Holistic and Integrative Nursing: Elements of Practice

Course overview

Holistic and integrative nursing care is based upon holism and may include natural products, mind and body practices, and aspects of traditional healing systems. A holistic approach towards physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual care defines how that nursing care is applied and not simply what is done to a patient. The five elements of practice defined as vital – energy, fire, air, water, earth and ether – have endured for centuries and provide a structural focus for sickroom management, creating healing environments, and the nursing care of whole patients. Nurses are guided through the application of these elements to practice using various healing modalities.