Complementary care methods in training

Complementary methods in nursing have established themselves as an essential additional skill. Knowledge of these methods can be acquired through further training programmes of varying scope. Caring for palliative care patients using complementary nursing methods involves more than just providing basic care for cancer patients in the terminal phase. It requires a nuanced understanding of how quality of life can be enhanced and shaped using all the senses during the time remaining. However, it remains unclear which methods can be grouped under this term and how many methods are already taught in basic training. Drawing on the literature, this paper highlights which methods have already found their way into practice and where the difficulties lie in transferring them into the curriculum.