Holistic Nursing

Holistic Care
? LEARNING OBJECTIVES
? The student should be able to:
? Define health as it relates to the whole person.
? List and discuss the five aspects of total wellness.
? List and discuss Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs.
? Describe self-awareness and why it is important to nurses.
? Describe self-concept.
? Discuss the concept of personal responsibility for one s own illness.
? Discover personal attitudes about health and illness and take responsibility for personal well-being.
? Identify the components of a healthy lifestyle.
? NURSING THE WHOLE PERSON
Nursing the whole person, or holistic health care, is a com¬prehensive approach to health care. It considers physical, intellectual, sociocultural, psychological, and spiritual aspects
Nurses work with people throughout life to promote wellness and prevent illness . The highest level of wellness should be the goal of each nurse and every client.
? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
? Physiological Needs
Maslow (1987) did not specifically identify the physiological needs, they are generally accepted to be the needs of oxygen, water, food, elimination, rest (sleep)/activity (exercise), and sex. With the exception of sex, all of these needs must be met for the life of the individual to be main¬tained. Satisfying the sexual need, while not necessary for individual survival, is necessary for survival of the human race.
The basic physiological needs must be met before higher-level needs become motivators of behavior. For example, a person who is truly hungry is motivated by that need, and behavior is focused on getting food.