Introduction
Holistic nursing is an integrated approach adopted by caregivers to build positive relationships with patients and provide care in the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual domains. As a patient undergoes treatment, all the other factors affecting their lives are considered (Delaney & Bark, 2019). An example of holistic care provision is the building of chapels in hospitals where spiritual leaders have a chance to spend time with patients to offer them spiritual support. Holistic nursing care is fundamental in improving the quality of life among the patients as the treatment sessions focus on all areas that make the patients happy.
Holistic Nursing Core Values
Communication and Cultural Competence
Communication is key to providing holistic care and better health outcomes. Nurses providing holistic care must understand the communication cues and the patient’s culture. The basic principle of building a positive relationship between the nurse and the patient. Cultural competence is the ability of the patient to understand the patient’s cultural orientation, such as language, religion, and family life (Cohen & Boni, 2018). When communication is positive, and the nurse understands the patient’s culture, all the healing requirements will be provided.
Caring Process
A holistic care process is developed as an extension of the positive communication process. Once a patient communicates the pains and challenges they experience, the nurse must carry out all required assessments and therapeutic approaches and create a safe environment where the care can be provided. Teamwork in nursing is key to caring as the examining nurse recommends other areas (Delaney & Bark, 2019). For example, a nurse examining a patient suffering from a terminal illness may recommend sessions with spiritual leaders and make the patient spend more time with family and friends to improve their quality of life.
Nurse Self-Care
A nurse can provide better services when they take care of themselves. Nurses must practice regular self-care by ensuring that healing starts from themselves and learning to manage stress at home and in the hospital environment (Cohen & Boni, 2018). The core value is premised on shared happiness, as a person can make others happy when they are happy. The hospital must ensure that nurses exercise self-care through nutrition, constant learning, and work-life balance.
Research, Ethics, and Theory
Holistic nursing is based on the philosophy that the care must be customized to offer patients evidence-based care created for their situation. Research and theory must therefore be intensified to understand the dynamic patient’s needs. The core value underscores the importance of research to make nurses understand the healthcare environment (Snippe et al., 2018). Nurses who investigate caring techniques and theories are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide better care.
Education and Philosophy
Education is the core value in the provision of holistic nursing care as it promotes the holism philosophy. In the core value, every nurse is a strong pillar in the process of providing holistic care in the process (Delaney & Bark, 2019). The hospital management must therefore organize educational symposiums to make the nurses aware of the holism process and learn the teamwork required to improve the quality of care.
Comparison with the Traditional Approach
Although both holistic and traditional nursing approaches consider the different parts of a person as a way of healing, the traditional approach treats each medical aspect separately. On the other hand, the holistic approach pays more attention to the person’s different aspects of life and treats them collectively (Frisch & Rabinowitsch, 2019). Further, the traditional approach has a narrow goal as it focuses only on the patient. On the contrary, holistic nursing has a wide spectrum of activities in the treatment process, including the family, environment, religious leaders, and the community (Cohen & Boni, 2018). Hospitals embracing the holistic nursing approach will likely experience better health outcomes as the patient’s quality of life is improved.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Holistic Nursing
A holistic nursing approach benefits patients and nurses in the healthcare realm. The approach increases fulfillment for the nurses as they improve the quality of care and make the patients happy regardless of the situation they are experiencing. The practice is sustainable as it promotes nurses’ self-care, which generally improves life for the nurses, their families, and their patients (Snippe et al., 2018). The nursing approach recognizes different specialties in the care field and engages them to ensure that the treatment process covers all the possible causes of pain. A terminally ill patient may find solace when a spiritual leader follows up for prayers and encouragement. Holistic nursing not only heals ailments in the body but also gives patients hope and makes them live happily. However, the approach may not be effective as it requires additional expertise and may not be understood by the patients. The management must therefore empower all nurses and educate the patients on the type of care to achieve a better outcome from the new approach.
Conclusion
The healthcare landscape is dynamic and requires a specialized approach to make the care process focused on the patient’s needs. A holistic nursing approach is an emerging trend in healthcare that focuses on all aspects that affect the patients. The approach is guided by five core values, ensuring that the nurses are educated, have the basic knowledge, and can analyze a patient and treat all aspects of life for an effective outcome. The principle of holism guides the care process, and a patient goes through a series of treatments for an effective outcome. The approach is effective as it makes a patient regardless of the condition.
References
Cohen, B. S., & Boni, R. (2018). Holistic nursing simulation: A concept analysis. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 36(1), 68-78. Web.
Delaney, C., & Bark, L. (2019). The experience of holistic nurse coaching for patients with chronic conditions. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 37(3), 225–237. Web.
Frisch, N. C., & Rabinowitsch, D. (2019). What is in a definition? Holistic nursing, integrative health care, and integrative nursing: an integrated literature review report. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 37(3), 260-272. Web.
Snippe, A., Mullin, J., & Pastore, R. (2018). Improving the management of patients with secondary breast cancer–a holistic nursing approach. European Journal of Surgical Oncology, 44(6), 874. Web.