Holistic nursing considers the patient’s whole being and recommends complementary treatments. Florence Nightingale is considered one of the first recognized holistic nurses. Holistic nursing is a complement to modern medicine and includes a variety of alternative health treatments. Nutrition and body cleansing play an important role. Holistic nurses provide humane care and form personal bonds with patients and their families.
Holistic nursing is a medical specialty that considers the patient’s whole being, rather than just diagnosing specific physical symptoms. Holistic nurses often recommend complementary medical treatments to help patients achieve better health. Nurses become patients’ partners, creating lasting interpersonal relationships. Nurses trained in holistic health practices often work in palliative care settings and long-term care facilities.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is considered one of the first recognized holistic nurses. She was known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because she brought comforting light and a gentle smile to wounded soldiers of war. As a nurse, she was efficient and thorough, but she also treated each patient as an individual whose personal needs were important – the definition of a holistic nurse.
Holistic nursing should not be considered an alternative to modern medicine, but a complement to improving health care. A holistic nurse is a licensed professional nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) with additional training in holistic nursing, usually a certificate or diploma. In addition to assessing the patient’s physical condition, holistic nurses will review the patient’s history and immediate environment. They may ask about stress levels, family relationships, work history, education, religious affiliation, and anything else that might affect the patient’s life.
When used as a complement to traditional medicine, holistic nursing can include a variety of alternative health treatments, depending on the specific ailment. The patient is carefully evaluated and the nurse recommends a specific combination of treatments. Holistic health care practices include aromatherapy, shiatsu massage, yoga, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), meditation, hypnotherapy, energy healing, and many other modalities.
Nutrition and body cleansing play an important role in holistic nursing. Macrobiotic diets and food combinations may be prescribed, sometimes in combination with hydrotherapy (hydrotherapy). The patient may be encouraged to participate in a nutritious diet to help flush harmful toxins from the body and increase energy levels. In addition, holistic nurses sometimes practice colonic hydrotherapy, also known as colonic high, where toxins are flushed out of the intestines with water injections.
Many hospitals and clinics employ holistic nurses. They provide patients with humane care and a respect for their personal dignity that is sometimes lacking in other parts of the healthcare industry. Holistic nursing can be especially effective with terminal and long-term patients. Nurses form a personal bond that also extends to the patient’s family and friends to help alleviate the stress caused by the illness. Holistic nursing offers a welcome alternative view of health care alongside excellent, traditional nursing care.
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