The health assessment is a key nursing duty that has potential impacts on a patient’s overall care and health outcomes. The book Nursing Admission Assessment and Examination by Tammy J. Toney-Butler and Wendy J. Unison-Pace estimates that a detailed assessment can provide an accurate diagnosis as often as 70% of the time.
Although nurses routinely perform traditional assessments, they often have minimal experience with holistic health assessments.
Here is a look at holistic assessments, their benefits and ways for nurses to learn more about them.
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 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 be helpful in achieving those goals, and the patient determines the best strategies to adopt.
What Are the Benefits of Holistic Health Assessments?
Holistic nursing assessments seek to understand the unique challenges, strengths and goals of each patient. Some 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?
According to the journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies, the holistic nursing specialty is projected to increase nearly 20% by 2022. In order to meet growing demand, nurses interested in pursuing holistic care may benefit from more detailed instruction. Online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) programs sometimes offer related coursework. The RN to BSN online program at The University of Texas at Arlington includes a course dedicated to the application of holistic health assessments across the patient lifespan.
While traditional health assessments are still widely used, there is a growing interest in holistic care. Nurses who are 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 RN to BSN online program.
Sources:
Alternative and Complementary Therapies: The Expanding Field of Holistic Nursing — A Growing Trend
American Holistic Nurses Association: What Is Holistic Nursing?
ResearchGate: The Importance of Holistic Assessment — A Nursing Student Perspective
