Abstract
M.Cur.
The perceptions of critical care nurses regarding alternative medicine for
the critically ill patient is a contextual, qualitative research study using the
phenomenological method to obtain and analyse data.
The objectives are:
to explore and describe alternative medicine in the critically ill patient and
to give guidelines to the critical care nurses.
Seven participants were interviewed. The interview was coded by the
researcher and an independant nursing researcher. The researcher used the
method described by Tesch in Cresswel to analyse the results. The findings
were compared to relevant available literature. Data obtained revealed that
there is a lack of knowledge with regard to alternative medicine. There is
a need for education, information, understanding and insight in this sphere.
Guidelines for critical care nurses were proposed.