 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Linda Halcon, PHD, MPH, RN and Carol O'Boyle, PhD, RN. School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 6-101 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0342
Objective: Over half of U.S. adults include complementary and alternative therapies in their health care. This upward trend appears stable over time in all age groups. Curricular changes are underway in many nursing education programs to better integrate complementary therapies, but there has been little discussion specifically related to public health nursing education and practice. The objective of this presentation is to summarize historical and current applications of complementary therapies in public health nursing and to suggest specific competencies. Method: Relevant sections of the report of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, results of the Gilette Nursing Summit on Complementary Therapies and Nursing provide a basis for current public health nursing competencies at all levels of practice. Conclusions: Public health nurses need to be prepared to provide advice and counsel to individuals and groups, and to participate in or lead policy discussions. Discussion includes: How are health care systems, including the public sector, responding to consumer demand? What policy changes are suggested? How can public health nurses address challenges with respect to access to care, research and reimbursement? What should public health nurses know about complementary therapies, and what should consumers know? Direct care competencies include creating an environment where patients can honestly about their use of complementary therapies, helping patients review and evaluate options, referring patients to complementary providers where evidence indicates, and working with interdisciplinary teams that include complementary therapies providers. The public health nursing wheel is presented as a framework for competency development.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Competency, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.