Holistic nursing

Holistic nursing is generally defined as all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal. Holistic nursing is a nursing speciality concerned with the integration of a persons mind, body, and spirit with their environment. Holistic nursing is based on a philosophy of living and being that is grounded in caring, relationship, and interconnectedness. A holistic nurse recognizes and integrates the principles and modalities of holistic healing into daily life and clinical practice. Holistic nursing encourages nurses to integrate self-care, self-responsibility, spirituality, and reflection in their lives. Holistic nursing focuses on the mind, body, and spirit working together as a whole, and how spiritual awareness in nursing can help heal illness. Holistic medicine focuses on maintaining optimum well-being and preventing - rather than just treating - disease. Holistic nursing will continue to evolve as nurses incorporate holistic principles and practices into their personal and professional lives, and as the needs of patients and society evolve. Holistic nurses perform many of the same basic duties as other nurses, with the addition of fully focusing on making a patient feel relaxed, comfortable and part of the healing process. Nurses should learn a patients name, maintain eye contact, show compassion, and use imagery and relaxation techniques for pain control instead of administering medication when possible.