A patient pregnant with her first child reports that her husband wants her to visit a homeopath for help with her nausea and vomiting. The patient asks what the nurse's opinion of homeopathy is. The best response by the nurse is:
1. "Homeopathy is unproven and potentially dangerous. Avoid using homeopathic remedies."
2. "The FDA has approved homeopathic remedies, and practitioners undergo education and certification."
3. "I can't give you advice about what alternatives to try. Go online and do some research to get information."
4. "Homeopathy is the same as herbal remedies. Some are safe during pregnancy and some are not."
2
Rationale 1: Homeopathic remedies are not dangerous.
Rationale 2: Homeopathic remedies are FDA-approved, and have been proven to be effective in treating a wide range of chronic and acute illnesses and conditions.
Rationale 3: It is appropriate for the nurse to provide factual information to educate a patient who has asked a question. Not all patients have access to computers, and neither do all know how to do an Internet search.
Rationale 4: Herbalism and homeopathy are not the same. Herbs are available in many stores and preparations; some have been proven to be dangerous during pregnancy. Homeopathy is a system of "like curing like," in which the symptom being treated would be a symptom of taking too much of the substance in a nonhomeopathic form.
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