Questions
- Physicians often blame opioids when a patient has mental status changes. Name three other reasons an oncology patient might have cognition changes.
- Pain is multi-dimensional, what other factors can influence a patients pain and suffering?
- What did Margo McCaffery, registered nurse and pioneer in pain management say about pain?
Discussion Question
- Anyone who attended the Holistic Nursing Conference in Milwaukee this last weekend is encouraged to share one of the highlights of the conference with the group.
- For those who did not attend, or who went and do not wish to share, what is your understanding of the concept of holism and self-care? Please share what you routinely do that would be considered self-care.
Please send your answers to melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com, remember to use full sentences and no copy and pasting please!
What is your understanding of the concept of holism and self-care? Please share what you routinely do that would be considered self-care.
ReplyDeleteI define self-care by nurturing your mind body and soul to the best of your abilities. If you are unable to do these things that is when you seek professional help. Self-care is eating right, exercising, seeking out spirituality and enjoying human connections. When one of these areas becomes out of balance the individual becomes ill. Physically, mentally or spiritual illness can effect a person very differently from person to person. My self-care routine involves trying to eat right, exercise of at least 30 minutes 3-4 times a week, seeing my physician at least yearly, and managing my work life balance. I attempt to have some time set aside each week to connect with my family and spend time out and about to manage my mental stress. My spirituality is nature based so I try and set sometime aside to connect with mother nature each day, a short walk or just sitting on the porch. This is how I complete the best care of myself.
For some reason, I can no longer comment on this website. Bummer! Anyone who attended the Holistic Nursing Conference in Milwaukee this last weekend is encouraged to share one of the highlights of the conference with the group.
ReplyDeleteI attended this conference this weekend and the nutrition section of the workshop was amazing. Jolie Witt and I will do a presentation on the push for the Mediterraen diet plan in a couple of weeks on this. It was a short session, however, I really feel like I learned alot with the relationships with Fish Oil ratios in the body and breast cancer.
It looked like so much fun!
DeleteGlad you had fun. Wish I could have attended.
DeleteSounds intriguing Kari. Maybe I'll be able to make the next conference.
DeleteI attended the conference and learned a lot of things on how to take care of yourself. I also like the nutrition part and the Mediterrean diet that they discussed.
DeleteHolism to me is thinking and treating the mindbodyspirit as one. All are interconnected and what affects the mind will affect the body and the spirit. What affects the body affects the mind and spirit and so on. For my own self-care I have stopped picking up extra shifts. Instead I concentrate on taking care of myself. I try to eat correctly, sleep at least 7 hours, even when working the night shift. I also make sure to spend time with family and friends.
ReplyDelete... I can only post a comment via a reply. (There was a day I could not say no to working an extra shift :) ) Interestingly I think my ideas of self-care have evolved over time. Maybe it has come with experience. I wish I would have known years ago more about the real impact of self-care. It is only recently that I have come to really see the personal and professional benefit of enhanced self-care. For me, the big difference is getting the maximum amount of sleep I need. I have learned the hard way that this is a necessity for me to function at my best. For years I got by on less sleep. That was all I knew and it was “my norm.” Once you experience something better you work toward maintaining that new norm! When I am at my best, the quantity and quality of what I have to give others is greatly enhanced.
DeleteCathy,
DeleteI love the fact that you brought up not taking extra shifts! I used to work like crazy until I had my last child (18 months now). I am now part time and my work-life balance is so much better now. The money to me is not worth the stress and lack of time with my family.
Holistic self-care is vitally important. In our role as nurses, we give. We give a lot. It's easy to become depleted. I practice holistic self-care by eating a balanced diet and running 2-3 times per week. I am also fortunate to have supportive family and friends to share life with. They are my listening ears and they encourage me. I am a Christian, and I spend time in Bible reading and prayer to keep my soul filled up, and to process things too hard for me to understand. My husband is the funniest person I know, so we also do a lot of laughing. Laughing is very healing. Last but not least, I sing. At church and in the community at Christmas. It feeds my musical soul.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, and didn't even think about it. But working out is a GREAT way to provide self care!! I was working out and felt great until my Dr. told me to take it easy (I am pregnant) so now I have to find other ways to release stress and care for myself. :-/ but only for a few more weeks!!
DeleteThanks for reminding me Jen! I love to sing at church and loudly (sorry to the folks around me). I feel refreshed and happy when I leave.
DeleteHey Tina-the Bible says to "make a joyful noise" not a perfect in-key, on tempo, performance:-) I'm good with that:-)
DeleteI love what you say about "feeding your soul". That' so important. If we don't take time to do that, our souls/spirits can become malnourished too.
DeleteHolism and self-care is was way that you take yourself into consideration. As a nurse we are often challenged with high stress situation, emotional situations, and multitasking on an hourly basis (which we as humans cannot sustain on a long term). Holism is a way to take care of yourself without the use of medications, a more natural way to intervene. I often take into consideration taking a deep breath if I am feeling overwhelmed or extra stressed. I also find myself focusing on things such as my surroundings, how I am feeling (cold, hot, clothes on my body) when I am extra stressed and I find my mind wandering to places it shouldn’t… and to bring me back to the here and now. I also often use essential oils to help with calming and balance.
ReplyDeleteessential oils is a great way to naturally influence your mood- I'm totally on board with your comment!
DeleteNature is the best answer when you need to just relax or trying to find answers or solutions. Being outside with pets or friends is just awesome. Sometimes it's just stepping out on your deck and taking some Deep breaths meaningful breaths.
DeleteLauren and Candi,
DeleteSo right you are with the essential oils.....where would we be without them ? !
Essential oils are awesome to use! I definitely thing utilizing things to stimulate the different the senses are great in self care.
DeleteI am loving essential oils too! They really work wonders. You are so right, they totally provide calming and balance. It helps slow the breathing and mind. Amazing!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI try to re-energize myself by just stepping out --like outside near nature, and do some qi gong , meditate or simple walk the dog.there's something about the fresh air, the outdoors that just makes things better almost immediately. And though my activity varies the idea of time for me remains the same.
ReplyDeleteYes, the outdoors really does make you feel better; more rejuvenated!
DeleteYes, a "medicine walk" is always in order, especially when the weather is nice:-)
DeleteI also like the outdoors and being by nature. This helps me to be more relaxed.
DeleteAgree!!!! that sounds wonderful. I need to do more of this - GOAL this summer.
DeleteHolism: The idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts. We are mind and body and spirit interconnected. To nurture those parts and enable them to work efficiently together, we need self-care. That can come in many forms as simple as a good night's rest to rejuvenate and refresh. Eating well to nourish the mind-gut connection, yoga, exercise and meditation to take us away from out stressors and relax and open the mind. From our holistic training, I am reminded to take a deep breath to relieve stress and recenter before each patient. All to promote overall health and wellness. I personally eat right, get enough sleep, do yoga, am working on the meditation part, exercise, listen to calming music, get outside to my garden, play with my dog, and try to take responsibility for my own well being.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina,
DeleteDog therapy is one THE best ways to ease the mind and for a minutes forget ones worries or the many things left to do on the agenda!
Holism, as mentioned already, is looking at a person as a whole along with the separate parts. Too many times we hear patients state that outside doctors treated them like a cancer patient, instead of, a person with cancer. This is an extreme example of how holism is not cultivated and when the outside MD is only looking at a part or few parts of the patient, the person suffers. Same is true for any person. When a person neglects a part of them, they can not be functioning at their fullest potential. This is where self reflection and self care fit in. The areas that I see myself providing self-care include: eating right for my body, movement throughout the day every day, engaging with others (both socially and spiritually), get good sleep, resting when am tired, drinking water, laughing, playing, etc. It is quite a balancing act to fulfill self-care but in the end, you need to care for yourself before you can care for others. This reminds me of the oxygen masks on the airplane. If there is a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear. Please put your mask on first, before helping others. :)
ReplyDeleteI too can not post unless I am responding to some one. It only gives me the option to post with "ATOM". Oh, well.
DeleteHolism is taking care of one's whole self. Being cognizant of this is very important to nurses. We must remember to take care of ourselves so that we can better take care of our patients. In the end it is a win- win....we are better and our patients are happier. I like to listen to music and read for me time, I also like to sit in a room with out any noise and just sit there for a while. It alays makes me feel better.
I attended the conference and really enjoyed it:-) It was not just the speakers and sessions, it was the whole experience over the entire weekend. I enjoyed fully engaging and socializing with my colleagues, without the pressure of a clinical schedule, meetings etc. Topics I most enjoyed were about Mindful Eating(Nutrition) and Sleep(Naturopathic). I learned much about the detriment of sleep debt on the body. It made me cringe to know how badly I abused(maybe permanently) my body for the 14 years I worked rotating shifts with no recovery time. My favorite speaker was Veda from BirchTree. She spoke of our environment and self care. She read a short exerpt from a book entitiled "Sabbath". I have since obtained a copy from the library as I await delivery of my own:-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you too, Julie. It was nice to socialize and engage with collagues out of work. All the speakers were outstanding.
DeleteVeda is fabulous and so down to earth. I always learn from her and can relate what she says to my life.
DeleteI was unable to attend the conference but I have had many people tell me about the nutrition and sleep discussions and impact it has made on their decision. I hope that there we be an upcoming conference onsite for those of us unable to attend.
DeleteI attended the conference and really enjoyed it as well. I would recommend that everyone attends next year if they can. One of the highlights I gathered was from one of the key speakers, Dr Patel, who spoke about Ayuvedic therapy(the science of self healing). It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on the delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. He stated,to acheive physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energenic balance and ease in your everyday life, you need to maintain and control your own structure, metabolism, and movement. SO...Relax, and Breathe.....
ReplyDeleteHello, i am replying to this blog because i am having trouble trying to blog from my own page. I too attended the Holistic Nursing conference and thouroughly enjoyed it as well. I would definetely recommend other nurses take this opportunity in the future. I honestly hadn't practiced much thought of self care as a nurse in the past and this conference lead me to think about the state of mind of a nurse and how that can impact my care for patients. It is important to be aware of your own mind and body health when caring for others in the magnitude that we do. Because of the knowledge i learned in this conference and the different methods i took to ground myself and take moments to regroup, i am now practicing good physical and mental health. I have looked deeper into Meditteranean diet and i have found that physical activity and hard workouts are a way for me to free my mind and destress. I have to say i am feeling great and plan to continue to be more aware of self care and how that directly impacts my life outside of work as well as the care i can provide to my patients.
DeleteHolism to me is looking at a whole person - mind, body, spirit. Things I do for self care include trying to eat healthier, exercise, soaking in my daughters laughter, spending time with family and friends, and knowing when it's time to take "me" time.
ReplyDeleteHolism and selfcare is how we treat ourselves as whole both spiritaully and mentaly. I love to garden and listen to the birds sing while I do my gardening. I find this very relaxing. I also like to spend time with family. This I hold very dear to my heart. I also like to ride my bike, listen to music, and reading.
ReplyDeleteI did attend the Holistic conference in Milwaukee last weekend. I would recommend people to attend next year it is well worth the trip. Any one can attend you do not need to be a nurse, because everyone needs to be reminded of self care and care of ourselves holistically. Every lecture I attended was enjoyed and the advised will be applied to my every day life. I enjoyed Dr.Veda Andrus from Birch Tree, she spoke on the environment and self care and the significance of just learning to take a deep breath.
ReplyDeleteHolism is a term that implies taking care of your whole self, spiritually, emotionally, physically and intellectually. As nurses, we often tend to the needs of others LONG before we seek to meet our own needs. We are great at the mother standard of care for others, but fail miserably when it comes to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe that holism helps to fill our well and allows us to be better nurses.
I practice self care in many ways. I am very spiritual, and enjoy Church and family. I ride my horses, camp, go to the ocean, and knit. These things make me happy, and foster my creative side, and fill my tank. I am more relaxed and feel better when I have taken the time for me and not felt "selfish" about it. This is a VERY GOOD Thing!
Judy, these all sound like wonderful activities! :)
DeleteCaring for yourself holistically means that you are caring for every aspect of your being. I am not good at caring for myself. I try to really listen to my body and what it needs. I exercise, pray, eat fairly healthy, and have learned to stop and smell the roses on a regular basis. I love to get out in nature, do artwork, and play with my dog. These things de-stress me and make me happy!
ReplyDeleteHolism and self care refers to taking care of oneself- mind, body, and spirit. Although your blood pressure may be 120/80 and from the outside you look healthy, it is much more than that. It is taking care of how you feel as a person and your spirit. It is making that time for yourself to have "you" time. Being able to reflect through meditation, writing in a journal, gardening, etc.- whatever it is that helps you feel forfilled is all considered part of self care. For me, painting, spending mommy-daughter time with me baby, going for a run while listening to music--- all these things help me be at peace.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet Amy! Spending time with loved ones is such a calming thing. Its amazing that you make the time to fit all of these things in while being a busy mommy with a toddler.
DeleteAs stated by the W.H.O., holism is complete physical, mental and social well being, more than the absence of disease or infirmity. I have many hobbies, usually involving art work, that nurture my soul as well as hanging out with my daughters and getting in some good laughs. I agree with Amy that stopping and smelling the roses is very important. Sometimes I find myself hurrying along outside of work and wonder why am I doing this, I have to remeber to slow down.
ReplyDeleteVery true Mary, we often forget to slow down and enjoy our day. Specially in the type of environment we work in. We have a daily reminder that we are not eternal and this should be our motivation to do what we love and fulfills us.
DeleteHolism and self care to me are taking care of the mindbodyspirit as a whole. I am currently enrolled in the newest holistic program cohort and I am LOVING it. I have never made so many positive changes in my life. Self care is so important, especially for us as nurses. There are so many different avenues of self care. I began the holistic cohort in January of this year and that was when I really made self care a priority.
ReplyDeleteSince then, I have began eating paleo and making exercise a priority. I feel one hundred times better and have more energy to give back to my patients, friends and family. Like others, I have also began to use essential oils and have really enjoyed them.
The conference was excellent. One of the big take homes for me was Kyle's lecture on Mindful Eating. He made so much sense. Make one change at a time - do not be drastic with your changes you most likely will fail. Look at the sodium not just the calories. No more than 2000mg sodium per day. With our patients - do not lecture but educate. His lecture was wonderful and really put the old losing weight into perspective.
ReplyDeleteI have applied the mindful eating and am impressed how painless it is. Ironically this is what my daughter teaches. How do I relax? Read, walk and time with family.
DeleteI too found the conference informative , interesting and full of take a ways. I think sometimes as nurses we do not put ourselves first, and it home in so many ways we do have to take care of ourselves if we are going to take care of others. There were so many take a ways but I too like Kyle's presentation of mindful eating. I did not realize it is important to look at ingredients, and serving sizes as this can play a role in our health. Also, looking at the intake of sodium. I enjoyed the theatrical presentation, even though I felt I was out of my box at times. It was also informative that more sleeps plays a role in weight management than less. A truly informative and well enjoyed conference.
DeleteI understand the concept of Holism to be the connection between the mind and the body. They work together and one affects the other. Self-care is our way of keeping our minds and body in tune by taking time to care for the areas that need it. Whether it is 30 minutes of cardio exercise or 30 minutes of silence to calm the mind, both are important and essential for well-being. Simple spending time doing something you love to do is good for self-care. I try to eat good foods (A CONSTANT STUGGLE), walk as much as possible to stay active, and spend as much time as I can with my family and friends.
ReplyDeleteI too am posting on a reply as I am having problems with this site.
DeleteI attended the holsitic conference and it was amazing!
I was reminded about what I already know...I need more sleep! Some pointers were given on turning off all electronics at least an hour before bed. Trying to get to bed earlier as most people do not get enough sleep. For those who have a hard time falling asleep because you have too many things on your mind. Journal for a few minutes and put your thoughts on paper to help clear your mind. Try diffusing calming essential oils in a diffuser in your room that can assist in relaxation and sleep. Also, Magnesium supplements can also be like a muscle relaxer and help to induce sleep.
Are you running around taking care of everyone around you and worrying about other people at the expense of your own well being?
ReplyDeleteWhen the Buddha was asked, “How can you be taking a nap when so many people need your help?” he gently answered, “I won’t be able to help anyone if I don’t get my nap.”
It is very important (and far from selfish) to take good care of yourself as well as others. People keep telling me how busy they are, sleep-deprived and terribly malnourished because they direct all of their energy toward other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s our calling to be there for one another, but when you make a list of all the people you care about, make sure you include yourself on that list as well!
Cook for yourself the way you would prepare a meal for someone you care about, and insist that you get at least seven hours of sleep every night because you know it’s important. Don’t put yourself on the back burner or at the bottom of your priority list.. The world needs you to be healthy!
Another great way to take care of yourself is by not keeping tabs on how much you do for people in your life versus how much they do for you.. Keeping a tally (even if it’s only in your head) will make you resentful and bitter. The key is to give without expecting anything in return (not even a “thank you”).. THAT is unconditional kindness; everything else is ego.
Taken from
Timber Hawkeye
I just received the above in an email correspondence and found it quite appropriate. Self- care for me is getting outside, riding motorcycle, playing with my cats and dog, sniffing essential oils- hanging with my friends and family
I also cannot write my response as in the past so both reply and my blog will be in this response.
DeleteReply to Jessica: I like the Buddha story as we do have to take care of ourselves to be able to care for many others. I like the statement, "Don't put yourself on the back burner." Not keeping tabs is good advice, as the more you give, you get so much positive energy back.
Blog: Holism and self-care consist of the many facets that create us, facets that make us individuals and unique. We need to nurture the facets of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual to maintain a balance which in turn keeps us healthy and energized. I have always exercised to reduce stress. I have started reading mystery novels in a quiet room of my house, take evening summer walks with my husband, have chiropractic or massage appointments, becoming creative by cooking new recipes, or slowdown by watching movies with my family. So many choices to nurture our self-care goals, just not enough time.
They focused so much of the conference around self-care! I posted a similar post your's Jessica! Self-care is something I find so important and have really grown to respect and appreciate.
DeleteI am always the person running around trying to make it all work for everyone else, but I forget to think about something I need for myself.
Generally speaking, I try to take ONE day every week to ignore the house chores and to-do lists, and just do something that I need for myself. And the beauty of it, is that it looks different each week! Some weeks I want to read my fictional book, others I want to have longer devotional and quiet time with God, others I want to take a nap or watch tv or go for a bike or who knows!
But scheduling "self care time" once a week is so importance and has added so much freedom and enjoyment to my life!
I agree with Samantha we need time to breathe and appreciate all the blessings that we have because we can better take care of others if we know how to take care of ourselves
DeleteTheresa Minniear - Clinical Research
ReplyDeleteI did not attend the conference. It is my understanding that holism treats the whole person, and not just the fundamental symptoms or diagnosis that caused one to present to a medical facility initially. Holistic care treats the many dimensions of a person: physical, spiritual, emotional, sexual, etc. I have 2 small children (2 yrs old and 5 months), so I admit my self-care is truly lacking these days. When the weather warms, we will go for walks in the stroller after I pick them up from Daycare, and before I make dinner…this allows me to spend time with the children, gives me “wind-down” time from work, and it is considered exercise.
I agree that holism is all-encompassing, not only the presenting symptoms. I believe that we give very good holistic care here at MRMC-CTCA. Theresa, as your children get older you will be able to do more with and without them for your self-care. Do try to take some time for yourself now. My self-care is reading a good book, walking my dog and doing volunteer work. (I am unable to access the blog independantly this month, so this is also my blog for April)
DeleteHolistic care takes in a whole person-physical, emotional and spiritual. My self-care is reading a good book, walking my dog and doing volunteer work.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy multiple different types of music and any chance I get I love to dance. I also love to cook for others and try different foods. To me, self-care is anything that you truly love and enjoy, even if it is as simple as being present with your family/children. The best gift we can give ourselves is to “be present”, live every day in the moment. Don’t worry about the past or the future and concentrate on “right now”. This can improve patient care, our personal relationships, and the way we eat and treat our own bodies/mind. The books that I have read that discuss this concept and how to practice it are:
ReplyDeleteWomen, Food, and God; Author: Geneen Roth
Eat, Love, Pray; Author: Elizabeth Gilbert (I didn’t care for the movie at all)
Both books can be purchased online at Amazon.com
Thank you for the book recommendations. It can be so hard to live in the present, but can also alleviate alot of emotional issues.
DeleteI attended the nursing conference a couple weeks ago, and loved it! What a refresher! I have been a certified Holistic nurse for a year now and went through the Birchtree program over 2 years ago now, and I just love refresher weekends like this!
ReplyDeleteOf course there was a lot of information provided that applies to our patients and how to improve their care for healing, but the conference focused a lot on caring for yourself (the caregiver) in order to give your best self to your patients! I spent a lot of time over the weekend thinking of how I put my patients first, my coworkers first, my family first…. But I forget to start with me. One of the speakers reminded us what our flight attendants always tell us, “If the cabin pressure drops rapidly, put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others’ with their mask”. A simple, yet affective analogy! I think my favorite topics that I really applied to myself were regarding healthy sleep habits and mindfulness with my eating!
It’s easy to say “let’s turn the TV on in the bedroom and fall asleep” or “I’ll just workout an hour before bed”, when in actuality, those things have been interrupting my restful sleep significantly! I have been much more intentional with working out first thing in the morning, going to bed early, and avoiding screens an hour before bed!
Mindfulness with eating was a tough one! I felt so guilty! Generally, I eat pretty healthy, well-balanced, and portion controlled meals, but when I watch a movie, or tv, bring on the junk food! I mindlessly through food in my mouth without considering the effects it has on my body! I’ve enjoyed taking more care with what I choose to eat and when I choose to eat it as well.
Your point about being intentional is so right on. At times I find myself mindlessly going through the motions of daily life. That's when I have to remind myself to slow down, breathe, and think, before I act.
DeleteHolism is the practice of treating the whole person, not just symptoms the person is experiencing. I feel that patients truly receive holistic care while being treating at CTCA with mind-body medicine, acupuncture, reiki therapy among other options. Personally, I enjoy reading, walking my dog, taking trips, and spending time with family and friends.
ReplyDeleteI believe holism and self-care work together using remedies to treat the whole person; physically, mentally, and spiritually. I agree with many of the above posts, especially with how nurses take care of everyone around them and often forget about themselves. There’s a lot of truth about how nurses must take care of their own needs first before providing quality care to anyone else. Some caregivers feel guilty if they make themselves a priority, over other things in their life. I think we have to change our own mindsets and realize that if we aren’t fulfilled with joy and happiness, then we are not able to share it with others. Occasionally, I’ll treat myself to a spa day with a massage, facial, manicure, and pedicure. I feel refreshed and relaxed after a day of pampering.
ReplyDeleteHolism incorporates the whole person rather than the the mere individual components. In nursing, this involves caring for the patient's mind, body, and soul. Thus, avoiding focus on treating symptoms or a disease process. This approach to practice and life involves and awareness of the interconnectedness with self, others, and nature! It's a way of living. I practice self-care by dedicating a few hours every month exclusively to myself. My husband and daughter take off and bond while I indulge in the spa with a massage, facial, pedicure or manicure. When I need some time to collect myself, I simply just pause and take a deep breath. This is easier said than done but, extremely important remain strong in such emotionally demanding working environment.
ReplyDeleteHolistic care is taking care of the whole person physically, emotionally , spiritually. it encompasses the whole being of that person. my self care is my "me time " when i can have have agood sleep and a good book to read and i actually have the time to do my crossstich.
ReplyDeleteHolism means taking care of oneself emotionally, physically and mentally. I think were so driven by medicine sometimes that we forget there are other alternatives in treating ourselves. Something as simple as just eating healthy, getting exercise, taking time off for a massage or simply engaging in your favorite hobby are all ways that can improve your mood and make you feel better overall.
ReplyDeleteHolism and self care is taking care of oneself as a whole, it could be physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Despite the craziness, the chaos and the rush to do everything at once, I tell myself to slow down, take time to relax either by myself alone or with friends, go on a vacation or attend parties. To keep myself fit, I do regular exercise in between work, kids activities and daily routines. Spiritually, I do pray a lot, became an active member of our church and attend religious activities. All these things helps re-charge myself, keeps me in shape and ready to take care of my family and my patients at work..I want to end my blog with these words copied from my friends facebook page " MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY ONCE IN A WHILE, IT'S NOT SELFISH, IT'S NECESSARY"
ReplyDeleteWell said Alex!
DeleteI was unable to attend the conference due to the fact that I had to work that weekend. I am a part of the current holistic cohort. It is amazing. It is helping to expand my consciousness on how to be a holistic person not only as a nurse but as a mother, wife, friend, etc. Holism is incorporating many aspects of being and doing into everything a person does. In nursing for instance, holism is not only providing medication to a person who is experiencing pain, but providing other physical comfort measures such as massage, reiki therapy, or acupuncture. It is also incorporating emotional support and presence.
ReplyDeleteSelf-care is of high importance to the holistic person. In order to provide a holistic presence, one must first take care of their own needs. A person who is happy and at peace is more likely to provide the same to someone else. For my own self-care I have incorporated, and am continually working on healthy eating and exercise. I also use essential oils for relaxation, sleep, and other ailments. I find that by providing self-care to myself I am also helping my family, my patients, and my coworkers.
Krista, this is good insight. I've read about how people can mirror the attitudes of others. When we are stressed, frustrated or depressed; our patients can pick up on this and may mirror our own poor attitudes back at us.
DeleteI attended the Holistic Nursing Conference in Milwaukee, one of the highlights of the conference was the emphasis on self care.Being a care provider especially nurses, we are known to disregard our own well being. We are known to keep giving to the point that we have nothing left. The conference taught me so many techniques to preserve self compassion, commo0n humanity & mindfulness.That a simple deep breath will help you refocus on what you're doing. Using the renewal room, meditation, aromatherapy, Reiki arts & creativity, hand massage, communication will help to prevent compassion fatigue/burn out. My favorite story is The Parable of the Saw. This guy went to see a man to buy wood for winter. When he arrived he was working feverishly trying to saw down a tree. He's been working for almost 5 hours, beaten & look exhausted. So the man said "well why don't you take a break for few minutes & sharpen your saw.? I'm sure your work would be easier & would go faster if you had a sharp blade.the other man replied, " I don't have time to sharpen the blade. I'm too busy sawing." This is very true, so many times we just want to finish our task & ignore that we need sharpening. Anyway I really enjoyed the conference and took home many smart ways to care for myself to better care for others.
ReplyDeleteI agree to that Imelda, it was such a pleasant experience.
DeleteHolism is considering and caring for all aspects of a person, not just physical. Mental, emotional and spiritual aspects make up the whole persona and require care. The longer I am a nures, the better I am becoming at self care. One thing I do, is have interests outside of work that bring me enjoyment. I try to leave my work at work, and go home without the stress and worry of the issues my patients are having. As a night nurse, allowing myself to get enough sleep has become easier over the years. Third, learning to say "no" and not letting my schedule become overwhelmed, is also a form of self care.
ReplyDeleteSelf care for me comprises the body, mind, and spirit of an individual who perform his daily activities independently and promote and maintain his personal well being throughout life while holism is looking at somebody as the whole person where there is an intimate interconnection that it would not exist independently without looking at its totality as a whole. It is not only that you look at the physical aspect of an individual but as well as the mental, social, and spiritual aspect of the person. As a nurse working on night shift, it is very important for me to also take care of myself and find an outlet to enjoy life outside of work. Sometimes I travel alone and my purpose for that is not to isolate myself but to destressed and get away to rebuild myself. Usually I enjoy this because I find peace and tranquility and get to focused on myself again because sometimes when you're working you can't give this type of quality time for yourself. Another thing that I do is that if I'm off the weekend, I always go to church and feed my body and mind with spiritual presence of the Lord. Sometimes, simple and little things really are the most precious things that are valuable to give time and take care of yourself. As a nurse, I know we have oath to take care of our patients, but we should always remember that we will never be able to accomplish this if we are not well enough physically, mentally, and spiritually.
ReplyDeleteRichie-
DeleteYou are always so positive !!!!!
Holistic Nursing is self care. Once is a while we have to treat ourselves with the hard work that we do everyday, that even to take a deep breath, it's hard to do especailly when you are overwhelmed. It is not healthy and it can affect our job. One thing that i learned is your mind connects to all your organs, what ever you behave it can damage your system. So from now on think positive and think of a happy place , it will help detoxify your body and boost immune system.
ReplyDelete"Don't worry be Happy"
Great post! Love this saying, I use it often!
DeleteHolistic Care is medical practice that considers the need of "the whole body" when healing-it includes psychological, physical, spiritual and social needs. Taking care of "the whole self" helps not only to fight the illness but also helps to fight against the disease and infection. My way of self - healing and stress fighting depends of the day- some time it is a good workout, some time is’s a good movie or a book or a quiet walk in the woods. So no matter how busy we are everyone need to fined a little bit of “me time”.
ReplyDeleteMargaret,
DeleteI agree with you- we need a little bit of "me time" always!!
Holistic Nursing is caring not just for the physical but the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual being. This is taking into consideration all aspects of a patients needs, not just the physical. Self-Care is an intentional action used to support ones self. This is a huge struggle for a full time working mom of 3 very active boys and a spouse who works/lives in another state. I honestly can't identify any self-care I do regularly. This too shall pass.
ReplyDeleteHolistic nursing involves caring for all aspects of a human being. Not only addressing the physical needs but emotional, mental, social and spiritual ones. With a new born at home it is kind of difficult practicing self care but before him I would go for pedicures, manicures, massages or just go out by myself and walk around the mall.
ReplyDeleteHolistic nursing is very well stated in all of these posts. We need to take care of the "whole person".
DeleteI feel as nurses (and not all but frequently).... being "maternal" we often neglect ourselves. I am trying very hard every day to make sure I take care of my patients holistically and I take care of myself by taking a lunch, taking bathroom breaks as needed and on that rare occasion take a quick walk outside if possible. In turn, by taking care of these most basic needs, I believe it will make me a better nurse.
Nursing has come a long ways and one thing that we all learn is illness is always there and its effects on the person poses a big challenge for anyone caring for them. As nurses, we play a vital role in caring for the whole person. Holism for me is respecting the person's own individuality and not just a patient or a diagnosis. We are faced with intense time constraints that we could just provide physical care and move on to the next individual. Holism is guiding our patients deal with the effects of illness on their emotional, cultural, socioeconomic, psychological, and spiritual needs. But before we can involve ourselves in this challenging role, it is crucial that we are also undoubtedly fit to provide the care. Taking care of our own self is critical to maintain a sound mind, body, and spirit to deliver holistic nursing care.
ReplyDeleteMy self-care is addressing my basic needs to build my strength, attending church services, volunteering, meeting and conversing with friends and distant family, and most of all spending special time together with my own family dining out tgether, we love to try different foods, going bowling. I want to ensure that I am de-stressed and re-energized again or another week's work.
DeleteTaking care of oneself physically, mentally and emotionally. I like to take a long bath, go for a pedicure or massage, spend time with my family.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the concept of holism and self-care means to take care of ourselves and to include not only our physical needs as human beings, but also our spiritual and emotional needs as well. As nurses, it is hard to remember that in order to provide the best nursing care to our patients, we need to first take care of ourselves. We will not be able to continue to provide the best care to our patients if we are not meeting our own needs. This is often hard to do with busy schedules, but is something I feel we need to make time for. For some individuals this may be a hobby or spending time for themselves. After seeing a presentation from a few of my peers about the Holistic Nursing Conference in Milwaukee, I learned that the result of not making time for ourselves can lead to nurse burnout and compassion fatigue.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started at CTCA, I was unclear what holistic nursing care was. Over time, I learned that holistic care is at the core of nursing as a profession. All nursing should be holistic because nursing looks at the whole person. Nurses are trained to care for patients physically, spiritually, and mentally. Self care is the practice of maintaining your own physical, spiritual, and mental health so that you can continue to provide care for patients in the challenging field of oncology nursing.
ReplyDeleteYour comment is so true that holistic care is at the core of nursing as a profession. The challenge while caring for our patients is remembering to take of ourselves and each other is agreeably equally important.
DeleteI was familiar with holistic care, but did not have the knowledge I do now. I have a learned a lot about since I began working at CTCA. I think it is wonderful that they have incorporated into our hospitals. I think the renewal rooms are a really amazing part of the new construction.
DeleteThe easiest abbreviated definition of Holism is the belief (and practice) of considering the mental and social aspect of ones state of health not just the physical symptoms. The definition of Holistic selfcare for me is making the conscious effort of incorporating any of the techniques or practices into my daily (weekly/monthly) routines as well as calling on specific techniques prn to help decrease my perceived stressors. The technique that I utilize most is grounding myself frequently though out the day by using deep breathing and exhaling. I find that when I do this it helps to calm me and clarifies my focus.
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
DeleteGreat explanation. I agree that holistic practice is beyond physical. It's important to experience healing from the inside as well as out. As we have read, many instances can be caused psychologically. Living stress-free and practicing relaxation techniques can do wonders for your health.
Self-Care: Self care to me is defined as anything that can help restore you mind, body, and soul. Each person will have a different way of refilling the gas tank again. For me, therapeutic cleaning is my way of self care. Nothing feels better to me than to organize and purge. I think this helps relieve stress and anxiety for me. So, if you need your closet cleaned out, call me!
ReplyDeleteTami- I'm totally calling you!!
DeleteTami, can I give you my address?
DeleteTami, I will be out of town and you can have full access to my home without any distractions.
DeleteTami, thank you. Your analogy is fantastic and universal for nurses and our patients. Really made me think about what I can do to assess all aspects of my life to fill up my gas tank before running out. Another holistic nurse passed down to me that the mind, body and soul are so intertwined/connected with one anther that if there is imbalance in one area it may cause disruption with the other. Focus must be in all areas mindbodyspirit.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy idea of self-care is taking time for you every day whether it is 5 minutes or 30 minutes. If you need to schedule that time like you would a meeting than that is what you should do. Self-care could include dietary changes, a new exercise regimen, meditation, essential oils, reading, walking, or anything you enjoy doing that will affect your well-being and health in a positive light. When you take care of yourself first you are able to care for others better. Often we forget to care for ourselves and put our own needs last. We need to prioritize and put our own needs first.
DeleteI believe holism to be a combination of your emotional, physical, and mental care. I am probably one of the worst people to practice any self-care and I have routinely put myself on the back-burner. However, I have recently found an inner peace with eating healthier and prioritizing physical activity. Apparently, the hype of body and soul really does seem to be accurate! I have always found it beneficial to keep my home/personal life sacred and not bring work home with me. As we all work in a highly emotional career, keeping emotions compartmentalized can somewhat help.
ReplyDeleteI agree, nurses are the worst at taking care of themselves and often put ourselves "on the back burner". Caring for others comes so naturally for nurses but caring for ourselves requires discipline.
DeleteTo me, holism is the integration of body, mind and soul. Believing that each one, impacts the other. Additionally, the way to treat ourselves, in a "holistic" way, is, also to integrate various modalities, to nourish ourselves. That means that treating our emotional and mental needs are as important as our physical needs. We can treat pain, for example, with medications, but relaxation, diversion, laughter and a nice bath, may be just as helpful.
ReplyDeleteFor me, personally, my love of animals is a great source of comfort and grounding. I work from home now, but I can remember what a quick sense of joy and relaxation, it was to come in my door and see my dog (or dogs) greet me. I can feel myself relaxing and my BP settling, when I cuddle and pet my dog. And, now, since my boys are grown, I share and enjoy cute stories about my (and my friends' dogs)- the laughter is very therapeutic!
Holism and self-care refers to the treatment of the whole body, not only physcially but mentally as well. We tend to look over the mental aspect of healing, especially when we are healing ourselves. I know this is all too true for myself. I tend to get sick at the stressful times in my life. Then I remind myself that I need to relax and take some time for myself to recoup, it's important. Personally to relax I like to listen to music or take walks.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI was unable to attend the conference however I believe hoism and self care refers to taking care of yourself. It is important to take care of ourselves so we can take better care of our patients. Our work is stressful and we must remain healthy and find ways to relax to be strong at work and give our best.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't able to attend the conference either Sheila. I think it's great that CTCA was so involved with the conference, helping nurses from the area learn about holistic care! You made some great points about the importance of taking care yourself in order to take care of others.
DeleteI think holism in health care means that a person is viewed as a "whole". This includes mind, body, spirit, social enviroment and physical environment. The different parts can't be separated and need to be considered when looking at an individual's health and wellness. I believe holistic care uses many modalities to promote wellness and healing and has the person at the center of this. Self care includes all the things a person engages in or uses to help themselves reach optimal well being and health and to get themselves to a state where they can help care for/heal other individuals. I practice self-care by getting the sleep and rest I need, going for walks and working in my garden, using essential oils, spending time with the people I love, reading, playing with my parrots, and spending time with friends.
ReplyDeleteGreat definition of holism Kathy! I think you have a great understanding of the meaning of treating a patient as a "whole" and are doing great self care techniques to renew yourself.
DeleteSometimes it may be difficult to really dig deep and see all parts of the patient, and ourselves but in the end it will create the best opportunity for health and wellness. Holism truly is a large part of the foundation of our hospital and the care that we provide. It is great to have an organization that puts such emphasis on self-care.
DeleteViewing each and every person as an individual and as a whole is my opinion of what holistic care means. Avoiding clumping patient's together based on similiarities or biases and allowing each person to be unique is how nurses can uphold holism in the clinical arena. I was unable to attend the holistic conference, so I do not have any comments about that. As far as holistic care for myself, I make sure I get enough rest spend time with family.
ReplyDeleteSpending time with family is very important and creates a great work life balance.
DeleteA highlight from the conference for me was the Ayurveda. This was a great lecture and really made me think about the way in which we treat illness. It brings into thought the way the elements effect our bodies and brings natural remedies that are geared toward each individual.
ReplyDeletegreat post kelly. I'm really glad to see you explore the oldest form of medicine.
DeleteI believe that holism is the interconnectedness of mindbodyspirit and the way we nurture our mindbodyspirit as one. There are many ways to provide self-care. For me, I like to exercise at least 3 days a week, making a conscious decision to eat healthier and always seeking to center myself in stressful situations.
ReplyDeleteBeena patel
ReplyDeleteTo me holism means the whole being...the mind, the body and the spirit. Self care should focus on caring for us as a whole. I find that laughing is the best medicine. I enjoy watching or doing anything that makes me laugh.
Holistic Nursing Conference is awesome! We should have more conferences like this. Sarah Kiser was a very good speaker and she presented knowledge on evidence-based nutrition recommendations for disease prevention and wellness. She also discussed the pathophysiology of inflammation, role of nutrition and nutrient deficiencies in inflammatory process. She included how to use diet as a lifestyle approach to wellness and longevity and meal planning. I really enjoyed her presentation!
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
DeleteAs I read everyone else's self-care practices I realize what a wide range of activities can be involved and how it positively impacts our well-being and patients' health also. I wasn't thinking about diet and nutrition but you've brought up a great point about the relationship between diet, disease preventon, and the effects on the body.
This sounds very interesting. It would be really nice if we could have a conference like this on regular basis onsite that we all could attend. With nursing comes a lot of stress and I think this would help keep us up to date and in check to make sure we are staying on top of our self-care needs. I know many nurses neglect this, and collaborating with other nurses that are already consistently doing might be encouraging to get them on board.
Delete• I understand holism as those adjuvant practices or interventions that will enhance the well-being of an individual. Promoting self-care provides an individual with healthier and more harmonious way of balancing life-work-physiological/emotional body needs.
ReplyDelete• Practicing healthy habits such as: eating right, adequate sleep and activity will promote the right environment in our bodies. As nurses sometimes while working we may be “limited” (due to work requirements) to practice/carry out healthy habits.
Hortensia Aiello
I wish that I could have attended the holistic conference...but it was my weekend to work. Holism is a concept of understanding, validating, and caring for the whole person. It is a recognition of the various pieces that make up a person. Self-care is a concept that recognizes the crucial importance of nurses being proactive in caring for themselves in order to provide the best care to their patients. Unfortunately there are not many opportunities in my personal and family life to participate in self-care but I'm learning how important it is to care for myself in order to be healthy enough to care for our delicate and individualized patients. I take advantage of the Renewal Room while at work. Due to working an off-shift there are not as many opportunities to be involved in many of the holistic activities, but find that the Renewal room is a wonderful option for the night shift. It provides an opportunity to take time away and relax, participate in aroma therapy, and breath. In the end, it helps to clear the mind and reset which leads to improved patient care and outcomes.
ReplyDeleteI did not attend the holistic conference, but that would have been a nice opportunity. Holism is treating the whole person. This includes no just the physical aspect, but the psychological and spiritual aspect of a person. The breakdown one of these affects the others. Self-care is properly taking care of yourself, and finding outlets to relieve stress, maintain physical and psychological well being. My self care routine includes exercise six days a week, music, and massages. I find those things really help me relieve stress. I have noticed when I get away from these things I can emotionally and physically feel the difference, so I have made them a priority in my life.
ReplyDeleteSelf care for me is the way to decrease stress in your life for example: listening to music, go for a walk, share a hug for love ones, exercise and spiritual prayer.
ReplyDeleteHolistic is a form of healing that considers the whole person; body, mind, spirit and emotions. It is gaining proper balance in life
I agree, as nurses we should model finding proper balance in life to maintain our own health.
DeleteMy understanding of holism is using the nurse theorist like Jean Watson principles Human Caring related to holistic health in a patient centered care model that supports the patient’s mindbodyspirit for hope and healing. While self-care is the practice for clinicians to nurture themselves as relates to their own mindbodyspirit so they in turn can better care for patients. Taking time for yourself is not selfish, it is self-care. As part of my self-care practice I take time to eat healthy meals to nourish my body whenever possible, go to church to feed my spirit, and read books to relax my mind. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
ReplyDeleteI was not able to attend the conference but look forward to learn more about holistic nursing from the nurses who were able to attend.
DeleteI did not attend the Holistic Conference, I have heard it was amazing. Everyone, in my dept that did attend came back to work enlightened and rejuvenated. Holism, as defined by American Holistic Nurses' Association - "all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal". I guess I have learned in this career that no one else will take care of me, unless I take care of me first. I will not be there for my family or my patients if I am at home because I have not cared for myself. I make time for my family and friends. I enjoy time outside with my dogs, dates with my husband, I workout in the morning prior to coming to work, and time with my daughter before she leaves for college has become very important to me. When I leave work I listen to books on cd or a podcast for some peace in the car prior to coming home. I have figured out a few things that I enjoy (working out not so much), still trying find more things that make me feel satisfied.
ReplyDeleteHello there. I am Victoria Marks and I work in SDS. I did not do alot of reading this summer because I was busy renovating my house.
ReplyDelete