Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Overview of Transcultural Nursing Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Overview of Transcultural Nursing related questions and content

What is the nurses primary responsibility around the use of complementary therapies?

  • A. To become skilled in administering as many complementary therapies as possible
  • B. To liaise between practitioners of complementary therapies and the medical team
  • C. To examine the evidence base underlying each of the patients chosen complementary therapies
  • D. To assess the patients use of complementary therapies in order to promote safety
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Nurses must assess all patients for use of complementary therapies, be alert to the danger of herb-drug interactions or conflicting treatments, and be prepared to provide information to patients about treatments that may be harmful. However, nurses must be accepting of patients beliefs and right to autonomy (i.e., to control their own care). It is not the nurses role to be the intermediary between practitioners and the medical team or to evaluate the effectiveness of therapies. The nurse is also not responsible for becoming skilled in administering as many complementary therapies as possible.