Complementary/Intregrative Therapies

Question 1

What are complementary therapies?

Answer 1

Therapies used together with conventional treatment recommended by a person’s health care provider.

Question 2

What does complementary therapies include?

Answer 2

Therapeutic touch, hypnotherapy, chiropractic therapy, guided imagery and breath work, relaxation, exercise, massage, reflexology, prayer, biofeedback, creative therapies (art, music or dance therapy), meditation, and herbs/supplements

Question 3

What is another term for complementary therapies?

Answer 3

Integrative therapies

Question 4

What are alternative therapies?

Answer 4

When non-pharmacological therapies such as exercise, chiropractic, and herbal supplements are used in place of conventional pharmacological or other medical procedures and become the primary treatment.

Question 5

What is holistic nursing?

Answer 5

Treats the mind-body-spirit of a patient, using interventions such as relaxation therapy, music therapy, touch therapies, and guided imagery.

Question 6

What is integrative nursing?

Answer 6

A way of being-knowing-doing that advances the health and well-being of persons, families, and communities through caring-healing relationships

Question 7

What are the 5 uses of complementary, integrative and alternative therapies?

Answer 7

1. Address stress-induced illness
2. Manage symptoms of chronic disease
3. Addressing emotional and spiritual needs of the client
4. Improve quality of life
5. Improve general well-being

Question 8

What are some nursing-accessible therapies?

Answer 8

Breathing, thinking and concentration, presence, movement

Question 9

Describe the stress response.

Answer 9

Normal and helpful in short-term situations

Question 10

Describe the relaxation response.

Answer 10

Reduces generalized cognitive, physiological, and/or behavioral arousal. Occurs through techniques that incorporate a repetitive mental focus and the adoption of a calm, peaceful attitude.

Question 11

What is progressive relaxation?

Answer 11

A person learns to detect subtle localized muscle tension sequentially, one muscle group at a time and differentiates among tension and relaxation.

Question 12

What is passive relaxation?

Answer 12

Still the mind and body intentionally without the need to tighten and relax any body part.

Question 13

What are the 5 clinical applications of relaxation therapy?

Answer 13

1. Lower blood pressure
2. Decrease heart rate
3. Decrease muscle tension
4. Improve well-being
5. Reduce symptom distress

Question 14

What are the limitations of relaxation therapy?

Answer 14

• There are reports of increased sensitivity in detecting muscle tension
• New symptoms may indicate progression of an existing condition or a new illness
• Assess the client: physiological and psychological status

Question 15

What is meditation?

Answer 15

Any activity that limits stimulus input by focusing attention to a single unchanging stimulus. Has roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

Question 16

What are 5 clinical applications of meditation?

Answer 16

1. Lowers oxygen consumption
2. Reduces respiratory rate
3. Reduces heart rate
4. Improves feelings of well-being
5. Reduces anxiety

Question 17

What are the limitations of meditation?

Answer 17

• Assess the client
• Strong fear of losing control
• Some individuals also become hypertensive during meditation

Question 18

What is imagery?

Answer 18

Uses the conscious mind to create mental images to stimulate physical changes in the body, improve perceived well-being, and/or enhance self-awareness

Question 19

What are the 4 clinical applications of imagery?

Answer 19

1. Control/relieve pain
2. Reduces stress-related symptoms
3. Improves sleep
4. Can relieve symptoms associated with chronic conditions

Question 20

What are the limitations to imagery?

Answer 20

• Assess the client
• Clients with COPD or asthma may experience increased airway constriction

Question 21

What are training-specific therapies?

Answer 21

Complementary treatments that can only be administered by trained professionals. Requires postgraduate certificates, degrees, national certification, or additional licensure.

Question 22

What is biofeedback?

Answer 22

• Mind-body technique
• Uses instruments to teach control over physiological responses
  -Instruments measure, process, and provide information about muscle tension, cardiac activity, respiratory rates, brain-wave patterns, and autonomic nervous system activity.

Question 23

What are the 4 clinical applications of biofeedback?

Answer 23

1. Reduce headache pain
2. Shown benefit as adjunctive therapy for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence
3. Improve fecal incontinence
4. Stroke recovery

Question 24

What are the limitations to biofeedback?

Answer 24

• Assess the client
• Use with precaution in clients with psychological or neurological conditions
• May need medication adjustments as a result of biofeedback

Question 25

Describe acupuncture.

Answer 25

Regulates or realigns the vital energy (qi), which flows through the body in channels. modifies the body’s response to pain.

Question 26

What are the 8 clinical applications of acupuncture?

Answer 26

1. Modifies pain response 2. Modifies processing of pain by central neural pathways 3. Low back pain 4. Myofascial pain 5. Chemo-induced nausea and vomiting 6. Tension headaches 7. Migraine prevention 8. Post-operative pain

Question 27

What are the limitations to acupuncture?

Answer 27

- Practitioner with appropriate training - Sterilized needles - contraindicated in clients with bleeding disorders or skin infections

Question 28

What is therapeutic touch (TT)?

Answer 28

Affects energy fields with conscious intent to help or heal. Uses the energy of the provider to positively influence the patient’s energy field.

Question 29

What are the 4 clinical applications of therapeutic touch?

Answer 29

1. Pain 2. Dementia 3. Trauma 4. Anxiety

Question 30

What are the limitations of therapeutic touch?

Answer 30

- Assess your patient - Inappropriate for clients with sensitivity to touch, past traumatic experiences

Question 31

What is chiropractic therapy?

Answer 31

- Uses manipulative body-based therapy to normalize the relationship between structure and function - Belief is that body structure (particularly the spine) and the ability of the body to function normally are closely related.

Question 32

What are the 3 clinical applications to chiropractic therapy?

Answer 32

1. Improves pain: back pain, osteoarthritis joint pain, cancer pain 2. Can improve disability 3. Asthma in children and adolescents

Question 33

What are the limitations to chiropractic therapy?

Answer 33

- Contraindicated in those with: bone and joint infections, acute injury to the spinal cord caused by compression, fractures, dislocations, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis

Question 34

Describe natural products and herbal therapies.

Answer 34

- A natural product is a chemical compound or substance produced by a living organism - Herbal medicines (AKA botanicals), dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, mycotherapies (fungi-based products), essential oils, and probiotics

Question 35

What is The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (1994)?

Answer 35

Allowed company’s to sell as supplements as long as they promise not to make medical claims on their label

Question 36

What are the 3 clinical applications of natural products and herbal therapy?

Answer 36

1. Depressive symptoms 2. Anti-inflammatory effects 3. Blood sugar changes

Question 37

What are the limitations to natural products and herbal therapies?

Answer 37

- Natural does not mean safe - can interact with prescribed medications