Why The World Needs More Holistic Nurse Coaches

By Caroline Ortiz - November 7, 2022
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Although medical innovations have saved and improved the lives of millions, many are awakening to the realization that our current healthcare system is fundamentally broken. Western medicine’s focus on chronic disease management is proving to be profoundly ineffective, leaving most of the U.S. population sicker than ever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60 percent of American adults have a chronic disease, and 40 percent have two or more – making chronic diseases a significant contributor to the nation’s $4.1 trillion annual healthcare cost.

As people become increasingly dissatisfied with the conventional (allopathic) approach, the voices demanding a more holistic, compassionate, and respectful care model are becoming louder. As a result, a monumental shift is occurring in American healthcare right before our eyes. We are witnessing the birth of an empowered patient population, more actively involved in their healthcare decisions, prioritizing their physical and mental health, and preventing disease.

Future Of Nursing: Demand for Holistic Nurses Is on The Rise

The popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been steadily growing in the United States. As a result, more people turn to evidence-based, natural solutions to maintain their health. This transition to a care model founded on holistic healing and integrative medicine drives the demand for knowledgeable holistic nurses and holistic nurse coaches to support integrative physicians and help people live long and healthy lives.

But despite what many believe, holistic nursing is not a new invention. In 2006, the American Nursing Association (ANA) recognized holistic nursing as a distinct specialty with a defined scope of practice. This recognition provided legitimacy to the profession and earned the respect of healthcare professionals worldwide.

Why Pursue a Holistic Nursing Education?

It is hard to imagine a more rewarding career path than becoming a holistic nurse. According to the American Holistic Nurses’ Association (AHNA), holistic nursing is “all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal.” In simple terms, holistic nursing takes a whole person approach instead of focusing on a specific illness or injury. When you become a holistic nurse or holistic nurse coach, you will know how to provide patient care across all dimensions of wellness – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental.

But to master the principles of holism, holistic nurses and holistic nurse coaches must pursue nursing programs that allow them to develop a thorough understanding of holistic philosophy and practices.

Achieving a higher education and engaging in lifelong learning is paramount to ensure holistic nurses acquire the knowledge needed to lead the change and advance health. They need programs beyond basic and advanced academic education to prepare them for their role, deepening their understanding of the theoretical and philosophical foundations of holistic nursing practices.

A career in holistic nurse coaching is immensely rewarding on a personal and professional level. Armed with the necessary knowledge and coaching skills, you will have the ability to promote healing and wellbeing by integrating all five dimensions of wellness.

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Caroline Ortiz

Caroline E. Ortiz is a board-certified nurse coach and an associate professor in the Pacific College of Health and Scienceโ€™s Holistic Nursing Programs. She has developed holistic health programs for healthcare providers and general audiences, participated in clinical research of integrative medicine, and created a Spanish-language guided meditation library for Health Journeys. She is active with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses-NY Chapter and the Integrative Health Projectโ€™s work in Guatemala. Caroline is also a curandera (f., traditional healer) apprentice and curanderismo (traditional medicine of Mesoamerican roots) researcher.

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