Personal Use and Attitude Toward Integrative Medicine and Nursing Among Employees at a German University Hospital - Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that integrative medicine (IM) is of considerable relevance from the patients' perspective. The acceptance of healthcare professionals is essential to meet patient needs and integrate IM into routine clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess personal use and attitudes toward IM, as well as the implementation of integrative nursing (IN), among employees at a German university hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional online study was conducted in 2022 among employees at University Hospital Ulm. Univariate analysis of frequencies and cross-tabulations with Chi-Square tests were performed. Results: A total of 244 employees participated in the survey, 80.7% of whom were female and 49.3% were nurses. The mean age was 38.3 ± 12.3 years. Most respondents were familiar with IM (87.3%; n=179). 63.2% (n=129) rated its benefit as high. 26.1% (n=54) indicated that IN had been implemented in their own work settings, while the majority (91.4%; n=171) supported broader implementation. Interest in training and education on IN was expressed by 52.4% (n=98). Subgroup analyses revealed statistically significant associations between age and familiarity with IM (p=0.039), personal use of IM (p=0.019), and the rating of its benefits (p=0.009), as well as between work-related patient contact and interest in further IN training (p<0.001). No significant associations were observed for sex and profession. Conclusion: The findings indicate a high level of personal use and favorable attitudes toward IM, along with notable interest in IN among hospital employees, highlighting potential for further implementation of IM within clinical practice.