Oregon State Board of Nursing Board Policy
Complementary and Alternative Modalities and
Nursing Practice
Statement of Purpose
To establish guidelines and provide clear direction for Oregon licensed nurses who want to
practice using complementary or alternative modalities.
Background Information
There are a number of therapeutic modalities that are intended to improve the health and well-
being of clients. These modalities are those which licensed nurses may employ to increase
comfort or relaxation, maintain, improve or restore health and harmony of the body, mind,
and/or spirit, improve coping mechanisms, reduce stress, relieve pain and/or increase the clients
sense of well being. They are used either in addition to or in place of conventional treatments.
Many of these therapeutic modalities are not regulated by the State of Oregon and, while
scientific evidence exists regarding some modalities, it is limited to date.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) states that
complementary modalities are those used together with conventional medicine and alternative
therapies those used in place of conventional medicine. NCCAM says that Integrative Care
combines complementary and alternative approaches with conventional medicine. In addition,
they divide the modalities into four domains, plus establish a category for whole medical systems,
which crosses all domains. These domains are:
Manipulative and Body-based Practices
Mind-body Medicine
Biologically-based Practices
Energy Medicine
Whole Medical Systems
Specific modalities are listed on both the NCCAM website as well as the American Holistic Nurses
Association (AHNA) website.
The licensed nurse must be able to determine whether or not a particular modality is within
his/her scope of practice and whether or not to incorporate it into practice. The licensed nurse is
always expected to be familiar with and adhere to nursing scope and standards of practice as
found in the Nurse Practice Act. At times, modalities cross the boundaries of other scopes of
practice. When that is the case, confusion and potential liability for the practitioner may exist for
practicing outside the scope of practice afforded by current licensure or for practicing without
licensure by another health licensing entity. This document will assist the licensed nurse in
making determinations regarding these issues.
Scope of Practice Statement
The Oregon State Board of Nursing affirms that it is within the scope of practice for the
Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to provide complementary and
alternative modalities for a client provided the following conditions are met. The LPN carries out
these activities only under the direction of the RN or other licensed health care provider who has
authority to make changes in the plan of care. The RN/LPN must:
1. Function within the scope of practice standards set for his/her licensure category.
2. Perform a nursing assessment (RN may perform comprehensive or focused assessments
and LPNs may perform focused assessments), make a nursing diagnostic statement (LPNs
may select diagnostic statements from available resources), and develop a nursing plan of
care (The LPN may contribute to care plan development and develop focused plans of
care). Both RNs and LPNs are responsible for documentation.
3. Support the client to become an informed consumer. (See below)
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Oregon State Board of Nursing Board Policy
4. Obtain the clients permission to utilize the specific modality.
5. Have documented knowledge, judgment, skill and competency in the application of the
modality.
6. May provide information for non-prescriptive remedies (such as vitamins, minerals,
homeopathic, herbal, compound medications, or over-the-counter drugs) as long as the
concepts delineated in "Supporting the Client to Become an Informed Consumer," listed
below, are followed.
7. Obtain additional licensure /certification when needed (recommended or required for
alternative modalities and some complementary modalities).
8. When employing the use of any modality which is regulated by any other State of Oregon
health related Agency, Board or Commission, the licensed nurse must adhere to those
statutes and rules pertaining to the modality.
The Oregon State Board of Nursing affirms that it is within the scope of practice of the Nurse
Practitioner (NP) and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to provide complementary and alternative
modalities for a client provided the following conditions are met: The NP/CNS must:
1. Always function within the scope of practice standards set for his/her licensure category
and specialty area of practice.
2. Perform an assessment consistent with an existing or new diagnosis, and document a
treatment plan.
3. Support the client to become an informed consumer. (See below)
4. Obtain the clients permission to utilize the specific modality.
5. Have documented knowledge, judgment, skill and competency in the application of the
modality.
6. If the NP or CNS has prescriptive authority, practice consistent with the Oregon State
Board of Nursing Policy entitled, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists with
Prescriptive Authority and Non-Prescriptive Remedies must be followed.
7. Obtain additional licensure /certification when needed (recommended or required for
alternative modalities and some complementary modalities).
8. When employing the use of any modality which is regulated by any other State of Oregon
health related Agency, Board or Commission, adhere to those statutes and rules pertaining
to the modality.
In addition to the above criteria, when a RN or LPN (under the clinical direction of a RN or other
health care professional who has authority to make changes in the plan of care) independently
(within that licensed nurses scope of practice) practices as a provider of a modality, he/she must
have written consent. He/she shall also disclose to the client:
1. The nurses status as a licensed nurse.
2. The educational preparation, experiences and credentials as a therapist/practitioner of the
modality.
3. Whether the particular modality is regulated by a state regulatory agency and whether
uniform educational standards or requirements have been adopted by that agency.
4. Services are not meant to replace medical care or psychotherapy.
When a licensed nurse, functioning within an organized health system, elects to utilize a modality
to augment his/her practice, the therapy must be approved by and be consistent with the
organizations policies and procedures. The therapy must also be consistent with the mutually
established client goals and the overall treatment plan.
Knowledge, Skills and Competency
The licensed nurse must acquire, document and maintain current knowledge, skills and
competency in the modalities that will be practiced.
The licensed nurse has an accountability to practice complementary or alternative modalities or
integrative care in accord with the generally accepted standards of that modality as well as the
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accepted standards of nursing practice. The nurse must at all times adhere to the statutes and
regulations of the particular therapy.
NPs and CNSs with prescriptive authority for whom the recommendation of non-prescriptive
remedies (such as vitamins, minerals, homeopathic, herbal, compound medications, or over-the-
counter drugs) constitutes a significant proportion of therapeutic practice should dedicate
continuing education hours to reflect these practices. These hours may constitute part of the
overall continuing education hours required for NPs and CNSs, but are in addition to the hours
required in pharmacology for prescriptive medications.
Supporting the Client to Become an Informed Consumer
The client is the primary health care decision maker and may choose to whom, under what
circumstances, and for what purpose he/she seeks health care. A licensed nurse, while providing
care to a client, may be asked by the client, or discover inadvertently, that the client is either
seeking to utilize, or currently utilizing, over-the-counter products or alternative/complementary
therapies to supplement or to replace prescriptive medications, treatments and/or therapies. In
this instance, the licensed nurse would encourage the client to inform their primary health care
provider of the clients actions or intended actions, and encourage the client to acquire accurate
information about the over-the-counter products such as:
1. Possible consequences of discontinuing the prescription medication(s).
2. Description and components of the therapy.
3. Safety factors/issues related to the therapy.
4. Potential goals/benefits of the therapy.
5. The potential for the therapy to interact in a non-therapeutic way with the treatment
regime established by the primary health care provider.
6. Expected frequency of therapy over what course of time.
7. Expected course of therapy and its total cost.
8. Third party reimbursement.
The licensed nurse would educate the consumer that the health care decision-making begins with
the client obtaining a complete medical evaluation including current health practices in order to:
Develop a therapeutic treatment plan which enhances the clients health promotion and
maintenance; reduces opportunity for untoward side effects or contraindications; and safeguard
the clients health.
Definitions
1. Alternative Modalities. A diverse group of therapies and practices used in place of
conventional medicine for the purpose of increasing comfort or relaxation, maintaining,
improving or restoring health and harmony of the body, mind, and/or spirit, improving coping
mechanisms, reducing stress, relieving pain and/or increasing the clients sense of well being.
2. Client. A person who is a consumer of health care services.
3. Complementary Modalities. A diverse group of therapies and practices used together
with conventional medicine for the purpose of increasing comfort or relaxation, maintaining,
improving or restoring health and harmony of the body, mind, and/or spirit, improving coping
mechanisms, reducing stress, relieving pain and/or increasing the clients sense of well being.
4. Integrative Care. The combination of both complementary modalities and alternative
approaches with conventional medicine. Integrative care includes multiple modalities in the
overall patient-centered plan of care.
5. Licensed Independent Practitioner. An individual permitted by Oregon law to
independently make a medical diagnosis, provide care, treatment and services that are within
the individuals scope of practice.
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6. Licensed Nurse. All RNs and LPNs licensed under ORS 678. In this document, licensed
nurse may also apply to the NP and CNS.
7. Nursing Diagnostic Statements. The nursing diagnoses or reasoned conclusions which
are developed as a result of nursing assessment. They describe a clients actual or potential
health problems which are amendable to resolution by means of nursing strategies,
interventions or actions.
Questions and Answers
1. Q: Which modalities require separate licensure by the State of Oregon?
A: Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Naturopathic
Medicine, Physical Therapy are all regulated by other health care licensing Boards in
Oregon. In addition, there may be other modalities which contain elements that fall within
the domain of health care licensing Boards. For example, if a modality included
psychotherapy, it would not fall within the scope of the RN or LPN and it would only be
appropriate if it fell within the specialty area of practice of the NP or CNS. Otherwise, a
licensed nurse would have to have dual licensure in another health field, such as clinical
social work or psychology, which would enable the nurse to conduct psychotherapy.
2. Q: At times, there is overlap between licensed nursing practice and massage. How does a
licensed nurse figure out when he/she needs a separate massage license?
A: The Oregon Board of Massage Therapists requires licensure for massage therapy, and
limits individual practitioners from using the term massage in the business name unless
the individual is a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT). Practically speaking, this means that
the licensed nurse should not set up an independent business, advertise for and perform
only massage unless also a LMT. However, if massage is conducted as an element of
practice within a broader documented nursing plan of care this may be within the licensed
nurses scope of practice.
3. Q: Can a nurses advertisement for a complementary modality include the word massage?
A: The word massage may not be used in the business name unless the licensed nurse is
also a LMT. The licensed nurse may not advertise that he/she performs massage, but may
use the word massage to describe an element of practice or a technique which would
be used in a broader documented nursing plan of care. For example, an appropriate
nursing intervention may include massage of an acupressure point. The licensed nurse
may choose to refer to massage in this limited context in an advertising brochure.
4. Q. Can a licensed nurse independently practice as a provider of complementary or alternative
modalities or integrative care?
A: This is appropriate for the RN, NP or CNS as long as he/she is working within scope of
practice set by licensure category, and given that knowledge, skills and competency are
established and documented. The LPNs practice is a directed practice, which means that
if he/she were to engage in complementary or alternative modalities or integrative care,
that practice would need to be accomplished under the direction of another licensed
provider who has authority to make changes in the plan of care. In addition, the nurse
shall also disclose to the client:
1. The nurses status as a licensed nurse.
2. The educational preparation, experiences and credentials as a therapist/practitioner of
the modality.
3. Whether the particular modality is regulated by a state regulatory agency and whether
uniform educational standards or requirements have been adopted by that agency.
4. Services are not meant to replace medical care or psychotherapy.
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Oregon State Board of Nursing Board Policy
5. Q: How can I best achieve and be able to demonstrate current knowledge, skills and
competency?
A: Due to the wide variety of modalities, it is difficult to list one way to achieve and
demonstrate competency in a modality. As with other areas of practice, you must
understand the theoretical underpinnings of the modality, the practical application/s,
possible risks, side effects, etc. and be able to manage the consequences of your actions.
Client safety must always be a paramount concern. Some of the modalities require formal
education and licensure; others require formal course work and certifying examinations.
Other modalities may be presented less formally (e.g. through a conference), but still
require an examination. Documentation means that you have to be able to demonstrate
on paper how you have achieved the given competency. It does not mean that the
practitioner necessarily must be certified, but it does mean that if there were a question
about competency, the nurse (all levels of licensure) would be able to demonstrate on
paper how he/she had become competent. This could be from coursework or it could be
from documented training and mentorship, or a combination.
References
American Holistic Nurses Association (2008). Position on the Role of Nurses in the Practice of Complementary and
Alternative Therapies. Retrieved December 17, 2008, from
http://www.ahna.org/Resources/Publications/PositionStatements/tabid/1926/Default.aspx
Kentucky Board of Nursing (2007). Role of Nurses in Businesses Offering Complementary/Alternative or Holistic Practices.
Retrieved December 17, 2008, from http://www.kbn.ky.gov/practice/holistic.htm
Libster, Martha M. (Fall 2008). Nursing in the Garden Laboratory and Kitchen Clinic. Beginnings, Fall 2008, 4-7.
Maryland Board of Nursing (1999). Complementary/Alternative/Holistic/Integrated Therapies. Retrieved December 17,
2008, from http://www.mbon.org/main.php?v=norm&p=0&c=practice/therapies.html
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2008). What is CAM?. Retrieved December 17, 2008, from
http://nccam.nih.gov/health./whatiscam
Additional Resources
American Holistic Nurses Association, American Nurses Association. (2007). Holistic Nursing. Silver Spring:
Nursesbooks.org.
http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/topics/22_reviews.html
Adopted: June 18, 2009
The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) is authorized by Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 678 to exercise general
supervision over the practice of nursing in Oregon to include regulation of nursing licensure, education and practice in
order to assure that the citizens of Oregon receive safe and effective care.
The OSBN further interprets statute and rule and issues opinions in the form of Board Policies, Policy Guidelines and
Position Statements. Although they do not have the force and effect of law, these opinions are advisory in nature and
issued as guidelines for safe nursing practice.
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