Holistic Care of Patients (Essay Sample)

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Introduction
Holistic medicine is based on the belief that support and love are part of a powerful healer and an individual is responsible for her/his health or well-being. The healing process incorporates a team approach, that is, the patient and the doctor. It addresses several aspects of a patient’s life using different health care practices. Many methods of health care combine therapies of complementary and alternative medicine. When Western medicine is used together with complementary medicine, an integrated system of care emerges. There are several ways in which these kind of medicines affect the practices of nurses and these, among other issues, have been discussed in this paper.
Principles of holistic care
Holistic care involves the art of healing that addresses the whole person, and not just a body part, signs or symptoms. The principles of holistic care are mainly: optimal health, the healing power of love, whole person, prevention and treatment, innate healing power, and integration of healing systems (Brooker & Waugh, 2013).
The four principles of the holistic caring process
The holistic nurse is a symbol of healing and recognizes the four principles of holistic caring process namely: individuality, teaching by example, learning opportunities, and relationship centered care.
Differences in patient needs when developing a holistic plan of care
The format of a nursing care plan depends on the patient needs. The needs of a patient can be better understood after carrying out a nursing diagnosis, which acts as a clinical judgment about a patient’s response to health problems. By driving interventions and disease outcome, a diagnosis can help define the right plan of care. As the patient’s needs change, the nursing diagnosis evolves (Koenig, 2013). The goal category in a nursing care plan represents what the nurse wants to achieve after implementing nursing orders. Differences in patients’ needs will call for different nursing orders and as such, different goals are formulated when designing a holistic plan of care.
Similarities and differences between complementary/alternative medicine and western medicine
Both complementary/alternative medicine and western medicine emphasize on the quality of the relationship between the practitioner and the patient. A good relationship is mandatory for a successful outcome. Both approaches may be used and this is referred to as integrated medicine.
There is a major contrasting aspect between the two medicines. In western medicine, the body is viewed as a collection of organs that are independent of one another and therefore, must be treated as such. On the other hand, alternative and complementary medicine treats the body, spirit and mind as a whole, but not as separate parts.
The role of nutrition, exercise, humor and music therapy in complementary and alternative medicine
A balanced diet, low in processed food but rich in fruits, lean meat and whole grain, forms part of a healthy lifestyle. This kind of diet decreases the risk of developing medical disorders such as cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Lack of physical exercises is an established risk factor for the development of several health disorders. Regular physical exercises have been shown to improve the emotional well-being, reduces mortality and prevents the occurrence of premature death.
Humor has a unique role in complementary medicine. According to Frass, Strassl, Friehs, Müllner, Kundi & Kaye (2012), humor increases immunological responses, helps individuals to avoid negative emotions, moderates the impact of stressful events (depression, loneliness and insomnia) and increases pain tolerance.
Music therapy is increasingly being regarded as a natural path to healing through the activation of the body’s immune potential. In the most basic sense, music relaxes the patient, activates the parasympathetic nervous system healing potential, reduces the stress hormones in the blood streams, heals emotional turmoil and activates the brain centers that address cognitive conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (Frass et al., 2012).
Barriers to changing our current health care system to a more integrative system of care
Financial challenges – Health care professionals feel financial pressure as they deal with rising demand to change the current health care system (Goodwin & Smith, 2012). Projects involved in integrative system of care are crucial to maintaining quality services but they are costly as well.
Lack of leadership support – Strong leadership is an inevitable requirement to effectively drive initiatives in health care. Lack of capable executives and capable boards maintains the status quo in the health industry.
Shortage of workforce –...