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Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

Thesis Committee Chairperson

Diane Ryan, PhD, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, GNP-BC, CNE

Second Reader

Karen Konikoff, NP

Abstract

A non-experimental, descriptive quantitative study was done using an Action Research approach. A 31 item questionnaire was created using a modified version of the Kreitzer’s University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s CAM Survey of Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Professions Students. This was used to measure Nurse Practitioners (NPs) attitudes, experiences and perceived barriers to implementing CAM therapy in practice. The Nurse Practitioners that were invited to participate in the survey were member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Western New York (NPA). Voluntary participants via Survey Monkey’s service completed the survey online. 32 participants completed the survey.

Understanding what the barriers are to NPs in clinical practice when implementing CAM, assisted the researcher in creating a tool to promote the use of CAM in the clinical setting. The theoretical framework that was used to support this research study was Roy’s Adaptation Model. All survey question answers were scored numerically to compute the average attitudes, barriers and future education scores for each participant. A Pearson correlation coefficient was then obtained for the three measures with age, years of practice and select barriers. Positive correlations were found with age, years of practice and attitudes. Negative correlations were found with age, years of practice and barriers. The major factors affecting the incorporation of CAM into practice, which the respondents identified in this survey, are the unavailability of credentialed providers, lack of training, time management and affordability. An online brochure was created for NPs as a part of the Action Plan to facilitate the use of CAM in clinical practice. There is a gap in the literature in regards to NPs and CAM and further research needs to be done on this correlation, attitudes, barriers and resolutions.

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