Placebos in clinical practice: Results of a survey of nurses

Background: Despite a burgeoning literature on the placebo effect and an increasing recognition of its importance in the treatment process, little is known about the prevalence of placebo medication outside clinical trials, Aim: To assess the frequency of placebo administration in nursing clinical practice, the indications for which it was administered and the nurses' attitudes towards (and knowledge of) the placebo effect. Design: Self-administered survey with 12 items, Setting: 1995 annual convention of the New South Wales Nurses Association, Australia, Results: 263 nurses completed the questionnaire, 68% had knowingly administered placebos at some time; 12% had used placebos in the previous 12 months, Placebo had been used mostly for pain and insomnia, 58% of the respondents believed in the existence of a specific ''placebo-responder'' personality. Several other myths about the placebo effect were perpetuated, Conclusions: Most nurses have used placebos in clinical practice, albeit infrequently, There seems to be a discrepancy between the established scientific knowledge about the placebo effect and the current levels of awareness of this phenomenon among nursing staff, There may be a role for the incorporation of such knowledge into nursing education.