Scotland secondary care nurses' attitudes towards the use of hypnosis in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Background Hypnotherapy has been regarded as a valuable addition to the management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). However, this intervention is currently unregulated in the UK. While there is a rising demand from the public for more information regarding this treatment, the attitudes toward hypnosis use in IBS among nurses have not yet been studied Aims The study aims to explore and describe the attitudes of secondary care nurses' in Scotland towards the use of hypnosis in IBS Design A descriptive-exploratory research design with a quantitative approach was selected for this study. A self-administered questionnaire comprised of two sections will be used to collect data. A total population sampling will be applied to recruit the secondary care nurses from gastroenterology outpatient clinics in Scotland. Descriptive statistics will be applied using SPSS® version 20. Implications Deeper understanding and acceptable attitudes toward hypnotherapy among nurses are crucial in developing a professional image as patient advocacy on conventional medicines and complementary and alternative therapies. This study represents only a first step in understanding these cultural attitudes.