Holistic nurses provide nursing care to a patient's whole being in order to enable the patient to heal. In other words, the holistic nurse's goal is to help heal the patient's body along with his mind, emotions, and spirit. If you hope to become a holistic nurse, you will generally need a college degree and specialized training.
Getting a bachelor's degree in nursing and earning the registered nurse (RN) designation is a good start if you hope to become a holistic nurse. Some people choose to pursue the associate's degree in nursing leading to the RN; however, your job prospects will be better if you pursue the bachelor's degree in nursing. Nursing school will include coursework such as health assessment, biology, chemistry, nutrition, patient care, and research methods. You will also be required to successfully complete a nursing practicum where you perform nursing tasks while supervised by a licensed nurse.
During the final year of nursing school, you will prepare to take the nursing licensure examination. The licensure exam, the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), includes coverage of topics such as infection control, safe patient care, risk reduction, or pharmacology. Preparation for the nursing licensure exam typically includes reviewing classroom notes you will have taken during the course of your nursing degree, notes you will have taken during the nursing practicum, and nursing concepts in a specialized licensure preparation textbook.
Typically, if you wish to become a holistic nurse, you will seek a job during the final semester of your college degree. Then, if you successfully pass the nursing licensure exam, you will be eligible to become a holistic nurse. Graduate level education is not necessarily required; however, earning the Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) can be useful because it shows your dedication to the nursing profession and will most likely improve your chances of getting a holistic nursing job with higher levels of responsibility or pay. Also, the American Holistic Nurses Association provides the opportunity for holistic nurses to earn certification via taking an exam. This certification could be useful to earn as a means of improving your career potential.
Joining the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) could be helpful if you want to become a holistic nurse. The AHNA will keep you abreast on any new information relevant to the profession. Also, continuing education courses are often available through the AHNA which will be relevant to your practice as a holistic nurse. For instance, through these courses, you could learn more about various alternative medicine methods such as homeopathy, aromatherapy, energy medicine, herbals, acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, or massage. The better your knowledge of the various alternative therapies, the better your skills could be as a holistic nurse.
