Complementary and alternative medicine in oncology nursing

Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased globally, particularly among oncology patients. This study investigated the knowledge, experience and attitudes of oncology nurses towards CAM. A quantitative study was conducted in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, where 132 oncology nurses were surveyed. The survey revealed that more than 50% of nurses had never heard about many of the CAM therapies used in Pakistan. Approximately 65% of the nurses had knowledge about prayer and less than 30% had experience of CAM education or training. In addition, the majority of nurses had seen patients using CAM and felt that their health status could be enhanced with the use of CAM. This study showed that oncology nurses had a positive experience of and attitude towards CAM, although they needed to enhance their knowledge of it to maximise patient satisfaction and quality of care.