Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery. 1999 Oct; 5(5): 144-8.

What are the reasons for nurses using complementary therapy in practice?

Chadwick DL.

Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, UK.

The increasing popularity of complementary therapies has generated many surveys to establish how many nurses are involved in its use. This paper explores reasons why nurses are using complementary therapy in orthodox nursing practice to determine the catalysts influencing its use. The following areas are addressed: definitions, terminology and historical aspects of complementary medicine relationship with orthodox medicine, examining dominance, conflict, partnerships and socialization rise in popularity nurse involvement and implications to the profession methodology and findings conclusion. Information about nurses practising complementary therapies was obtained from the King's Fund London and from hospitals within the researcher's local area. Questionnaires for the pilot study were self administered locally, while those for the main study were sent through the postal system.