Complementary and Alternative Therapies (CATs) in Nursing Education in Spanish Universities

TL;DR

This study examines how Spanish universities include complementary therapies in nursing education, finding that only a minority offer related courses.

Contribution

The study provides a descriptive analysis of the inclusion of complementary therapies in Spanish nursing curricula.

Findings

Only 29% of Spanish universities offer subjects on complementary therapies in nursing programs.

Most of these subjects are optional, with a mix of public and private universities offering them.

The study suggests a need to expand training in complementary therapies as recommended by the WHO.

Abstract

Background: The use of complementary therapies in the general population is increasing, so it is necessary to understand the training that health professionals receive in this type of therapy in their training plans, as they are often the primary source of information for patients. Our aim was to investigate Spanish universities that offer subjects on complementary therapies in their nursing degree programs. Methods: This study is an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. For this purpose, we used a document published on the website of the Ministry of Universities as the working document. Additionally, a literature search was conducted up to September 2023 in the PubMed database, along with reverse searches. Results: Out of a total of 62 universities, only 16 (29%) offer a subject related to this type of therapy, 27.5% (11) are public universities and 22.7% (5) are private universities, most of them being optional subjects. Conclusions: The training content on complementary care in nursing degree programs in Spanish universities is scarce, highlighting the potential benefit of expanding and promoting it, in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization.