Nurses’ Experience and Difficulties with Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer Patients

─A Survey of University Hospital Nurses─

Abstract

Abstract

The present study aimed to clarify the state of nursesʼ experience with cancer complementary and alternative medicine （CAM） based on their extent of experience and CAM-related difficulties. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on 375 nurses involved in cancer nursing at four university hospitals in the Kanto Region and surrounding areas. Responses were received from 230 （61％） nurses ; analysis was conducted on the remaining 214 responses after excluding 16 incomplete questionnaires. Analysis was comprised of descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test for the extent of experience. Qualitative analysis was used for difficulties content. Results revealed an overall low extent of CAM experience ; however, the extent of experience tended to increase with increased length of cancer nursing experience for the following 10 alternative therapies : acupuncture and moxibustion, homeopathy, shark cartilage, Agaricus subrufescens, Phellinus linteus, propolis, massage, chiropractic medicine, herbs, and the Maruyama vaccine. Five categories of difficulties were identified, ʻself-judgment by patients and familiesʼ, ʻeffect on patientʼs body and treatmentʼ, ʻdifficulties in finding approaches to patients care among nursesʼ, ʻadverse effects on nursing servicesʼ and ʻdifferences in opinion between patient and doctorʼ. These were further divided into 11 subcategories.

The present findings indicate the need for nurses to willingly accept patients undergoing CAM and their families while simultaneously creating an atmosphere in which they can always ask for CAM-related advice. Nurses must also acquire CAM-related knowledge and information.