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Improving Holistic Care Skills for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Integration of a Complementary and Alternative Medicine Course Into a Doctor of Nursing Practice Curriculum

Jill Schramm*, Tiffany Uranga, Amber Birkle, Regina Thorp, Laura Taylor

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) is an expanding domain of healing practices harmonized with Western medicine to provide comprehensive treatment of individuals as holistic beings. Patients and healthcare providers worldwide are increasingly inviting and employing CAM practices into healthcare delivery routines. Implementation of courses to introduce CAM into Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) programs exposes future practitioners to current best practices for integrative treatment strategies and encourages consideration when developing a holistic patient-centered care plan. Objective/Methods: A case presentation of an interprofessional CAM course delivered to military graduate nursing students with a pretest posttest course survey to evaluate student's confidence and knowledge of CAM theory and practices. The format included online modules, evidence-based literature critique, knowledge checks, and an immersive hands-on immersion experience. Results: A total of 240 pre-/postcourse surveys were completed by military graduate nursing students (N = 140) participating in a CAM course. Statistically significant increases in CAM knowledge, communication, and skills confidence levels were found. Following participation in the course, nearly all students (97%) agreed CAM is important and benefits future advanced practice. Conclusion/Nursing Implications: CAM is a compendium of holistic healing modalities increasingly being utilized by patients worldwide with similar requests for alternative care techniques from healthcare providers. Military APRN students participating in a CAM course increased knowledge and confidence, and garnered appreciation for an expanded skill set to augment future practice. Case presentation is compelling for standard inclusion of CAM and similar graduate interprofessional courses into all APRN programs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-96
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Doctoral Nursing Practice
Volume14
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Keywords

  • battlefield auricular acupuncture
  • complementary alternative medicine
  • DNP
  • education

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