Title
Complementary & Alternative Strategies for the Relief of Pain & Anxiety: A Nurse Driven Intervention
Preview
Creation Date
10-2017
Description
Complementary and Alternative Methods (CAM) have been found to be an effective approach in providing the registered nurse (RN) with independent nursing actions for the care of patients experiencing pain and anxiety. While registered nurses identify CAM as being helpful in its impact on lessening discomfort and anxiety, it is not routinely offered or practiced in the acute care units by RNs. A review of the literature demonstrates that complimentary alternative methods decrease pain, stress and anxiety; however, previous work has failed to address how increasing knowledge and providing nurses with CAM resources will increase its use in the acute care setting. In June of 2017, a survey was sent to BH nurses via SurveyMonkey®. 396 nurses completed the survey. Barriers identified include a lack of knowledge, a lack of available resources, and a perceived lack of time. According to the survey, 98% of RNs polled state that having a variety of complimentary alternative methods readily available would increase the likelihood of using them to help their patient's manage their pain, stress or anxiety. Providing didactic and experiential education as well as allocating appropriate in-time resources to RNs will increase the use of CAM in the acute care setting. Offering educational opportunities to RNs as well as providing them with a CAM "tool box" will likely increase the likelihood of its use in patients struggling with pain management, stress or anxiety.