Nursing and Complementary Therapies: A Natural Partnership

Chapter 1: Nursing and Complementary Therapies: A Natural Partnership 

Overview:

• Discussion of medical theories of the past
• Descriptions of past prescribed principal therapies by well-known figures
• Present natural therapies are outlined and discussed
• Discussion of the future potential to revolutionise nursing theory and practice
• Outlines strategies for introducing complementary therapies and extending the role of nursing care

Description:

This chapter takes a chronological view of the relationship between nursing and natural therapies. Varying historical insights which can be traced back to Nightingale’s era are provided. The historical material is contrasted with the use of complementary therapies in contemporary, bio-medically oriented health care and challenges which natural therapies will pose to nurses’ understanding of the concepts of health, illness and healing are also discussed in this chapter.

Topics:

• The Past
• The Present

Speaker / Author:

Pauline McCabe

MHSc (PHC), RN, Midwife, ND, DipAc, MRCNA, Senior Lecturer in Naturopathy, School of Nursing, La Trobe University, Bundoora.

Pauline McCabe has spent over thirty years in health care, and has qualifications in general nursing (Royal Melbourne Hospital 1969), acupuncture (Melbourne College of Acupuncture 1975), naturopathy (Southern School of Natural Therapies 1977) and midwifery (Queen Victoria Medical Centre 1979). Pauline’s careers ran parallel for many years and then, much to her surprise, began to merge when she was asked to write a distance education unit on complementary therapies for nurses and midwives. A relationship with academia was established, leading to Master’s and PhD projects, the latter still in progress.

Pauline has made numerous contributions to the nursing literature on complementary therapies, including formulating national and state guidelines. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Naturopathy in the School of Nursing at La Trobe University, and is leading the design of a five year double degree in nursing and naturopathy that will be offered for the first time in 2001.

Professional Reviews: