J Contin Educ Nurs. 2003 May-Jun; 34(3): 128-35.

The development of an educational workshop on complementary and alternative medicine: what every nurse should know.

Cuellar NG, Cahill B, Ford J, Aycock T.

University of Virginia College of Nursing, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

As complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming more accepted in Western culture, healthcare consumers are choosing CAM as an adjunct to conventional healthcare practices. A variety of cultural backgrounds contributes to the need to advance knowledge and evaluate outcomes of healthcare practices related to CAM. The issues presented in this article provide critical information for nurses and other healthcare providers to integrate conventional medicine with CAM practices to improve healthcare outcomes for patients who use CAM.