Complementary Intervention In Nursing

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In recent times, there has been a need for advance increase in medical care. With the increase in the number of immigrants, increase in globalization, and the rapid growth of the minority, it is very necessary to enrich the diversity within the nursing profession to better meet the needs of our changing society (Barbee & Gibson, 2010). According to Merriam Webster dictionary, “Modality basically means a particular mode in which something exists, is experienced or is expressed.
Complementary modality “is a broad set of healthcare practices, therapies, and modalities that address the whole of a person, body, spirit, emotion and environment, not just signs, and symptoms” ( Dossey & Keegan 2013.) It is a therapy used during treatment to establish
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Nurses who use holistic care process creates conditions for optimal health and maintain healing. It involves music therapy, reminisce, relaxation therapy, and therapeutic touch (Potter & Perry, 2013.) For example, the use of music therapy creates a smooth atmosphere whereby a patient feels relieved and calm. Also, relaxation therapy is used to distract a patient during painful procedure such as a wound dressing change. In traditional interventions, the patient is provided with choices at either receive the treatment or face the consequences of their health hazardous practices (Eliopoulos, 2010.) It is straight forward and most times therapeutic touches are not incorporated. It uses drug to cure when a specific diagnosis is examined and also focuses on the elimination of physical symptoms. A nurse in complementary modality does not produce an outcome; the individual’s own healing process produces it and the nurse facilitates it by providing constant care to the patient. Where as in traditional intervention, it is like an old method of treatment that goes straight to cure so that outcomes can be made faster. Complementary modality evaluates the whole person through holistic medical history, physical laboratory and exam while traditional intervention evaluates with history, physical exam and laboratory. For …show more content…
It looks at the occupation, feelings, lifestyle etc., of a patient. According to Eliopoulos 2010, as at the time holistic medical care started, alternative medicine came up to reinforce and complement treatments through biomedical means. Thus alternative medicine was thenceforth known as Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). Just as there is complementary modality, so also is an alternative modality. Complementary modality is an approach used together with contemporary medicine. Alternative modality is not taught or learned about in any medical school. However, a combination of both of them with contemporary medicine is known as integrative care; that is, the use of multiple nursing modalities in caring for patients. Some commonly used complementary therapies are: physical (body) therapies such as exercise; relaxation technique such as meditation and visualization; aromatherapy; herbal medicines, etc. (HIV Insight,