Working as a registered nurse has always been rewarding for me. And so, it was relatively straightforward to develop a strong interest in becoming a holistic nurse and get the required skills to provide comprehensive health care services to my patients. Due to their scope of professional role, a holistic nurse is sometimes referred to as a complementary health nurse.

Like Florence Nightingale, who is largely credited for establishing holistic nursing at the start of the century, proper patient care encompasses more than treating a patient’s symptoms or disease.

Indeed, understanding a patient’s personal life provides vital insight into an existing medical condition and helps to treat and prevent the re-occurrence of the illness or medical condition. This is because a patient’s lifestyle can significantly impact their health status.

As a holistic nurse, I am primarily motivated by the idea of taking care of a patient’s emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness. Therefore, I undertook a holistic nurse certification to equip myself with professional competencies and formalize my credentials in holistic nursing – a journey I am eager to share with you.

What Is Holistic Nursing

Holistic nursing mainly focuses on treating a patient’s diverse health needs and the interconnection of their body, mind, and spirit. 

The role of a holistic nurse is to provide patient-specific health care and care for an individual’s overall well-being. In this case, the focus of patient care lies beyond the symptoms normally exhibited by the patient.

My Journey Towards Holistic Nurse Certification

I had already worked as a registered nurse and gained the required experience before I began growing my skills and knowledge to become a holistic nurse. Noteworthy, I needed to have worked for a certain number of hours before applying to become a holistic nurse.

My goal for undertaking training as a holistic nurse was to help me incoroporate a broader range of effective treatment strategies that include alternative medicine like aromatherapy etc to support robust patient care.

Although different from a professional license, my holistic nurse certification officially recognizes that I possess the professional competencies and qualifications to work as a holistic nurse. 

Specifically, I got my certification through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC) – the body with the mandate over the certification process for registered nurses wishing to practice as holistic nurses.

Benefits Of My Holistic Nurse Certification

#1. Quality assurance: My certification shows my commitment to offering patients top-quality healthcare services. Holistic nurses are trained to rely only on science-based treatment principles and the latest patient care standards borrowed from Western and Eastern medical practice.

#2. Helps to expand the scope of patient care from merely treating one specific form of illness or symptom to taking care of the patient’s overall well-being and wellness. Holistic patient care seeks to improve the patient’s whole body’s well-being.

#3. It also indicates my commitment to hold myself to higher standards of professional conduct.

#4. My certification formally recognizes that I possess the skills and competencies to work as a holistic nurse.

#5. It is also my basis for further career progression I may undertake in the future.

#6. It is a career achievement that links me with similar professionals working as holistic nurses.

#7. My certification supports my professional credibility among patients, potential employers, and work colleagues. For example, the American Holistic Nurses Certification has helped to set me apart from the other candidate when job hunting.

Examples Of The Treatment Techniques I Use As A Holistic Nurse

Below are a few examples of some of the treatment techniques I am trained to use as a holistic nurse to improve patient care:

-Managing the patient’s stress levels

-Recommending appropriate breathing exercises

-Hypnotherapy

-Therapeutic massage

-Acupuncture

-Meditation

-Network spinal analysis

-Wellness Coaching

-Craniosacral therapy

-Hydrotherapy

-Reflexology

-Nutritional guidance

-Herbal therapy

-Exercise programs

-Biofeedback

Requirements For Holistic Nurse Certification

To attain my certification, I had to undertake and complete a diploma or degree program for BSN or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Once I had my BSN or ADN, I was ready to undertake and pass my state’s NCLEX-RN exam to qualify to work as a registered nurse.

With my license to work as a registered nurse, I applied for certification from the American Holistic Nurses Certification Corporation (AHNCC). However, I had to undertake a qualitative and quantitative test before applying for the certification.

Upon passing the exams, I had the opportunity to obtain the following certifications from AHNCC to work as a holistic nurse:

– Advanced Practice for Holistic Nurse Board’s Certification (APHN-BC)

– Holistic Nurse for the Baccalaureate Board’s Certification (HNB-BC)

– Standard Holistic for Nurse Certification (HN-BC)

Further Education And Professional Practice

As the medical industry, including the holistic nursing field, constantly evolves, I intend to continue growing my skills and knowledge.

To renew my professional license, I am expected to finish a given number of CEU working hours. It is always essential to routinely confirm with the state’s board the requirements I need before renewing my license, as these requirements constantly change.

The Skills I Needed To Work As A Holistic Nurse

Ordinarily, I found the following skills reasonably necessary when I needed to pursue a career in holistic nursing:

-Empathy to help understand the patient’s needs better.

-Listening and communication skills

-Integrity and ability to take responsibility for my actions

-Mindfulness

-Problem-solving skills, and

-Attention to detail

If you want to be fully prepared for your holistic nurse certification, you can enrol in an online training at the Nurse Coach Collective, made by nurses for nurses. They offer professional continuing education for nurses to help you earn your Holistic Nursing Certification.

With their help, you can soon become eligible to practice as a skilled certified holistic nurse. Apply now!