Resumo

PINZON-PEREZ, Helda; ALONSO PALACIO, Luz Marina  e  FAJARDO, Elizabeth. Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A new professional arena for Clinical Nurse Specialists and Health Educators. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2012, vol.28, n.1, pp.162-170. ISSN 0120-5552.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a growing field for health professionals in the United States and Latin America. Since the creation of the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, new modalities of care have gained acceptance and recognition among health providers. Among health providers are nursing personnel and health educators. In the United States, the difference in the role between health educators and nursing personnel is clear. In Latin America such difference is less clear since in many countries the profession of "Health Educator" does not exist and the functions of this professional are taken by nursing personnel. This article discusses the potential role of complementary and alternative medicine for both professions. The American Holistic Nurses Association and professional associations for the certification of health educators have made a call to these health professionals to become more engaged in the understanding and practice of holistic health. Clinical emphasis on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be a very viable option for clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and Health educators (HE). CAM can be a new professional arena for these health professionals, especially for those interested in teaching future health providers.

Palavras-chave : Complementary and alternative medicine; nursing care; health education.

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