Chapter 6: Complementary and Alternative Therapies [Practice Test] Flashcards
A patient describes practicing a complementary and alternative therapy involving concentrating and controlling his respiratory rate and pattern, recognizing that breath work is to yoga as
a. The “zone” is to acupressure.
b. Massage therapy is to Ayurveda.
c. Reiki therapy is to therapeutic touch.
d. Prayer is to tai chi.
ANS: C
This is an analogy that compares different therapies within specific categories. Both yoga and breath work are mind-body therapies, whereas both Reiki and therapeutic touch therapies are energy field therapies. The other options have different design structures; thus, they do not fit the analogy.
A teen with an anxiety disorder is referred for biofeedback because her parents do not want her on anxiolytics. The nurse recognizes that the teen understands her health education on biofeedback when she states, “Biofeedback will
a. Allow me to direct my energies in an intentional way when stressed.”
b. Allow me to manipulate my stressed out joints.”
c. Help me with my thoughts, feelings, and physiological responses to stress.”
d. Let me assess and redirect my energy fields.”
ANS: C
By using electromechanical instruments, a person can receive information or feedback on his or her stress level. Having this knowledge allows the patient to develop awareness and voluntary control over his or her physiological symptoms. Biofeedback does not address energy fields. Directing energies is therapeutic touch. Manipulation of body alignment and joints is done by a chiropractor.
A 70-year-old patient is newly admitted to a skilled nursing facility with the diagnoses of Alzheimer’s dementia, lipidemia, and hypertension, and a history of pulmonary embolism. Medications brought on admission included lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, warfarin, low-dose aspirin, ginkgo biloba, and echinacea. The nurse contacts the patient’s medical provider over which potential drug-drug interaction?
a. Lisinopril and echinacea
b. Warfarin and ginkgo biloba
c. Echinacea and warfarin
d. Lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide
ANS: B
Warfarin and blood thinners interact with ginkgo biloba as designed to improve memory. All herbal supplements should be evaluated with current pharmacological medications. The other options do not have drug interactions with each other.
An acquaintance of a nurse asks for a nonmedical approach for excessive worry and work stress. The most appropriate CAM therapy that the nurse can recommend is
a. Meditation
b. Ayurvedic herbs
c. Acupuncture
d. Chiropractic therapy
ANS: A
Meditation is indicated for stress-related illness. A person can learn to calm down and cope with stress through the use of meditation. Ayurvedic herbs have been used for centuries to treat illness. Acupuncture focuses on redirecting Qi via the body’s meridian energy lines to
influence deeper internal organs. Chiropractic therapy involves manipulation of the spinal column and includes physiotherapy and diet therapy.
The therapy that is more effective in treating physical ailments than in preventing disease or managing chronic illness is _____ medicine.
a. Allopathic
b. Complementary
c. Alternative
d. Mind-body
ANS: A
Allopathic medicine is synonymous with traditional Western medicine, which is highly effective in treating numerous physical ailments, but it is in general less effective in preventing disease, decreasing stress-induced illness, managing chronic disease, and caring for the emotional and spiritual needs of individuals. Complementary, alternative, and mind-body types of medicine can be used in tandem with allopathic medicine but are distinctly different.
During a relaxation therapy skills group, the instructor discusses the cognitive skill of learning to tolerate uncertain and unfamiliar experiences. This best describes the skill of\
a. Mindfulness.
b. Focusing.
c. Passivity.
d. Receptivity.
ANS: D
Receptivity is defined as the ability to tolerate and accept experiences that are uncertain, unfamiliar, or paradoxical. Passivity is the ability to stop unnecessary goal-directed and analytical activity. Focusing is the ability to identify, differentiate, maintain attention on, and return attention to simple stimuli for an extended period. Mindfulness is not a cognitive skill needed in relaxation therapy.
A patient asks about the new clinic in town that is staffed by allopathic and complementary practitioners. The nurse recognizes that the patient is most likely asking about which clinic?\
a. Integrative medical clinic
b. Ayurvedic clinic
c. Naturopathic medical clinic
d. Healing intention clinic
ANS: A
An integrative medical program allows health care consumers to be treated by a team of providers consisting of both allopathic and complementary practitioners. The other options are solely complementary clinics.
The group leader is overheard saying to the gathering of patients, “Focus on your breathing once again…notice how it is regular…Now focus on your left arm…Notice how relaxed your left arm feels…Notice the relaxation going down the left arm to the hand.” The nursing student asks the nursing preceptor what the unit group leader is doing. The best answer is which of the following?
a. Group psychotherapy
b. Progressive relaxation training
c. Meditation
d. Group biofeedback
ANS: B
Progressive relaxation training teaches the individual how to effectively rest and reduces tension in the body. The technique used in this scenario involves the use of slow, deep abdominal breathing while tightening and relaxing an ordered succession of muscle groups.
Although meditation does include abdominal breathing, along with psychotherapy and biofeedback, it does not include tightening and relaxing of muscle groups in an ordered
succession.
A therapeutic touch practitioner scans the patient’s body to identify what?
a. Blocked chakra
b. Accumulated tension
c. The flow of Qi
d. Structural and functional imbalance
ANS: B
The therapeutic touch practitioner scans the body to identify areas of accumulated tension. The practitioner will then attempt to redirect these accumulated energies back into balance. Chiropractic therapy involves balancing structural and functional imbalance through spinal\
manipulation. Qi is involved in traditional Chinese medicine. Chakras are involved in Reiki therapy.
In a cardiac dysrhythmia clinic, a patient inquires about using acupuncture to help alleviate stress. The nurse’s best answer is which of the following?
a. “It is acceptable, but do not use electro-acupuncture.”
b. “It is very clearly contraindicated.”
c. “Do not allow needles near the heart.”
d. “You do not look like you have an infection, so it will be OK.”
ANS: A
Electro-acupuncture can be described as percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Individuals with a pacemaker or with cardiac arrhythmias or epilepsy, or who are pregnant, should not use electro-acupuncture because the electrical current can impair functioning. Traditional acupuncture is not contraindicated in these patient groups. Needles are inserted at specific acupoints along identified meridians. Whether or not an infection is present, electro-acupuncture should not be used if the patient experiences cardiac dysrhythmias.
A basic foundational principle of chiropractic care is that
a. Structure and function coexist.
b. Chiropractic care is risk free.
c. Human beings need external hands-on care to be healthiest.
d. Subluxation will cause permanently restricted joint movement.
ANS: A
Chiropractors use their hands as instruments to restore structural and functional balance. Practitioners of chiropractic care believe that general health is affected via the nervous system. Chiropractic care is not risk free, just as allopathic medical care is not risk free. Subluxationeventually can cause permanently restricted joint movement, but this is not a basic foundational principle of chiropractic care. Although hands-on care is used in chiropractic care, a natural diet and regular exercise are critical components for the body to function properly.
A holistic nurse would be a nurse who
a. Recommends a vegan diet for all patients.
b. Recognizes the mind-body-spirit connection.
c. Provides spiritual literature to patients.
d. Knows about resources for fresh herbs.
ANS: B
Mind-body-spirit is important to a nurse with a holistic style of nursing. Nursing involves caring for the entire patient. A vegan diet is an aspect of dietary treatment, but it does not allow for alternative viewpoints or well-rounded care. Spiritual literature and knowing about\
resources are excellent alternative aspects of allopathic medicine, but they are not specific to holistic nurses.
Drawbacks of complementary and alternative therapies would be all of the following except
a. Lack of evidence-based guidelines.
b. Minimal supportive research studies.
c. Strong support by allopathic medical providers.
d. Lack of a long tradition of therapies taught in health care education.
ANS: C
Allopathic medical providers are not formally trained in complementary and alternative therapies. These providers often feel uncomfortable recommending CAM because of that lack of knowledge and training. In addition, research on CAM is limited, making guidelines difficult to create another barrier for providers who use CAM.
Physiological symptoms of a stress response include all of the following except
a. Constricted pupils.
b. Tachycardia.
c. Tachypnea.
d. Elevated blood pressure.
ANS: A
Pupils dilate during stressful situations to increase visual capacity and sight, especially in darkened conditions; this is a survival mechanism. The physiological cascade of changes associated with the stress response includes increased heart and respiratory rates, muscle tightening, increased metabolic rate, a sense of foreboding, fear, nervousness, irritability, and a negative mood. Also included is elevated blood pressure.
A long-term outcome for an individual who is learning relaxation therapy is
a. Identifying tension in his body and consciously releasing the tension.
b. Having no tension in his life.
c. Increasing delta brain activity.
d. Increasing the focus on himself.
ANS: A
Long-term relaxation therapy focuses on active recognition and release of stress. It is not realistic to expect a tension-free life. Delta brain waves are high-amplitude brain waves associated with the deepest stages of sleep. The outcome of relaxation therapy is not to put a person to sleep or to increase the focus on self.
