Determination of pediatric nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences on apitherapy: A cross-sectional multicenter study

Abstract

Honey production and beekeeping practices are more common in the Eastern Black Sea region. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge, experience and attitudes the use of personal and professional apitherapy of pediatric nurses working in the pediatric clinics of the largest hospitals in the Eastern Black Sea region. The study was conducted with 227 pediatric nurses who volunteered to participate in the study, working in six hospitals in Turkey's Eastern Black Sea region. In this study, there is a correlation between gender, having child, clinical experience, and the use of apitherapy. Honey is the most common apitherapeutic product used by nurses both for personal (40,4%) and clinical use (39,1%). Nurses stated that they do not know bee venom, and they know very little about propolis and royal jelly. The nurses listed their positive experiences concerning honey's capacity to "alleviate cough symptoms, treat gastritis, strengthen immune system, effectively heal wounds and burns" and their negative experiences concerning its side effects, such as allergy, dizziness, headache, and itching". It is important that nurses take responsibility for the apitherapy method included in complementary and alternative medicine methods and that nurses can use evidence-based apitherapy methods. It was recommended that nurses should be knowledgeable and careful about the benefits and side effects of apitherapy. © 2021 Uludag Aricilik Dergisi. All rights reserved.