FEATURES Perspectives of Oncology Nurses on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Turkey A Cross-Sectional Survey ■ Zehra Gok Metin, PhD, RN ■ Nur Izgu, PhD, RN ■ Canan Karadas, MSc, RN ■ Ayse Arikan Donmez, PhD, RN In Turkey, between 22.1% and 84.1% of patients with cancer use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, few CAM-related studies have focused on the perspective of oncology nurses. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Turkish oncology nurses regarding CAM. A descriptive cross-sectional survey of 127 participants was conducted in Ankara, Turkey. A semistructured questionnaire including characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncology nurses toward CAM was administered to participants. We found that more than half of nurses (54.0%) surveyed had no information on CAM modalities. Most oncology nurses (81.1%) used audiovisual media sources to obtain CAM information. Many nurses (81.3%) reported not using any CAM in cancer care, and only 26.8% recommended CAM to patients. Most nurses used CAM to accelerate wound healing (19.7%) and to manage symptoms, including constipation and diarrhea (8.8%) and anxiety (7.9%). Music (52.8%), massage (49.6%), and exercise (48.8%) were stated to be beneficial. Important barriers to use CAM for patients with cancer involved a lack of knowledge (60.6%); needing physician approval to apply any CAM methods to patients (52.1%); legal and institutional issues (47.2%); and limited educational, training, or certificate programs (44.1%). There is a need for increased knowledge about CAM by oncology nurses, considering their vital role in symptom management of patients with cancer. This can be achieved through solving legal and institutional problems, structured and comprehensive education/training programs, and the integration of CAM therapy into cancer care guidelines. KEY WORDS: attitude, complementary therapies, knowledge, oncology nursing Holist Nurs Pract 2018;32(2):107–113 INTRODUCTION Recent developments in diagnosis and treatment have extended the life expectancy of patients with cancer. 1 Several reasons have been proposed to explain the increasing interest in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients with cancer including prolonged patient survival, hope for a complete cure, changes in health care systems, Author Affiliation: Internal Medicine Nursing Department, Hacettepe Uni- versity Faculty of Nursing, Samanpazari, Ankara, Turkey. The authors have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with, or financial interest in, any commercial companies pertaining to this article. Correspondence: Zehra Gok Metin, PhD, RN, Internal Medicine Nursing Department, Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing, Samanpazari, 06100, Ankara, Turkey (zehragok85@hotmail.com). DOI: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000256 patients’ demands for more effective treatment processes, amelioration of side effects, and easy access to information. 2-4 Other possible reasons in patients with cancer seek CAM include some beneficial effects such as boosting the immune system, improvements in physical and psychosocial well-being, and alleviating emotional stress. 3 In the literature, the frequency of CAM use among patients with cancer is reported between 14.8% and 73.1% in European countries and between 22.1% and 84.1% in Turkey. 5,6 The results of previous reports have indicated that herbal products, prayer, yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques, massage, and diets are the most commonly used CAM modalities among patients with cancer. 5,7 Studies conducted in Turkey have shown that in order of popularity, herbal medicine, prayer, religious practices, vitamins, and special diets are the most common CAM modalities. 5,8 Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. 107