Determination of Nurses' Attitudes Towards the Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Children: A Comparative Study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate nurses' attitudes towards the use of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) practices in pediatric care. Material-Method: The study employed a cross-sectional comparative descriptive design and was conducted between May and August 2023. Participants were nurses employed at a secondary healthcare hospital in eastern Turkey. The study analyzed demographic data on nurses and their attitudes towards holistic complementary and alternative medicine. Results:: The results showed that the average age of participants was 33.92 years, with 69% working in state hospitals. Additionally, 25.4% of nurses reported prior use of T&CM, with cupping or leeching being the most commonly used method, chosen by 38.5% of respondents. Among those who had previously used T&CM practices, 63.5% reported positive outcomes, and 84.6% indicated that they would recommend the methods they had used to others. Furthermore, 51% of the nurses believed that T&CM practices could be suitable for children, with homeopathy being the most frequently considered T&CM method for pediatric use, chosen by 50.7%. Conclusion: The study indicates that pediatric nurses generally have a positive view of T&CM practices and consider them safe for pediatric treatment. It is important to note that nurses often obtain information about T&CM from sources such as newspapers, magazines, or media programs. Therefore, integrating T&CM into nursing education curricula could be an effective way to promote awareness and understanding of these practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]