In a holistic nursing career, spirit and emotion are just as important to wellness as the mind and the body; and the philosophy of caring and interconnectedness is fused with knowledgeable nursing practice.
The holistic health field recognizes the totality of the human being, integrating natural healing with clinical practice to treat people’s physiological, psychological and spiritual needs. Similarly, this type of nursing helps to complement more traditional methods for a well-rounded, complementary approach.
A holistic nurse is a board-certified registered nurse (RN) who incorporates a mind-body-spirit-emotion approach to patient care—akin to the philosophy of holistic medicine schools. To assist patients in maintaining a healthy balance of mind, body, and spirit, these nurses frequently urge patients to include self-care, self-responsibility, spirituality, and introspection in their lives.
A holistic approach to nursing care focuses on treating the patient as a whole rather than only addressing the symptoms of their current disease. Holistic nursing care approach patients from a different angle and look at their lifestyles to find clues about how to enhance their overall health and wellness rather than treating a specific problem.
Holistic nurse practitioners often incorporate complementary therapies into patient care, relying on eastern and western medical traditions, such as aromatherapy. In addition, they employ holistic medicine, not just as a treatment method but to prevent disease, as well. It operates under the idea that a person’s complete physical and mental well-being can reduce their risk of becoming ill.
Holistic caring process: A holistic nurse enhances the standard of care by treating patients as whole beings—recognizing that holistic health is a multidimensional condition.
Communication, environment, and cultural diversity: The three pillars of holistic nursing care are communication, a therapeutic healing environment, and cultural diversity. A holistic nurse, therefore, effectively communicates with their patients and cares about the well-being of their environment using environmentally friendly practices and treatments. Additionally, they are aware of the diversity of their community and know how to apply cultural traditions to the healing process.
Nurse self-reflection and self-care: A holistic nurse practitioner assesses their own performance in light of existing laws and standards and identifies areas for improvement. They also practice self-care by encouraging a good balance between work and personal life, controlling stress, and enhancing their general well-being.
Education and research: A holistic nurse stays current on developments and trends in the industry, such as holistic nutrition and studying therapeutic modalities from various sources and putting them into action.
What does a holistic nurse do?
Registered and holistic nurses undertake the same tasks, including running tests, identifying illnesses, and managing patients, but a holistic nurse practitioner has additional responsibilities to aid the patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual recovery.
Firstly, they combine Eastern and Western medical approaches in hopes of improving patient care and boosting the body’s natural healing processes. Additionally, they assist patients in finding the alternative therapy that is most appropriate for them. They also assist in controlling patient stress and anxiety.
Although excellent holistic nurses possess the same professional abilities as typical RNs, the deeper connection a holistic nurse practitioner strives to establish with patients sets them apart. They understand their problems, pay close attention to detail, are observant, kind, good listeners, view patients as a whole, and place equal focus on patients’ emotional and physical health.
In a holistic context, a nurse sees a health problem as a reflection of how individuals live and care for themselves. So when they engage with their patients, they look at the health condition and the entire lifestyle that contributes to it. Then, to help heal and avoid recurrence, they suggest various measures to alleviate the issue, such as dietary adjustments, stress-relieving workouts, and more.
Where do they work?
Holistic nurse practitioners find career possibilities in patients’ homes, clinics, hospitals, and primary care facilities. Those working in 24-hour hospitals and private clinics may find themselves working late at night, early in the morning, or on the weekends. Additionally, to suit patient schedules, nurses who care for patients in their homes sometimes have to work late into the night or on the weekends.
Medical offices are often open during regular business hours. With this, holistic nurses working in them will likely have a more predictable daily routine. A holistic nurse practitioner can also work with the government, social service organizations, or educational institutions.
Holistic nurses may also practice in hospice care facilities, where they use holistic medicine to treat terminally ill patients at the end of their lives.
Becoming a holistic nurse
As with other registered nurses, you must complete a few steps before becoming certified as a holistic nurse, including earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Getting experience in healthcare and growing used to the workplace are two crucial steps in becoming a holistic nurse.
Required education
Holistic nurses, like RNs, must enroll in a college or university to get their BSN or ADN. After earning a BSN or ADN, nurses are then qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) test. Finally, holistic nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN before applying for a license and practicing.
Employers often prefer those with a bachelor’s degree, and it may be beneficial to go a step further to earn a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN). Although earning your MSN it isn’t strictly necessary to practice as a holistic nurse, registered nurses who want to specialize in the profession often do so.
Certifications
After obtaining your RN license, you can seek holistic health certification with the American Holistic Nurses Certification Corporation (AHNCC). The prerequisites for certification include:
holding an RN license,
completing at least 48 hours of nursing continuing education,
and working as a holistic nurse for at least a year or 2,000 hours.
After that, candidates must pass a quantitative and qualitative evaluation to become certified. Certificate renewal is required every five years.
Other holistic nursing certification programs you may want to look at include:
The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) is an organization that supports practicing holistic nurses and supports numerous initiatives linked to holistic nursing.
Integrative Healing Arts Program (IHAP), IHAP is a retreat for holistic nurses focusing on honing nurses’ abilities and exposing them to fresh approaches to treatment.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses earn a median annual salary of $86,070. Take a look at salaries for RNs by state.
Registered Nurses
National data
Median Salary: $86,070
Projected job growth: 5.6%
10th Percentile: $63,720
25th Percentile: $75,990
75th Percentile: $104,670
90th Percentile: $132,680
Projected job growth: 5.6%
State data
State
Median Salary
Bottom 10%
Top 10%
Alabama
$65,900
$50,310
$92,870
Alaska
$106,410
$82,980
$132,090
Arizona
$88,310
$70,060
$109,750
Arkansas
$72,920
$45,200
$96,040
California
$133,990
$83,510
$194,240
Colorado
$86,900
$70,790
$112,800
Connecticut
$100,620
$78,370
$127,150
Delaware
$93,200
$73,800
$122,670
District of Columbia
$105,220
$75,340
$136,120
Florida
$80,960
$63,520
$105,580
Georgia
$83,620
$63,450
$124,330
Hawaii
$129,210
$81,070
$145,940
Idaho
$80,130
$62,210
$105,300
Illinois
$82,470
$63,900
$105,140
Indiana
$78,530
$61,710
$103,710
Iowa
$71,570
$61,250
$90,800
Kansas
$75,780
$58,760
$94,900
Kentucky
$77,830
$61,520
$101,770
Louisiana
$76,650
$60,720
$101,650
Maine
$81,610
$64,600
$107,240
Maryland
$89,340
$66,880
$114,440
Massachusetts
$99,730
$74,010
$166,100
Michigan
$81,710
$67,450
$101,610
Minnesota
$97,300
$73,050
$120,420
Mississippi
$69,370
$54,580
$100,160
Missouri
$77,190
$56,690
$99,330
Montana
$79,170
$64,530
$104,970
Nebraska
$78,100
$61,770
$99,410
Nevada
$96,210
$77,160
$132,010
New Hampshire
$86,620
$66,620
$109,930
New Jersey
$100,160
$77,700
$127,750
New Mexico
$83,970
$68,120
$124,800
New York
$104,570
$69,450
$136,780
North Carolina
$79,580
$62,980
$104,190
North Dakota
$74,930
$63,920
$95,680
Ohio
$79,940
$64,480
$105,380
Oklahoma
$78,760
$61,360
$101,390
Oregon
$110,940
$86,730
$136,950
Pennsylvania
$82,780
$64,820
$109,740
Rhode Island
$94,840
$69,350
$116,510
South Carolina
$78,380
$60,780
$98,980
South Dakota
$67,030
$54,780
$85,400
Tennessee
$76,200
$55,510
$98,090
Texas
$85,110
$64,580
$115,740
Utah
$79,790
$64,950
$102,000
Vermont
$81,900
$65,390
$110,680
Virginia
$84,100
$63,710
$115,120
Washington
$107,720
$82,630
$139,390
West Virginia
$78,730
$50,650
$99,440
Wisconsin
$83,300
$69,240
$105,110
Wyoming
$79,970
$62,400
$105,800
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2023 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
Depending on the state they are in or the organization they work for, holistic nurses may be eligible for benefits, including health and life insurance, daycare, payment for continuing education, holiday pay, and maternity/paternity leave.
Even though the BLS does not explicitly address job growth for holistic nursing jobs, it estimates that employment for registered nurses is expected to expand by 5.6% through 2032, which is just slightly faster than national job growth for all careers.
By 2032 there will be a greater-than-average increase in the need for nurse practitioners, and holistic nurses who advance their education and enter the practitioner area may expect a much higher than average job growth rate of 44.5% says the BLS.
Frequently asked questions
What is a holistic nursing program?
A holistic nursing practitioner program adds training that emphasizes focus on treating the patient’s mind, body, and spirit, setting it apart from a typical nursing school. Depending on the school, this may entail emphasizing compassion, self-care, interpersonal relationships, massage treatment, religion, and spirituality.
How much time does it take to become a holistic nurse?
It varies widely from person to person and depends heavily on the level of education you pursue. It takes at least two years to earn an ADN, and four years to earn your BSN. If you aim to earn your MSN, it takes two additional years on top of the time it takes to earn your BSN.
Are there a lot of holistic nurses?
Holistic nurse practitioners continue to have a substantially brighter job outlook than the national average for all jobs. Furthermore, nurses with holistic training should anticipate growing work prospects as the healthcare business adopts more complementary and alternative medicine techniques to assist patients in managing acute and chronic diseases.
