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WHAT IS HOLISTIC NURSING?

Published On:   November 29, 2017

Updated On:    March 06, 2019

Florence Nightingale is credited with introducing the holistic aspect to nursing. She
believed that a patient's environment had an effect on a patient's health.
Consequently, a nurse should recognize that a patient is more than just their illness.
Many nursing schools incorporate the concept of holistic nursing into their Bachelor
of Science in Nursing (BSN) curricula since it is becoming a widely accepted practice
in modern medicine.
Why Is Holistic Nursing Care Important?
The American Nurses Association (ANA) established holistic nursing as a specialty in
2007. Holistic nursing is a comprehensive approach to patient care. According to
the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), holistic nursing is the practice of
"healing the whole person." This means that nurses should consider a patient's
body, mind, spirit, culture, socioeconomic background and environment when
delivering care. The AHNA endorses the holistic approach for all nursing practices.
In holistic nursing, nurses foster relationships with their patients to promote healing
and wellness. Holistic nursing is based on the principle that a patient's biological,
social, psychological and spiritual aspects are interconnected. These aspects fit
together to form a unique person. Thus, holistic nursing focuses on individualized
care by understanding each patient's diverse needs.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Holistic Nurse?

Holistic nurses perform many of the same basic duties as other nurses, with the
addition of fully focusing on making a patient feel relaxed, comfortable and part of
the healing process. Nurses should learn a patient's name, maintain eye contact,
show compassion, and use imagery and relaxation techniques for pain control
instead of administering medication when possible. The role of the holistic nurse is
to do the following:

 Identify each patient as an individual

 Acknowledge the whole patient
 Interact with all patients and colleagues mindfully and respectfully
 Assess patients holistically through open communication
 Pinpoint potential contributing stress factors that impact a patient's health
How Does a Holistic Nurse Treat Patients?
A holistic nurse is also known as a complementary health nurse. Holistic nurses use
alternative medicine to treat patients. Sometimes they combine their holistic healing
techniques with traditional medicine. Types of holistic treatments may include the
following:

 Acupuncture
 Aromatherapy
 Eastern medicine
 Hydrotherapy and balneotherapy
 Hypnosis
 Massage
 Wellness coaching
What Is the Difference Between Holistic Nursing and
Traditional Medicine?
Holistic nursing and traditional Western medicine implement different philosophies,
diagnostic procedures and treatment options. While the perspective of holistic
nursing is to attribute a patient's sickness or injury to their experiences and
environment, traditional medicine centers on genetics, bacteria and viruses.

Holistic Nursing
Holistic nurses listen to patient preferences and suggestions about how to proceed
with treatment options. If a patient is diagnosed with a specific disease, nurses
might prefer to focus on healing rather than the condition itself. Treatment
recommendations can include the following:

 Biofeedback
 Dietary changes
 Exercise
  Guided imagery
 Herbs
 Homeopathy
 Meditation
 Reflexology
Traditional Western Medicine
Western medicine seeks to match up symptoms to an established paradigm of
diseases and health conditions to determine a diagnosis. Providers use diagnostic
tools to find the cause of the disease and to determine a prognosis. These illnesses
and diseases are often treated with medical equipment and drug therapies.

How Does Holistic Nursing Improve Patient Care?

Holistic nursing can improve patient care because the practice delves into how a
patient may reduce their chances of being stricken with a disease or injury, and it
increases the likelihood of a positive outcome. The individualized care allows the
patient to heal by changing their lifestyle choices and applying their beliefs to their
treatment. Nurses are fully aware of a patient's struggles and strengths, which can
be used to help the patient cope, adapt and recover.

The combination of holistic nursing and contemporary Western medicine expands a

nurse's ability to offer the best treatment options for each patient. To successfully
treat patients, nurses must have the necessary knowledge about diseases and an
understanding of the physical and emotional influences that illness can have on a
person. Holistic nursing steps away from a detached protocol in medicine and
instead encourages personalized care. As holistic nursing becomes more common in
healthcare settings, nurses have the opportunity to combine alternative methods
with traditional approaches to enhance patient care.

Learn more about Northeastern State University's online RN to BSN program.

Sources:

Discover Nursing: Holistic Nurse

RegisteredNursing.org: What Is Holistic Nursing?
Nursing Theory: Holistic Nursing
American Nurse Today: Holistic Nursing: Focusing on the Whole Person
Nurse Journal: Holistic Nursing Careers & Salary Outlook
LiveStrong.com: Holistic Medicine Vs. Western Medicine
Greatist: 11 Alternative Medicines Explained
MedCity News: The Great Debate Between Western and Alternative Medicine
 PracticalNursing.org: The Importance of Holistic Nursing Care: How to Completely
Care for Your Patients
American Holistic Nurses Association: What Is AHNA?
Indian Journal of Palliative Care: Effective Factors in Providing Holistic Care: A
Qualitative Study

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