The nursing practice is all about providing the best care possible to a patient. There are various types of treatment processes and types, which are determined by the type of ailment a patient is suffering from. Other determining factors include the historical background of the patient as well as their age.
Holistic treatment is one type of type that has been proven to be beneficial both to the patient and their kin. This kind of treatment not only focuses on the affected part of the body, but on the whole body (Yost 86). In other words, it focuses on the healing of the whole body, and not the disease alone. To be able to provide this kind of treatment, nurses should be sensitive to the needs of the patient and those around them (Yost, 29).
Holistic treatment is best for patients suffering from life-limiting diseases such as cancer. Nurses need to know how to assure the patient that all will be well, and to help them accept the situation in which they are in. Acceptance helps reduce chances of stress that may lead to depression, making worse the situation of the patient (Yost 132).
For the well-being of such patients, they should be treated with a lot of love and gentleness, otherwise known as psychological love (Yost 134). This kind of treatment is important since such patients tend to have low self- esteem and may more often than not feel unwanted by those around them. However, for this to work, the family and friends of these patients need to be actively involved in the treatment process.
Holistic treatment can be given in a medical facility such as a hospice, or at home, since it is palliative, not curative (Yost, 37). Holistic treatment has been proven to work in both situations, so long as the patient is treated with a lot of love and care. If at home, constant checkups by a professional are necessary to help with the medication and any other situation that may prove difficult to handle.
In conclusion, a nurse should be in a position to help a patient feel loved, and to ensure that the environment they are in is comfortable enough. They should also be able to train the patient’s friends and relatives on how to handle the patients and help with the treatment process.
Works Cited
Yost Deborah. The Complete Guide to Natural Cures: Effective Holistic Treatments for
Everything from Allergies to Wrinkles. New York: Harper (publisher), 2008. Print.
