Table 5.

Means (Standard Deviations) for CAM Competencies, Faculty vs. Students of All Levels, 2007

	Faculty n = 42		Students n = 191		Comparison
Question	M	SD	M	SD	t	p
1. Describe the theoretical basis for selected CAM therapies.	3.22	(1.31)	2.54	(1.11)	3.44	.001
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	3.43	(1.36)	3.21	(1.21)	0.99	.323
3. Identify scientific and consumer information resources for selected CAM therapies	3.90	(1.30)	2.90	(1.24)	4.72	.000
4. Evaluate the quality of CAM research literature and consumer information	4.00	(1.34)	2.86	(1.35)	4.95	.000
5. Incorporate, with cultural sensitivity, assessment of CAM practices into patient history	3.71	(1.56)	3.32	(1.32)	1.61	.109
6. Practice CAM approaches for self care	4.00	(1.65)	3.34	(1.39)	2.69	.008
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.	2.86	(1.34)	2.58	(1.27)	1.23	.221
8. Describe how one or more CAM therapies influence the health status of individuals	3.71	(1.36)	2.97	(1.30)	3.27	.001
9. Discuss the training, licensing, and credentialing of CAM practitioners	2.54	(1.55)	2.17	(1.24)	1.42	.161
10. Provide information to patients about use of CAM therapies	3.39	(1.48)	2.59	(1.25)	3.12	.003
11. Describe ethical, societal, and cultural issues pertaining to CAM therapies.	3.56	(1.30)	2.83	(1.21)	3.47	.001

Note. Competencies were rated on a 6-point scale, from 1 =“not at all” to 6 = “to a great extent”.