Essay Example on Holistic Nursing

The practice of holistic nursing aims at healing a person as a whole. It involves promotion of the healing process by bringing a wholesome care to the patient in terms of the mind, the spirit and body bearing in mind that one cannot be able to achieve optimal physical curing if the sick person has some psychological or spiritual distresses. According to Barbara Dossey, for one to be a holistic nurse the professional must incorporate self- responsibility in their lives to enable them heal and care for others. By doing this, the nurses gain awareness of how the individuals relate to other people and the community at large.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

According to a holistic nurse, the process of becoming one is an experience that is deeply meaningful that affects almost all the aspects of the life of the individual. It changes how the person relates to the occupation of nursing and makes it more expansive. In most cases for one to a holistic practitioner, they need to have a strong reconnection to the real meaning of nursing and a personal one for that matter.

In order for one to be able to provide this kind of service, it is important to engage in self-care and find a way of renewing ones self. The reason for this is that one cannot offer to the patient what they do not have themselves. In the midst of making changes in lifestyle in order to nourish their person, the partaker feels empathy towards their clients who are trying to make a similar change in their lives.

For the nurse to be successful in the practice, it is vital to have the awareness of the power of the mind and the use the thought process in an effective way. Practices such as prayer, meditation and self-reflection give focus to the nurse and the patient. The nurses use the thoughts such as affirmations to bring positivity to those under their care and among themselves. By having increased awareness and acceptance of oneself, it helps increase the self-esteem and self-confidence of the patient. The experience of an authentic self leads to a wider self-identity.

For one to be able to discover them, they have to confront many emotions that are sometimes very intense and that are overwhelming in some instances. It also involves helping the patient face their deepest fears and deal with their resistances. There is a lot of anxiety and discomfort that comes with revelation of the shadow side of a persons self or when releasing the old beliefs before the new knowledge of oneself becomes clear and gets internalization. The aim of the holism practice is to give inspiration and hope to the patient thus increasing their joy in life as well as their serenity.

According to the nurse, it involves having a deeper awareness on the spirituality of oneself and those of the patient. They are able to instill the dedication to living by having a stronger love for nature however it is and help in discovering that they have everything that they need. In this way, there is a deeper feeling of faith on the ability of the universe to give solutions to whatever problem that is in existence. They aim to increase the trust in the unknown through exploring the spiritual being, where they expect meanings to what seems to have no answers now to unfold in the events or relationships in the future.

The holistic care involves having keen interest in the patient such as learning of the patents names and using them. This ensures that the patients feels appreciated and recognized instead of feeling that they are being attended to as a matter of obligation. The maintaining of a good eye contact with them when asking how they feel and attending to them is also essential in making them feel they are receiving sincere care.

The use of laughter and smiles when appropriate also goes a long way in prompting the spiritual and emotional health of the patient. The use of music in some of the health centers helps appeal to the emotions of those under their care and helps sooth them to recovery by bringing tranquil environment away from their ailment and bring out positive thoughts.

The nurse also uses non-pharmacological means to manage pain by using tools such as imagery and relaxation methods such as therapeutic touch. By doing so they reduce the dependence on the pharmaceutical treatment that sometimes has side-effects on the patient. The patient is also encouraged to take on different modalities of cure if they so wish such as aromatherapy and massage. The use of these alternatives may be effective where other methods have been unsuccessful or also complement them.

Some of the successes realized because of holistic nursing are making the patients change the perception they have on themselves and their ailment thus encouraging them to finish treatments in cases of long-term diseases such as diabetes and cancer. It is also essential in boosting the self-worth of the ailing person and sometimes gives them the mental strength to fight the ailment. Therapy has helped patients who are physically impaired because of injuries overcome this challenge and regain their mobility.

In as much as there are many inventions in technology to give care to the patient, the human touch of the holistic nurse will always on demand. There is continuous pressure to move from care that revolves around .the center, to one that focuses on the patient. Therefore, the demand to provide wholesome healing will continue and thus holistic nursing as a practice will continue to gain popularity.

References

Holistic Nursing as Integral to Health Care Reform. (2017). Nursetogether.com. Retrieved 19 April 2017, from http://www.nursetogether.com/holistic-nursing-integral-health-care-reform

MacFadyen, J. (2013). Holistic Nursing. Holistic Nursing Practice, 27(5), 257-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/hnp.0b013e31829ea057

The Future of Nursing and Holistic Care. (2011). Holistic Nursing Practice, 25(2), 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/hnp.0b013e31820dbb4b