Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the concept of integrative health care?&#10;A) Integrative health care is a family-centred approach to care.&#10;B) Integrative health care relies primarily on alternative medicine.&#10;C) Integrative health care combines complementary and alternative health care practices with conventional medicine.&#10;D) Integrative health care focuses on wellness rather than illness.

Accepted Answer

The health care system is responding to the increase in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and new models of integrative health care that combine CAM and conventional medicine. However, much of this is piecemeal rather than the result of systematic planning, and it remains unclear whether these changes are safe and effective and how they will affect Canadian health care. Alternative health care is also marked by a lack of standardization of qualifications and accreditation.

Question 2

In contrast to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), Western or allopathic medicine focuses on the:&#10;A) mind?body connection.&#10;B) impact of family relationships on health-seeking behaviours.&#10;C) symptoms and disease.&#10;D) environmental impact on health.

Accepted Answer

Health care and delivery in Canada and the United States is most often allopathic medicine, a system in which medical doctors and other health care providers, such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists, treat symptoms and diseases using medications, radiation, lasers, or surgical interventions. Allopathy is also called biomedicine, conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and Western medicine.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) care focuses on the whole person, mind, body, spirituality, and so forth. Western or allopathic medicine focuses mainly on physical aspects of disease.

Question 3

A nurse is discussing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with an individual. Which of the following explanations should the nurse include in this discussion?&#10;A) Empirical research has consistently demonstrated the value of alternative and complementary therapy.&#10;B) Many herbal remedies have side effects and medication interactions.&#10;C) CAM providers must meet required training, testing, and continuing education to practise.&#10;D) Health Canada requires proof of efficacy and safety for dietary supplements.

Accepted Answer

Most CAM therapies lack a strong scientific evidence base, as many have not been studied with rigorous, well-designed clinical trials. Health Canada is sponsoring research to fill the knowledge gap and build this foundation for safety, efficacy, and suitability for specific conditions.
Herbal medicines may act on the body like prescription drugs and may interact with prescription medications; thus it is important to elicit a full profile of what care recipients are taking and in what doses as part of medication reconciliation. Most CAM providers are not credentialled in a standardized national system, so credentialling regulations and standards vary nationally. Some require training, testing, and continuing education, but most do not.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is correct concerning therapeutic touch?&#10;A) One of the goals of therapeutic touch is to reduce blockages.&#10;B) Body energy is strongly suspected but not yet documented.&#10;C) Therapeutic touch involves the laying on of hands.&#10;D) All of the above statements are correct.

Accepted Answer

Therapeutic touch (TT) practitioners claim to be able to detect and manipulate a proposed human energy field (HEF) by passing their hands over the patient and smoothing out their HEF. It does not involve any physical contact.

Question 5

A person asks the nurse to explain Ayurvedic medicine. Which statement would be the appropriate response by the nurse?&#10;A) Ayurvedic medicine uses massage and oil aromatherapy to stimulate meridian points.&#10;B) Ayurvedic medicine has been shown to relieve nausea and vomiting.&#10;C) Ayurvedic medicine utilizes herbs, massage, and diets based upon the seasons of life.&#10;D) Ayurvedic medicine is achieved by applying more pressure to the fine needles inserted as part of acupuncture.

Accepted Answer

Ayurvedic medicine evolved in India thousands of years ago. There are eight branches of Ayurvedic medicine; internal medicine, surgery; treatment of head and neck disease; gynecology and obstetrics; pediatrics; toxicology; care of older persons and rejuvenation; and sexual vitality. The goals of Ayurveda are seen as the treatment of disease, prevention of disease, and improving a person's quality of life by balancing the body, mind, and spirit. Basic premises include the beliefs that all living and nonliving things in the universe are joined together and good health is achieved when one's mind and body are in harmony. Ayurveda utilizes herbs, massage, and diets based upon the "seasons of life" (stages of the life span) and treatment of three mind?body (Prakriti) types: vata (governs all movement in the mind and body, blood flow, elimination, breathing, and the movement of thoughts); pitta (governs heat, metabolism, digestion, transformation in the mind and body, sensory perceptions, and morality); and kapha (governs all structure and lubrication in the mind and body, weight, growth, joints and lungs, and formation of all tissues).

Question 6

The nurse is assisting an individual who is interested in naturopathy. Which of the following statements made by the person indicates an understanding of this treatment modality?&#10;A) &#34;Naturopathy has its roots in the nineteenth-century natural health movement of Europe.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;Studies have shown that naturopathy is as effective as allopathic medicine.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;If the body has a strong healthy immune system, the individual will be protected from illness.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Naturopathy supports prevention of disease through healthy living and positive mind?body?spirit strength, to enhance the body's innate healing properties.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) states that naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. Symptoms of disease are seen as warning signals of improper functioning of the body, and unfavourable lifestyle habits. Naturopathy emphasizes disease as a process rather than an entity.
Although naturopaths may offer some good advice on healthy lifestyles and nutrition, the majority of naturopathic therapeutics remain faith-based interventions that are currently unsupported by high-quality scientific evidence.

Question 7

A nurse would like to include complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in her nursing practice. Which of the following actions would be recommended for the nurse as a first step?&#10;A) Learn the specific therapy method.&#10;B) Engage in self-exploration to gain insight and balance.&#10;C) Explore the various types of complementary therapies available.&#10;D) Ask her patient which type of therapy he or she prefers.

Accepted Answer

CAM involves knowing the physical self, the emotional self, the mental self, and the spiritual self, seeking a comfortable balance among these aspects of being and knowing what changes need to be made to achieve this balance. This knowledge is vital to both the nurse attempting integrative health care practice and the individual interested in pursuing holistic health.
With insight gained from self-awareness, one or more of the integrative health care strategies mentioned in this chapter, as well as emerging therapies, can be useful in helping people achieve optimal wellness. Achieving personal balance first will prepare the nurse to facilitate that quality in others.

Question 8

Which of the following accurately describes concerns about pediatric chiropractic care?&#10;A) Pediatric chiropractic care involves massaging the spinal vertebrae of young children, which are believed to cause disorders affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs.&#10;B) Spine manipulation causes minimal discomfort to the child.&#10;C) The effectiveness of treating newborn babies and children on the basis of correcting misalignments of the spine caused during childbirth and normal growth is not scientifically supported.&#10;D) Chiropractors can accurately diagnose low back pain in adults, but not in children.

Accepted Answer

The health care system is responding to the increase in CAM. One area of concern is the use of chiropractic practices on children. This is a complex area because of the child's welfare and the wishes of the parents. Treating newborn babies and children on the basis that they are correcting misalignments of the spine caused during childbirth and normal growth is not supported by independent scientific evidence. Children who are under 18 years of age are immature, bones are still in phases of growth, development, and remodelling, and the vertebral end-plate growth is incomplete. In younger children the cartilaginous growth areas of bones are immature and potentially vulnerable to injury if subjected to manipulation. Furthermore, back pain in children is rare and should be reported to a pediatrician for investigation.

Question 9

As part of nursing care care for an individual, which question should the nurse ask the person during the assessment process?&#10;A) &#34;How many herbal medicines do you take?&#34;&#10;B) &#34;You cannot use any herbal products in the hospital. Did you bring any?&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Interactions between herbal products and medications can be very dangerous. Which ones do you use?&#10;D) &#34;Tell me how you treat your asthma at home. What treatments work especially well for you?&#34;

Accepted Answer

Because there is potential for medication interactions between allopathic medicines and alternative remedies, it is especially important that allopathic providers understand the home treatments that their patients are using. One way to ease the assessment of the use of home treatments is with an open mind and with acceptance of traditional or alternative health care practices. Keeping an open mind during the assessment process and asking open-ended questions will encourage the person to share his or her stories.

Question 10

A nurse states that many community members are concerned about the increasing number of natural disasters that have been occurring in Canada. Which of the following would the community members be referring to?

A) Massive wildfires occurring in northern forest areas
B) Inner-city riots after a period of large-scale civil unrest
C) A 25-vehicle pileup during a winter storm
D) Food poisonings affecting hundreds of people aboard a cruise ship

Accepted Answer

Natural disasters are phenomena that occur through natural forces involving land, air, or water, and they often have large-scale negative impacts on humans who live in the affected areas. Examples of natural disasters include tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, landslides, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, extreme heat, winter weather, and others. The other choices depict scenarios arising from human causes.

Question 11

An earthquake has just caused extensive damage within a local community. Which of the following are community members at risk to experience?&#10;A) Unequal access to health care&#10;B) Exposure to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus&#10;C) Increased incidence of suicide&#10;D) Undernutrition

Accepted Answer

The answer of An earthquake has just caused extensive damage...

Deck 7: Complementary and Alternative Strategies