ARTICLE IN PRESS

Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (2005) 11, 275–276

doi:10.1016/j.c

www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/ctnm

CONFERENCE REPORTS

RCN Complementary TherapiesForum—European Networking in Norway

At the beginning of April 2005, I travelled toBergen, Norway for the annual general meeting ofthe Sykepleiernes Fagrugruppe I Alternativ Medisin(SFA—translates to the Norwegian Nurses in Alter-native Medicine Association) at the invitation of theoutgoing SFA Chair, Else Egeland. The board wereinterested in how the RCN forum had developed,our strategies for influencing the health service,policy makers and politicians and how we identifiedfor example, short-and long-term aims and businessplanning.

The SFA is a relatively small association (approx.120 members) and they have encountered someopposition from the Norwegian Nurses Associationwho were concerned about the initial developmentof this group forming under the SFA banner. Thus,discussions centred upon the advantages anddisadvantages of being part of a larger, orthodoxnursing organization.

In Norway, most complementary medicine isprovided privately. Norwegians are also looking atregulation of complementary medicine.

Else Egeland leads the umbrella group represent-ing many complementary medicine associationsthat is taking the regulation work forward. Addi-tionally, Else is Chair of the Norwegian HealersAssociation and has many European nurse contacts.She explained how the law relating to nursespracticing complementary and alternative medi-cine varies among European countries. For exam-ple, southern Europe may be subject to locallegislation pertaining to specific therapies. Thismay result in the practice of certain therapiesbeing illegal.

I found it surprising that in legal terms nursingpractice in England is seen as very liberal andsimilar to Denmark and Holland.

I found the opportunity to meet the board of theSFA interesting and stimulating and I am sure thiswill lead to continued collaboration in the future.We hope to plan a European complementarytherapy nursing conference in the next 12–24months.

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The SFA board members were extremely welcom-ing, generous and excellent hosts.

I took the opportunity to stay on for a few days inBergen to see some of stunning local countryside.The day trip up to the mountains, including a boattrip around Sondberg fjord was magnificent. I havenever before been to a place which was almostunearthly in its serenity and beauty. The sundancing on the emerald green water appeared asif an invisible hand was dropping diamonds on thesurface and the utter peacefulness of the fjord

brought a inner calm I have not felt for a long time.I would like to extend my grateful thanks to ElseEgeland, Ingvild Holmbakken the new SFA Chair andcolleagues for inviting me.

Julia FearonRCN Complementary Therapies in Nursing Forum,

108 Lordswood Road, Harborne,Birmingham B17 9BU, UK

E-mail address: jfearon@blueyonder.co.uk