Becoming a nurse has been described as a calling, rather than a simple career. It attracts those who have a passion for helping people. They ease pain and suffering and are often some of the few medical staff in any hospital who offer comfort and a smile to those who are suffering, while doctors, often harried and under enormous time pressure flit from room to room or spend their time in surgeries. It is the nature of western medicine.
What is also part and parcel of western medicine is a focus on the body a legacy of the scientific method. It is widely accepted that the purpose of modern medicine is to alleviate physical pain. However, for many nurses, this approach falls short of what patients actually need.
The idea of holistic nursing is one that many nurses, who may have lost their passion for their work welcome. They have become more and more aware that human beings are far more complex than a simple collection of muscles, connective tissue, nerves and bone. Human beings are far more complex. They have spiritual needs, mental needs, and needs that are related to their relationships with others. The challenge for far too many years has been the fact that traditional RN training has focused on physical care.
However, this is changing. For those nurses that have become disillusioned with this narrow focus on the physical, to the exclusion of the other needs of patients holistic nursing qualifications are now becoming more widely available. One such qualification is the Transformative Nurse Coach Certificate Program offered by The Nurse Coach Collective.
This program allows RNs to rise above the limitations of the conventional model of nursing, which emphasizes the treatment of symptoms. By taking advantage of the training offered by the Nurse Coach Collective nurses will be empowered to treat the patient as a whole person. In effect, the training will help nurses become partners with patients in exploring just how these patients can heal themselves from the inside out.
The holistic nursing approach emphasizes that although the physical is of course extremely important, it is not ultimately the only aspect of the healing process. To be truly effective that process must also take into account other needs, such as the mental, social, and spiritual requirements of the patient.
Research seems to indicate that if these needs are not met then the road to recovery can be a rocky one. Even patients who may not exhibit any physical symptoms related to their original conditions, or who have recovered from surgery struggle with other issues that impact their quality of life.
A certified integrative nurse coach assists patients in areas other than the physical (although that still remains essential). Holistic nursing provides patients with a blueprint for living a happier and more fulfilled life. It does this by providing nurses with the skills to advise and guide patients in areas such as optimum nutrition, exercise and movement, mindfulness and sleeping habits. In addition these certified nurse coaches will also be able to help patients with relationship problems that may have arisen as a result of either surgery, recovery, or treatment for chronic illness.
The program has been designed by nurses who also found their passion for nursing waning as the years went by, partly due to the exclusive emphasis on the physical. It is because these nurses have been in hospital rooms and spent long hours with patients that the certification is based on what they have learned and the experiences of many nurses.
This is an important point for those who are searching for the next step in their journey as RNs. They will not be undertaking that journey alone. They will be part of a community of many nurses who are committed to regaining their passion for a career that is driven by much more than money.
It is a disruptive approach. but for many nurses, it is one that is long overdue. There is absolutely no reason that the nurse of the 21st century should be limited by the restrictions that have been imposed by generations of medical practice. It is detrimental not only to patients, but also to the morale, drive, and passion of many nurses.
For those nurses who want to rediscover that passion for the job, this sort of opportunity is one that is long overdue. It is an approach that is setting the standard for what nursing care in the 21st century should be. If you are one of those nurses who want to rediscover the sheer joy of seeing patients recover from illness or surgery this certification will empower you to make a lasting difference in the lives of those patients under your care.
However, the benefit is not confined to patients – it can change your life and career, and help you enjoy a happier and more fulfilled nursing experience.
To Learn More about becoming a certified Nurse Coach visit The Nurse Coach Collective.
