Health care is one of the necessary elements in the life of every individual; therefore, people are ready to pay a considerable amount of money for treatment. As a result, the demand for complementary and alternative medicine has recently increased due to the desire to stay healthy (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016). In general, these types of treatment refer to herbal medicines, acupuncture, and other models of health care (Carvalho & Nobrega, 2017). Nevertheless, since these forms of treatment are frequently utilized by non-professionals, they might be the cause of severe consequences to the health of the patient. Furthermore, alternative medications, such as herbal treatment, might be utilized by patients themselves since the healing plants can be easily obtained. Therefore, it is essential to raise the self-awareness of the individuals concerning the potential dangers of complementary and alternative medicine.
There are several resources that might ensure the safety and effectiveness of these types of medication. For instance, continuous research might be highly effective in establishing safe treatment of health care. Ahmed et al. (2017) have studied the safety of medical plants in Asian countries and found that only 13 out of 33 types of herbal medicines were safe for pregnant women. Such types of research might greatly enhance the self-awareness of people concerning the potential risks of complementary medicine. Nevertheless, according to Carvalho and Nobrega (2017), a large number of professional nurses consider that complementary medicine might provide great results if used adequately. Additionally, the authors state that governmental policies are highly significant resources and provide additional safety to such forms of treatment. Overall, I believe that the analyzed forms of medication might provide great results; nevertheless, they should be implemented cautiously and safely.
References
Ahmed, M., Hwang, J. H., Choi, S., & Han, D. (2017). Safety classification of herbal medicines used among pregnant women in Asian countries: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 17(489).
Carvalho, J. L. S., & Nobrega, M. P. S. S. (2017). Complementary therapies as resources for mental health in primary health care. Revista Gaucha de Enfermagem. 38(4),
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2016). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (9th edition). Missouri: Elsevier