Holistic Nursing Careers and Jobs

The concept of holistic nursing originated with Florence Nightingale considered by many as the first holistic nurse. Holistic nurses espouse “all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal” as per American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA).

The philosophy of holistic nursing is to treat patients in totality rather than focusing on a single symptom or disease. The mind-body connection is significant in this field. Holistic nurses treat patients on a gamut of issues in that include mental, emotional, spiritual, social, cultural, relational, contextual and environmental aspects. This discipline, earlier shadowed for a period with appearance of specialized nursing disciplines, is now re-emerging in modern times.

Several certifications are available certifying nurses as holistic nurses with the most popular program provided by the American Holistic Nurses’ Certification Corporation [AHNCC]. AHNCC offers 3 programs targeting non-degreed nurses, nurses holding Bachelor’s degrees and an advanced certification. The 3 step certification process involves an application, qualitative assessment and a quantitative examination. Several nurses also go in for complementary modalities like acupressure, meditation, music therapy and massage therapy. Normally, to practice as a holistic nurse, a Bachelor’s degree is required. Practical exposure and training are integral components of this process. Seminars, conferences and workshops can be extremely helpful too. License requirements also apply.

Career prospects are expected to be positive as patients are addressed more effectively and this translates to higher demand for holistic nurses. Holistic nurses drew median annual earnings of about $57,000 in the United States with the top end going to $75,000 a year. However, this depends largely on experience and location.

Premier institutions offering health care programs include University of Phoenix and Lincoln Technical Institute followed by Kaplan University and Everest Institute that offer equally “best in class” education. South University joins the league with an established track record of academic excellence.