Dossey and Keegan (2012) define holistic nursing as a nursing art whose goal is to heal the whole person. Holistic nursing focuses on the psychological, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual wellbeing of a patient. Caring, building of relationships through trust, and interconnectedness between a caregiver and a patient are crucial aspects that underpin the practice of holistic nursing. Since its recognition as nursing specialty in 2003 (Klebanoff & Hess, 2013), holistic nursing is governed by standards of practice to which every holistic nurse must adhere. The standards of practice as outlined by ANA include scope of practice, principles, core values, training and certification, and principles of holistic nursing. It is therefore imperative that holistic nurses are knowledgeable about the standards of practice of holistic nursing.
Skills needed to practice holistically include exquisite decision making skills, communication skills, and cultural competence and sensitivity. Values required to practice holistically include respect for the rights and dignity of patients, honesty, confidentiality and accountability. Most importantly, it is essential that holistic nurses are knowledgeable about the effect of disease on the whole individual, so as to effectively manage or treat these effects. Disease and illness affects different individuals in different ways, making holistic nursing an important approach in delivering patient-centered care.
Holistic nursing approach promotes positive client health outcomes in a variety of ways. Holistic nursing facilitates patient-centered care due to its emphasis on building relationships between patients and clients (Klebanoff & Hess, 2013). Since diseases have varying impacts on different individuals, the relationship is essential in identifying the particular effects of disease on each individual. As a result, a caregiver can design a patient-centered plan of care, an approach that enhances patient satisfaction scores and consequently, the health outcomes of the patient. The art of holistic nursing allows patients to be partners in their own care. Patients take control of their health by adopting initiatives that prevent disease and promote health and wellbeing.
The skill of cultural competence and sensitivity that holistic nurses acquire enables them to tailor care according to the cultural needs of a patient (Dossey & Keegan, 2012). For example, a patient who doesn’t communicate in English can communicate to a health professional through an interpreter. As a result, the incidence of errors related to communication is significantly reduced. Medication errors related to dosage and mode of administration lead to significant negative impacts on the health of a patient. However, holistic nursing reduces such cases, hence promoting positive client health outcomes.
Practicing holistically can sometimes be derailed by a variety of challenges, including communication challenges and availability of resources. The increasing cultural diversity in our communities means that a caregiver encounters people from different ethnic backgrounds. Effective communication is an important aspect of holistic care. However, if the patients and their caregivers do not share a similar communication language, this becomes a barrier and a challenge. The use of Interpreters is a common approach in overcoming this challenge.
Caregivers face the challenge of strain on medical resources including time, human resource, and funds, which consequently pose a threat to the efficient delivery of holistic care. Holistic nursing requires that a caregiver spends substantial amount of time with a patient, which is complicated by the shortage of holistic nurses. To overcome these challenges, collaborating with other agencies such as the educational agencies, the government, and even non-governmental organizations to ensure that hospitals receive sufficient resources is essential.
References
Dossey, B. M. & Keegan, L. (2012). Holistic nursing. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett
Publishers.
Klebanoff, N., & Hess, D. (2013). Holistic nursing: Focusing on the whole person. American
Nurse Today, 8(10).
