A tremendous amount of information has been published about complementary and alternative medicine over the past 10 years. Rather than "reinvent the wheel," we have chosen to make use of key resources by providing them to you as links in this certificate program. In doing so, we are challenging you to answer questions and solve problems. You may spend as much time as you like exploring the links. You can connect to a website by clicking on a highlighted phrase or URL.

As you are well aware, links to information on the Internet change frequently. As such, please keep in mind that the information and links were current as of the launch of this program.

The goal of this program is to increase nurses’ understanding of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices. After studying this information here, you will be able to—

• Describe CAM and the differences that exist between it and Western medicine.
• Identify five major areas of CAM.
• Discuss CAM practices, including the indications and safety considerations and contraindications of commonly used CAM therapies, and CAM practitioners, including their training and licensing.
• Explain how the evidence-based practice model is applied to CAM practice.
• Describe ways in which to assess a patients’ use of CAM modalities.
• Discuss an example of how one Mexican American family uses CAM.
• Discuss how CAM therapies may be used in pain management at the end of life.
• Describe how CAM therapies may be used to help people manage stress and anxiety.
• Discuss the indications for and the safety and efficacy of common alternative diets and dietary supplements for weight loss.
• Discuss CAM therapies used to treat depressive symptoms, including their safety and efficacy.
• Describe how to conduct an assessment of a community-based population for CAM use.
• Describe how to integrate traditional medicine and CAM in community-based health care.

Developed by CAM Education Program for Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing,  Chicago,  IL.  This  project  was  supported by Grant Number R25 AT000559  from  the  National  Center  for  Complementary  and  Alternative Medicine  and its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCCAM or the NIH.

© Rush University Medical Center. All Rights Reserved. 2006