FEAT URE S
Florence Nightingale
and Holistic Nursing
by Barbara Dossey
e are at a time in history where we must
transform the health care structure from
a disease management industry to a
healing system. As nursing students, your role
today is key to the future of health care. How do
you want to actively contribute to these dynamic
changes that will impact the practice and the image
of professional nursing, and the healing of society?
W
History is one of the most important aspects of any
profession. Modern nursing has a proud heritage
through its founder, Florence Nightingale, who lived
from 1820 to 1910. Nightingale was a mystic, visionary,
healer, reformer, environmentalist, feminist, practitioner,
scientist, politician and global citizen. Her achievements
are astounding when viewed against the backdrop of the
Victorian era, and her contributions to nursing theory,
research, statistics, public health, and health care reform
are invaluable and inspirational. As a brave risk-taker,
Nightingale possessed uncommon vision, focus,
dedication, and commitment. Her tenets of healing,
leadership, and global action provide us with her vision
for a healthy world (Dossey, 2000; Dossey, Selanders,
Beck, & Attewell, 2005).
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2005
FE AT U R ES
Although Nightingale's work, letters,
and books date back to the last
century, they contain the core values
to holistic nursing practice and
nursing’s roots. Challenge yourself
to identify the core values that guide
your professional practice and personal life, and learn to communicate
them powerfully and clearly to colleagues, consumers, and other health
care professionals. To better accomplish this, let’s explore the essential
components of holistic nursing
practice and ways to articulate
the essence of professional nursing.
Holistic Nursing
Can holistic nursing can be delivered
in today’s health care environment?
Yes! But nurses must understand
what holistic nursing is and what
is involved in holistic care. Although
the face of modern health care has
changed, the essence of Florence
Nightingale’s message for holistic
nursing and holistic care remains
the same.
The American Holistic Nurses’
Association (AHNA) Standards of
Holistic Nursing Practice provide
a working description of holistic
nursing and give clear guidelines
for holistic nursing practice (AHNA,
2003; Frisch, 2000). Holistic nursing
heals the whole person. Holistic
nurses are agents of healing and
facilitators in the process, honoring
the individual’s subjective experiences
and beliefs about health and values.
To become therapeutic partners with
individuals, families, and communities, holistic nurses draws on nursing
knowledge, theory, research, expertise, intuition, and creativity. Holistic
nursing practice encourages peer
review of professional practice in
various clinical settings and integrates
knowledge of current professional
standards, laws, and regulations
governing nursing practice.
Holistic nurses must integrate selfcare, self-responsibility, spirituality,
and reflection in their lives, which
may lead them to a greater awareness
of their connection to others and to
the universe and the forces of nature.
The AHNA Standards of Holistic
Nursing Practice are used in conjunction with the American Nurses
Association Scope and Standards of
Practice (2004), American Nurses
Association Nursing’s Social Policy
Statement (2003), and the specific
specialty standards where holistic
nurses practice. They reflect the
diverse nursing activities in which
holistic nurses are engaged and serve
holistic nurses in personal life, clinical and private practice, education,
research, and community service.
Nursing Theory and
the Essence of
Professional Nursing
There are four essential questions
you must answer to help you define
the essence of nursing: How do you
define 1) Nursing? 2) Person?
3) Health? 4) Environment?
These four questions are also the
basic components of nursing theory.
Choosing a nursing theory to guide
your nursing practice is not just
an exercise in your education — it
impacts both your professional and
personal life and strengthens your
purpose, meaning, and mission
in life. (See references for more
information on these four concepts.)
Finding Your “Must”
Nightingale refered to her work as
her “must.” What is your “must?”
To enhance your understanding of
holistic nursing and your personal
mission statement, make it a priority
to talk with peers, faculty members,
and nurses about holistic philosophy,
nursing theory, and complementary
and alternative interventions. Discuss
your role as a student in shaping the
image and future of professional
nursing. These interactions help you
think critically about what your personal and professional values and
help you bring caring and healing
into each day.
Some of my greatest joys in nursing
have been exploring the journey
towards wholeness with my patients
and with holistic nursing colleagues
in professional organizations, such
as the American Holistic Nurses’
“A part of Nightingale's
wisdom resides within
each of us.”
Association (AHNA), the American
Nurses Association (ANA), the
American Association of Critical
Care Nurses (AACN), and Sigma
Theta Tau International (STTI).
I have been a critical care nurse,
biofeedback nurse, nursing educator,
holistic nurse consultant, and
Florence Nightingale scholar. After
thirty-nine years in nursing, my
major challenges are to further the
understanding and integration of
holistic nursing theory, standards,
and practice, and to teach rituals
that integrate an individual’s belief
systems and their innate healing
ability with modern technology.
A part of Nightingale's wisdom
resides within each of us. I imagine
hearing her voice as she tells each
of us to identify our “must” and to
fight for a health care system driven
by the needs of patients. She would
encourage all of us to unite in order
to actualize our visions. Nightingale,
the master networker, would want us
to know who are elected officials are
and how to best educate them so that
they can develop effective legislation
for health care reform.
Exciting work lies ahead. How are
we going to write our chapter of
nursing history as the beginning of
the 21st century? What is our role at
the local, national, or international
level, and in the health care system?
What seeds are we going to plant for
others? What is our next productive,
innovative and creative endeavor? I
wish you the best in your healing
journey and finding your “must!” ¥
NSNA IMPRINT | www.nsna.org 57
FEAT URE S
resources
and Bartlett.
American Holistic Nurses Association
w w w. a hn a. org
Dossey, B. (2000) Florence Nightingale:
Mystic, Visionary, Healer. Philadelphia:
Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH)
w w w. NIG Hcommunit ies. o rg
(also features Powerpoint presentations
to download.)
references
American Holistic Nurses’ Association (AHNA). Standards of Holistic
Nursing Practice (2003). Flagstaff, Az:
AHNA.
American Nurses Association (2004).
Nursing Scope & Standards of Practice. Washington, D.C.: nursesbook.org.
American Nurses Association (2003).
Nursing’s Social Policy Statement (2nd ed).
Washington, D. C.: nursesbooks.org.
Dossey, B. Keegan, L., and Guzzetta, C.
(2004). Holistic Nursing: A Handbook
for Practice (4th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2005
Dossey, B., Selanders, L., Beck, D.M., and
Attewell, A. (2005). Florence Nightingale
Today: Healing, Leadership, Global
Action. Washington, D.C.:
Nursesbooks.Org.
Frisch, N., Dossey, B., Guzzetta, C. and
Quinn, J. (Frisch, 2000). AHNA Stan-
Barbara Dossey, PhD,
RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, is
internationally recognized
as a pioneer in the holistic nursing movement
and as a Florence
Nightingale Scholar,
and has authored over
20 books. For more information, visit
www. do s s eydo ssey. c o m .