamp.hhs.gov/pdfs/fr2002_document.pdf
    Wilkinson, J.M., & Simpson, M.D. (2001). Complementary therapy use by nursing, pharmacy and biomedical students. Nursing and Health Sciences, 3, 19-27.
    Young, A., Volker, D., Rieger, P.T., & Thorpe, D.M. (1993). Oncology nurses' attitudes regarding voluntary, physician-assisted dying for competent, terminally ill patients. Oncology Nursing Forum, 20, 445-451.