Geleneksel ve Tamamlayıcı Tıp Dergisi, vol.4, no.3, pp.351-357, 2021 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Objective: The study aimed to determine pediatric nurses' knowledge and attitudes about traditional complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) and applications consulted to them by families. Material and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 236 pediatric nurses working in two different pediatric hospitals between May and July 2018. The data were obtained through participant forms questioning nurses' sociodemographic and professional characteristics, TCAM consulted by families, and the Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ). Data analysis was performed by using SPSS 23.0 statistical program, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z test and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test) were used in addition to descriptive statistics. Results: Of the pediatric nurses participating in the study, 80.5% stated that they did not receive any training on complementary alternative medicine and 83.2% did not consider themselves competent in this regard. It was determined that parents mostly consult nurses about complementary and alternative medicine applications regarding neonatal care and some common symptoms seen in children (fever, cough, diarrhea, constipation, etc.). Nurses' mean HCAMQ score was 25.32±6.13. A statistically significant relationship was found between the nurses' mean HCAMQ scores and their marital status (p<0.005). Conclusion: The pediatric nurses' attitudes towards complementary alternative medicine were positive. It was concluded that the nurses had insufficient knowledge about complementary alternative medicine and that it should be included in the curriculum and in-service training in nursing.