Holistic nursing has been recognized as a specialty by the American Nurses Association since 2006. Holistic nurses provide health care to patients of all ages, from newborn to elderly. Clients are viewed non-judgmentally and treated with respect and dignity. Each client is seen as a whole person, and treatment is provided after considering the context of his life, relationships and current circumstances--not just his physical health.
The Patient as a Whole Person
The holistic nurse seeks to understand the whole client, from a physical, mental and spiritual standpoint. While this is the domain of all nurses, holistic practitioners spend more time day to day looking at the entire client, while conventional nurses focus on the client's presenting medical or psychiatric issue. For example, a conventional nurse will provide medication for a client's headache as prescribed by his physician. In contrast, a holistic nurse may provide massage, energy healing and talking about the client's spiritual and relationship problems in addition to providing the prescribed medication.
Conventional Treatment
Many holistic nurses provide conventional wound treatment, medications and intravenous therapy as well as complementary medicine. As a licensed health care provider, she recognizes that her clients have medical and psychiatric needs that cannot be met with traditional methods alone. She may give a diabetic client his insulin as she seeks to improve his health with nutritional therapy and emotional support.
Complementary Therapies
Viewing herself as a facilitator of healing, the holistic nurse may provide one or many complementary therapies to her clients. Common techniques include music therapy, aromatherapy, relaxation, humor, exercise and nutrition. She may teach the client imagery techniques to cope with pain or to help him deal with unpleasant medical procedures. Some holistic nurses use therapeutic touch while others work with an energy field while keeping their hands just above the client in an effort to heal him.
Relationships
Relationships are a key component of holistic nursing. The client is guided toward a positive relationship with himself. The other important relationships in his life may be examined to determine if they are healthy. The nurse utilizes relationship techniques such as communication, empathy, understanding and sharing to assist in the healing of the client. The client's spiritual relationships may be explored as well.
Healing
The American Holistic Nurses Association defines holistic nursing as "all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal." It is important to the holistic nurse to heal the client, not just treat the physical symptoms of illness. Using a combination of conventional and complementary techniques, she creates an atmosphere of healing that can improve the client's physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
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