As a nurse, you likely have heard about holistic health assessments but may not be sure what the practice entails. At its core, holistic health is a comprehensive approach to nursing care that assesses the patient as a whole rather than focusing only on specific symptoms or medical diagnoses.
Holistic health assessments allow nurses to understand a patient’s overall well-being by considering the many factors influencing their health. In the online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science (BSN) program from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB), nurses complete a Comprehensive Health Assessment course that teaches them how assessing “physical, psychological, spiritual, social, functional and environmental aspects of health” improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
What Are the Fundamentals of Holistic Health?
Holistic health prioritizes all the aspects of a person’s life that contribute to their health. The leading organization in this area, Nursing Management, defines holistic nursing as “all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal.”
While that definition offers a big-picture view of holistic health, American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) president Lourdes Lorenz-Miller told the journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies in 2019 about the must-have skills for nurses practicing the technique. These include the “ability to assess, plan, intervene, evaluate and perform preventive, supportive and restorative functions” in several health domains. Holistic nurses consider a patient’s physical and emotional circumstances as well as their mental and spiritual.
Today, nurses and integrative medicine professionals often incorporate holistic health philosophies into everyday practice. Although nurses offering holistic care may support complementary modalities like mindfulness and reflexology, Lorenz-Miller says the basis of the nursing theory ultimately lies in helping patients achieve “harmony in body, mind, spirit and environment.”
Where Did Holistic Nursing Originate?
Like traditional nursing practices, holistic nursing has evolved with research as healthcare professionals learn more about human nature and the body.
The specialty nursing practice has expanded today, and AHNA has more than 5,500 nurse members. Still, Florence Nightingale is often credited with being the first holistic nurse because she believed healing was a natural process influenced by one’s environment, says Lorenz-Miller.
What Are the Benefits of Holistic Health Assessments?
Compared to traditional health assessments, holistic assessments are more comprehensive, but there is some overlap in the information collected. According to StatPearls, the key to a successful holistic assessment and evaluation is gathering information about the patient’s physical and psychological status and sociological and spiritual needs.
Based on these subjective and objective findings, nurses can quickly highlight critical needs and form a diagnosis to prioritize interventions and care. Plus, they can flag other concerns to address later to optimize the care plan further and home in on preventive strategies to avoid future health problems.
A holistic needs assessment stands out for its ability to meet patients where they are and help create a treatment program that fits their circumstances and lifestyle.
How Can Nurses Apply Holistic Health and Assessment Practices?
Nurses can apply holistic healthcare practices by considering the whole patient and their environment. The responsibilities of nurses allow them to do this very well and serve as holistic care advocates.
Nursing Management adds, “The nurse is viewed as a partner, advocate, and facilitator of the patient’s healing experience, always cognizant of the patient’s subjective experience regarding health, health beliefs, and values.”
By applying this holistic nursing framework, nurses can use best care practices in any specialty and environment.
About UMHB’s Online RN to BSN Program
Nurses in all specialties can learn more about holistic and comprehensive health assessment through educational resources and professional development opportunities. Through the UMHB online RN to BSN program’s Comprehensive Health Assessment course, students explore the practice and benefits of caring for the whole patient across the lifespan.
Holistic health is a dynamic and evolving framework, and nurses in every specialty must know how to use it to best address patients’ needs and concerns. By integrating a holistic approach into their practice, nurses can better understand the interconnectedness of various aspects of a patient’s life and provide more effective and compassionate care.
Learn more about UMHB’s online RN to BSN program.