Question

Discuss Holism and its importance in nursing.

Answer 1

HOLISM

The word holism comes from the Greek word holo- which means "whole, or  complete". Holism means the including the whole being- mind, body and soul.It is based on the fact that disturbance in one part of the whole system affects all the other parts of the system. Similarly, one part cannot function without the other.

HOLISM IN NURSING / HOLISTIC NURSING

Nursing has come a long way since the days of Florence Nightingale.But one thing that has not changed or change in the future is the presence of illness and its effect on people.In holistic nursing the aim is to care for the entire person , not just the physical body or the symptoms.

Illness has the ability to strike down any individual, even the strongest one. As nurses we must know how the disease is affecting the individual.Due to incresed patient load / work load or time constraints,nurses tend to care for the physical illness of the individual and often neglects the psycological andd emotional needs of the individual. Holistic nursing aims to heal the individual as whole, not just the physical aspect. Holistic nursing care involves healing the mind,body and the soul of the patients.It involves critical thinking and assisting the individual with the effects of illness on the body,mind,emotions, beliefs, interpersonal relations etc.It also takes the patients' social and cultural differences and preferences into consideration.

Ultimate aim of holistic nursing is to promote patients' psycological and emotional well being inorder to facilitate physical healing.