Taylor-Swanson Lisa J, Bell Lisa, Tu Wen, Nelson Ashlee Taft, Geppelt Cinnamon, Taylor Buffy, Alvarez Gabriela, Garcia Kimberly
College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Fusion Pharmacy, Santa Clara, Utah, USA.
Med Acupunct. 2024 Aug 21;36(4):235-240. doi: 10.1089/acu.2023.0140. eCollection 2024 Aug.
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experience of volunteer providers referring Guatemalan patients for acupuncture care during a 1-day, pilot, integrated, health care clinic.
In a partnership among the University of Utah College of Nursing and Refuge International, the integrated, health care clinic occurred at hospital in San Raymundo. Before the clinic, nursing faculty offered providers an overview of acupuncture care. Providers referred 11 patients for acupuncture care. After the clinic, seven providers (one cardiologist, one certified nurse midwife, five student nurse midwives) were asked 10 questions in semi-structured interviews about their experience referring patients for acupuncture care. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed to identify themes.
Five themes emerged from analysis of the semi-structured interviews. Providers accurately recognized primarily pain, among other reasons, to refer patients for acupuncture care. Providers stated they lacked a comprehensive understanding of acupuncture care and wanted a more thorough education. Providers did not encounter barriers to referring patients for acupuncture care, and referrals did not hinder clinic flow. Providers were enthusiastically receptive to acupuncture care and endorsed expansion of integrated, health care clinics. Providers felt acupuncture care offered an important and culturally acceptable alternative to biomedicine, particularly for Guatemalan patients who are frequently marginalized and lack consistent access to health care.
Results from this pilot study indicate promising potential for offering acupuncture care in an integrated, health care clinic, particularly for marginalized patients who lack consistent access to health care.
这项定性研究的目的是探索在为期一天的试点综合性医疗诊所中，志愿者提供者为危地马拉患者推荐针灸治疗的经历。
在犹他大学护理学院与国际难民组织的合作中，综合性医疗诊所在圣雷蒙多的一家医院开展。在诊所开诊前，护理教员向提供者们概述了针灸治疗。提供者们为11名患者推荐了针灸治疗。诊所结束后，对7名提供者（1名心脏病专家、1名认证护士助产士、5名学生护士助产士）进行了半结构化访谈，询问了10个关于他们为患者推荐针灸治疗经历的问题。访谈进行了录音、转录和分析以确定主题。
对半结构化访谈的分析得出了五个主题。提供者们准确地认识到，主要是疼痛等原因，才为患者推荐针灸治疗。提供者们表示，他们对针灸治疗缺乏全面的了解，希望接受更全面的教育。提供者们在为患者推荐针灸治疗时没有遇到障碍，推荐也没有妨碍诊所的流程。提供者们对针灸治疗热情接受，并支持扩大综合性医疗诊所。提供者们认为，针灸治疗为生物医学提供了一种重要且在文化上可接受的替代方案，特别是对于经常被边缘化且缺乏持续医疗服务的危地马拉患者。
这项试点研究的结果表明，在综合性医疗诊所提供针灸治疗具有广阔的前景，特别是对于缺乏持续医疗服务的边缘化患者。
