Intergrated Medicine (not specifically holistic)

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Specializes in Telemetry.

So I was wondering if anyone knew about hospitals that practice integrated medicine. I realize that I'm borderline asking about holistic medicine and hospitals that practice it. But I'm also refering to nutritional medicine and vitamin therapy. Mega dose, intravenious vitamin therapies.

In a sense we are all suppose to be practicing holistic medicine as nurses, you know with back rubs and ice for pain management. Possibly accupressure. But I have yet to actually travel (travel nurse here) to a hospital that does more than push drugs and do some physical therapy. Yeah, we'd all like to get in there and really do a 'true' nursing care plan but the wankers that we work for seem to see us as med pushers, butt wipers, and scapegoats....even though in their official literature says differently. (I wonder if doctors are tired of hospital administration bull too?)

So does any one know of a hospital that actually allows nurses to practice their profession? Or hospitals that are using alternative therapies along side modern medicine? Or advanced nutritional therapy? I'd like to work there, or at least look into it, so please let me know.

Thank you

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Lots of hospitals are employing integrative physicians. It's very lucrative ($$), with very little risk associated (speaking generally).

Unfortunately, outcomes are generally not great when you look at large controlled studies for many of these modalities making the ethics a little questionable (are you robing your patients, or reducing symptomatology?)

BIG places are those cancer treatment places you see advertised on late night T.V., and Arizona (CAM therapy is big in Arizona). Washington state is also full of CAM practioners (N.D.'s have prescription rights in that state).

Enjoy

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Specializes in Family NP, OB Nursing.

Off the top of my head I'm pretty sure that Cancer Treatment Centers of America follow this type of holistic medicine, other than that I have no idea. I'm sure there are some boutique hospitals that cater to the extremely wealthy that have this type of thing as well.

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Please tell me what hospitals you find where you can practice your "profession... advanced nutritional therapies" so I can be sure to never go to them!

Can you site me one reliable study that shows mega doses of vitamins has done any good? Many studies show mega doses of vitamins INCREASE the cancer rate and death. Just imagine those vigorous cancer cells feasting on all the yummy mega doses of vitamins!!!!!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

not practiced probably due to not sufficient evidence base, and risk of litigation.

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Specializes in CCT.

The "integrated" (i.e. alternative) medicine is not practiced in mainstream hospitals because it is viewed (correctly in my oppinon) as quackery.

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http://health.usnews.com/health-news/managing-your-healthcare/pain/articles/2008/01/09/embracing-alternative-care

Here is an interesting article I found which discusses some hospitals which are embracing complementary therapies.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Um, I'm not saying that modern medicne isn't effective. Of course it is. I just don't think that nutritional therapy has been studied enough to know how effective it is one way or another. Many of the studies that have been done are on low dose vitamins, there aren't any on mega dose therapy. I believe that there haven't been a lot of studies due to the fact that there isn't a lot of profit in it. Medicine is a business, a very big business, and if you can't make lots of money doing something many don't even care to try it.

I'm not talking about aromatherapy, crystal healing, the laying of hands, etc. I think those have value to certian people. But scientifically speaking we don't know what mega doeses of vitamins could help. Yeah, they could kill people, so could taking to much of the wrong medicine, duh. I am not suggesting to people that they should go out there are cure themselves with over the counter vitamins and herbs. I just am interested in the health benefits of using therapies that need to be studied more.

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