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Nursing Students Learn About Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practices

School of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, grofjn{at}uleth.ca

Ruth Grant Kalischuk, RN, PhD

School of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge

Informed by a philosophy that embraces wholeness and balance of body-mind-spirit, the authors each led a 13-week university course in which undergraduate students explored the history and practice of alternative and complementary healing modalities. Students submitted weekly journals chronicling their responses to and understanding of the course material. The journals were examined to gain an understanding of students’ experiences related to all aspects of the course content and process. Thematic analysis revealed a major concept (searching and re-searching) as well as five subconcepts (engaging, opening, hesitating, understanding, and knowing) that represented the iterative process of interacting with and reflecting on the learning of often unfamiliar approaches to healing. Of significant interest was the tremendous personal growth identified by students. Nursing students were also able to recognize the utility of their new awareness and knowledge within the context of nursing care delivery, acknowledging the role of alternative and complementary therapies and treatments in the choices made and care accepted by their clients. Implications of the findings for nursing education include the need to expose students to such information and experiences for improved professional nursing practice and health care in general.

Key Words: !nursing curriculum • complementary and alternative therapies

Complementary Health Practice Review, Vol. 10, No. 2, 133-146 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1533210105280367


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