Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Attitudes and Competencies of Nursing Students and Faculty: Results of Integrating CAM Into the Nursing Curriculum

As part of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) R25 Education Grant Program, a faculty development program for integrating CAM into the nursing curriculum was instituted in 2003–2006. The Integrating CAM program was composed of a number of elements; the primary strate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of professional nursing 2010-09, Vol.26 (5), p.293-300
Main Authors: Booth-LaForce, Cathryn, Scott, Craig S., Heitkemper, Margaret M., Cornman, B. Jane, Lan, Ming-Chih, Bond, Eleanor F., Swanson, Kristen M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative medicine
Alternative therapies
Attitude of Health Personnel
Attitudes
Clinical Competence
College faculty
College students
Complementary medicine
Complementary Therapies
Curriculum
Curriculum development
Education, Nursing - organization & administration
Faculty, Nursing
Humans
Knowledge
Nursing
Nursing curriculum
Nursing education
Nursing faculty
Nursing students
Perceptions
Professional development
Professors
Students, Nursing
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Summary:As part of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) R25 Education Grant Program, a faculty development program for integrating CAM into the nursing curriculum was instituted in 2003–2006. The Integrating CAM program was composed of a number of elements; the primary strategy included a series of 4-week didactic and experiential summer CAM “Camps," attended by 27 faculty members. Camps were designed to influence faculty integration of CAM material into course offerings. The Integrating CAM program was evaluated via a series of faculty and student surveys regarding CAM competencies, attitudes, and perceptions. For more than half of the faculty (out of the 43 who responded), the program yielded a moderate-to-strong influence on incorporation of CAM material into course content and moderate-to-great increases in both enthusiasm for CAM and perceived CAM knowledge gains. Students at all levels (undergraduate, master's, and doctoral; n = 184) reported that their courses contained CAM content; for 70% of students, their CAM knowledge increased; for 50% of students, level of CAM interest increased. Self-reported student CAM competencies were significantly greater in 2006–2007 ( n = 191) than those in 2003–2004 ( n = 143). Results support the strategy of broadly infusing the nursing curriculum with CAM content via faculty development.
ISSN:8755-7223
1532-8481
DOI:10.1016/j.profnurs.2010.03.003