Holistic care in nursing is an approach to health and wellness that considers the integrative aspects of the whole person, including the body, mind, and spirit. It is unique because it does not isolate symptoms or aim to treat disease based on a person’s physical condition alone but honors the interconnectedness of the whole person.
This blog explores holistic care in nursing and explains how nurses can become holistic practitioners. Read on to learn why health care professionals and organizations are encouraging and adopting a holistic approach to nursing care.
What is Holistic Nursing?
Holistic nursing is an approach to care that emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention and seeks to treat each person as a whole. In nursing practice, a holistic practitioner will evaluate a presenting health issue in the context of the broader picture, including a person’s:
- Emotional state
- Social support systems
- Environment
- Lifestyle factors
- Spiritual or religious beliefs
Holistic nursing places emphasis on identifying risk factors and incorporating patient preferences and values, recognizing that mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness have a significant impact on overall health.
Responsibilities of a Holistic Nurse
A holistic nurse conducts the responsibilities of traditional nursing with a whole-person approach to care. Holistic nurses lead their peers in proficiently completing thorough patient assessments, offer emotional support, and create effective care plans with patient advocacy and care coordination at the forefront.
Ongoing professional development and documentation of nursing care are essential for all nurses. The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) highlights evidence-based research and standards of practice at the foundation of holistic nursing practice. Collaboration with patients is a hallmark of holistic nursing care that accentuates:
- Patient needs, preferences, and goals
- Education for health promotion and overall wellness
- Non-pharmacological adjunct therapies for pain management
- Compassionate communication with empathy for mental and emotional challenges
Holistic care seeks to address many dimensions of health and wellness and is one of the nursing career paths you can pursue with a BSN. Complementary and alternative medicine referrals may accompany holistic care in nursing to promote healing.
Benefits of Holistic Nursing Care
An increasing focus on holistic practice in health care is happening because the holistic approach has many benefits. Let’s explore some of these key benefits in more detail.
Patient-Centered Empowerment
A holistic approach inherently honors the preferences and values of patients and families, empowering them to participate fully in achieving their health goals. For example, where religious beliefs or spirituality play an integral role in the lives of those receiving holistic care, holistic practitioners seek to understand and integrate these concepts for improved outcomes.
Research demonstrates that spiritual care can be limited when nurses are inadequately prepared to assess spiritual preferences or when they have been exposed to cultures that do not prioritize this dimension of wellness. Specialized training on incorporating spiritual care is an important educational goal for holistic practitioners.
Emphasis on Disease Prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 6 in 10 American adults have a chronic disease, with 4 in 10 having two or more. This statistic is a reason holistic practice emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention through mitigation of lifestyle risk factors. Holistic care focuses on early intervention that can reduce the development of chronic diseases in our nation’s population, such as:
- Dietary modifications
- Increased physical activity
- Smoking cessation
- Improved sleep habits
- Stress management
An example of holistic care is the encouragement of mindfulness and meditation to reduce stress and burnout in the nation’s nursing workforce during and after COVID-19. Through this approach, increased resilience and improved emotional regulation are fostered.
Supportive of Natural Healing
In holistic practice, conventional therapies are coupled with complementary and alternative medicine interventions to promote the body’s natural healing ability. For example, holistic nursing care plans may regularly be created to include treatment modalities such as:
- Massage and touch therapy
- Acupuncture
- Herbal remedies
- Biofeedback and guided imagery
Supplemental therapies are emphasized more in holistic medicine to support health and wellness, encourage self-care, and build collaborative relationships between patients and holistic practitioners.
Shifts the Global Health Paradigm
As more nurses aim to emphasize a holistic model, the focus on disease and illness is shifted toward a more preventive, wellness-based example of care. A generally proactive rather than reactive approach can shift the global health paradigm to one of positivity and success in maintaining and enriching health throughout the lifespan.
Therapeutic relationships between patients and holistic practitioners can set the standard for active participation in optimizing health and wellness as a team. As patients participate in their care, a trend of improved self-efficacy and positive lifestyle changes can begin to flourish.
How Do You Become a Holistic Nurse?
The first step to becoming a holistic nurse is to earn a BSN degree. There are accelerated programs you can complete to become a nurse online that will help expedite this process for applicants who currently hold a bachelor’s degree. An accelerated BSN (ABSN) program includes online coursework and in-person clinical experiences required for skill-building and hands-on practice in supervised, real-world care settings.
Once you complete your nursing education program and become licensed as an RN, the path to specializing as a holistic nurse is centered on continuing education and validating your holistic nursing competencies. You can pursue additional training in alignment with holistic nursing theory and holistic approaches to care in the form of:
- Workshops
- Seminars
- Graduate-level coursework
- Specialty certifications
The American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC) offers certification for nurses trained in holistic care that recognizes competency in this specialty. The AHNCC outlines excellent reasons to pursue certification to advance your career in holistic nursing and demonstrate a commitment to the highest standards of practice in the field.
Other reasons to pursue AHNCC certification include:
- Affirmation of a holistic approach to health and wellness
- Credibility for your expertise
- Public assurance of quality holistic care
- Accountability to a high standard
If you are ready to embark on your nursing journey and become a holistic practitioner, consider Holy Family University as an excellent choice for your education.
Earn Your ABSN Degree at an Outstanding Value
If you are looking for a high-quality and accredited ABSN program to earn your degree, Holy Family University (HFU) offers an outstanding value. Our mission-driven curriculum and supportive faculty will develop you as a holistically trained nurse ready to serve patients.
Notable program features include:
- Flexible, online learning
- More affordable than local programs
- High NCLEX-RN pass rates (96% in 2024)
- Fewer prerequisite courses required (5 at HFU vs. 8 or 9 with competitors)
By pursuing the Second Degree Distance Hybrid BSN from Holy Family University, you will participate in 100% online coursework with one in-person residency experience. Program completion is anticipated in just 14 months. A dedicated clinical placement team is also ready to help you find qualified preceptors and immersive clinical sites so you can focus on your studies and effectively prepare for your future career.
If you have a current bachelor’s degree, you can get started on your ABSN today by downloading your program guide.
