The health assessment is a key nursing duty that impacts a patient’s overall care and health outcomes. Although nurses routinely perform traditional assessments, they often have minimal experience with holistic health assessments.
However, holistic health assessments play an essential role in determining an effective treatment plan, as evidenced by coursework in the CCNE-accredited online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). The following is a look at holistic assessments, their benefits and pathways to learning more about their successful application.
How Are Holistic Health Assessments Different?
Most nurses have significant experience performing standard health assessments that are both comprehensive and problem-focused. Through patient interviews and physical exams, both standard and holistic assessments include a review of:
- Past personal medical history, including prior hospitalizations, illnesses and surgeries
- Family history, such as general health, history of illness and cause of death
- Food, environmental and medication allergies, plus type and extent of reaction(s)
- Prescription and over-the-counter medication history, including dosages and routes of administration
- Location and severity of pain
- Evaluation of fall risks
- Mental health, including signs of confusion, depression, substance abuse and suicidal ideations
- Vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation
However, in a holistic health assessment — a central component of holistic nursing — a nurse typically dives deeper into a patient’s health history, spending more time and energy gathering information and identifying patterns or root causes. Additionally, holistic assessments emphasize the following:
- Person-centered care. Traditional assessments tend to be problem-focused, largely using the information-gathering session to discuss the most acute medical issue, or “chief complaint.” Holistic assessments use a person-centered approach and include an extensive evaluation of the patient’s physiological, psychological, sociological, developmental, spiritual and cultural status. The conversation covers these topics as well as lifestyle choices and habits such as exercise, nutrition and sleep.
- Mutual goal setting. As part of a holistic health assessment, the nurse and patient work together to establish wellness goals. Instead of prescribing a medication or treatment plan, the nurse suggests tools and methods that may help achieve those goals, and the patient determines the best strategies to adopt. Patient engagement and involvement in the decision-making process are critical to this empowering component of the holistic health assessment.
Importantly, holistic assessment is no longer a fringe or alternative concept. Large nursing organizations now incorporate components of holistic assessment practices — and holistic nursing practices in general — into overarching nursing process descriptions and guidelines.
For instance, person-centered care is the second domain (out of 10) of the Essentials from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) — the organization’s outline of curriculum content and expected competencies for nursing program graduates. In addition, the American Nurses Association (ANA) states, “Assessment includes not only physiological data, but also psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, economic, and life-style factors as well.”
What Are the Benefits of Holistic Health Assessments?
Holistic nursing assessments seek to understand the unique challenges, strengths and goals of each patient. Some of the many benefits of this approach include:
- Increased communication. By working together to establish goals and discussing options for the best course forward, nurses and patients increase their communication and create more balanced, collaborative interactions.
- Patients feel valued. Many patients struggle with making long-term, healthful changes, especially if they feel unheard or treated as just a number. Holistic assessments recognize all patients as individuals by respecting their beliefs and values and encouraging them to actively craft goals and care plans.
- Improved outcomes. Helping patients gain more control over their healthcare decisions can expedite their adoption of positive lifestyle changes and strengthen treatment plan adherence — all of which may lead to improved outcomes.
Where Can Nurses Learn More About Holistic Methods?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of registered nurses will increase by 6% between 2023 and 2033, faster than the average growth for all occupations. Further, the use of complementary and alternative medicine is growing rapidly. Research shows that evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine therapies can be very impactful in treating diseases.
Holistic methods exist at this intersection of evidence-based practice and complementary and alternative medicine. As such, holistic health practices are becoming a foundational component of nursing education. To meet the demand, nurses interested in pursuing holistic care may benefit from more detailed instruction. UTA’s online RN to BSN program includes a course dedicated to the application of holistic health assessments across the patient lifespan.
While nurses still use traditional health assessments, there is a rapidly growing interest in holistic care. Nurses skilled in holistic health assessments can work closely with their patients to identify goals and create sustainable care plans that move them toward more robust wellness.
Learn more about UTA’s online RN to BSN program.
