Fundamental Aspects of Complementary Therapies for Health Care Professionals

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown substantially in popularity over recent years. A growing number of health care practitioners, particularly nurses and midwives, are delivering care where CAM therapies are part of the treatment regime. Furthermore, patient knowledge about, choice of and access to CAM has led to many patients and clients requesting complementary therapies alongside orthodox care. In the current climate it is therefore imperative that nurses understand the issues surrounding the use of CAM by patients and clients in their care. This introductory text offers an overview of a range of complementary therapies available in the UK, and will help give the practitioner an essential understanding of the nature of each therapy and the existing evidence base so that they can make informed judgements for the benefit of patients. It will also be a useful resource for patients and clients themselves.