Table 3.
Means (Standard Deviations) for CAM Competencies–Undergraduates in 2003-04 vs. 2006-07
| 2003-2004 n = 143 |
2006-2007 n = 191 |
Comparison |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | M | SD | M | SD | t | p |
| 1. Describe the theoretical basis for selected CAM therapies. | 1.74 | (1.04) | 2.38 | (1.07) | 5.18 | .000 |
| 2. Evaluate various health and healing practices of populations with diverse cultural backgrounds during patient health assessments, being sensitive to those practices when creating nursing care plan | 2.06 | (1.22) | 3.15 | (1.15) | 7.86 | .000 |
| 3. Identify scientific and consumer information resources for selected CAM therapies | 1.87 | (1.21) | 2.67 | (1.15) | 5.85 | .000 |
| 4. Evaluate the quality of CAM research literature and consumer information | 1.91 | (1.29) | 2.70 | (1.30) | 5.20 | .000 |
| 5. Incorporate, with cultural sensitivity, assessment of CAM practices into patient history | 2.08 | (1.33) | 3.13 | (1.29) | 6.83 | .000 |
| 6. Practice CAM approaches for self care | 2.43 | (1.44) | 3.07 | (1.34) | 3.89 | .000 |
| 7. Evaluate and discuss with patients the indications, contraindications, and potential drug interactions for herbal/nutrient therapy use in combination with conventional medications and treatments. | 1.73 | (1.13) | 2.50 | (1.21) | 5.62 | .000 |
| 8. Describe how one or more CAM therapies influence the health status of individuals | 1.96 | (1.15) | 2.64 | (1.13) | 5.13 | .000 |
| 9. Discuss the training, licensing, and credentialing of CAM practitioners | 1.62 | (1.18) | 1.91 | (1.09) | 2.15 | .03 |
| 10. Provide information to patients about use of CAM therapies | 1.70 | (1.06) | 2.30 | (1.06) | 4.81 | .000 |
| 11. Describe ethical, societal, and cultural issues pertaining to CAM therapies. | 1.87 | (1.13) | 2.49 | (1.05) | 4.85 | .000 |
Note. Competencies were rated on a 6-point scale, from 1 =“not at all” to 6 = “to a great extent”.