• K L Kwekkeboom.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, USA.
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 1997 Sep 1;24(8):1393-9.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo explore current knowledge of placebo effects, including proposed explanatory mechanisms, influencing factors, characteristics, and implications for practice and research.Data SourcesPublished and unpublished articles, books, and monographs.Data SynthesisPlacebo effects occur in up to 90% of nursing interventions. They may be explained by several mechanisms and are influenced by nurse/physician demeanor, patient factors, the patient-provider relationship, treatment factors, and context of the healthcare encounter.ConclusionsNurses need to control for placebo effects when testing whether an intervention has desired effects, but once such effects have been demonstrated, nurses can make use of placebo effects to enhance the impact of their interventions.Implications For Nursing PracticeNurses can take measures to improve the patient's response to treatment, including providing a comfortable environment, using therapeutic communication techniques, helping patients to understand specific mechanisms of their treatment, and encouraging positive expectations and motivation for effectiveness.

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