15 Aug Holistic Care in Advanced Practice Nursing
I need the peer response for the discussion .
As an APRN its important to take a holistic approach when providing care for your patients. Its being able to look at the patient as a whole, their values and what is important to them and their life. According to Joel (2018), this means caring for the patients physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. This coincides with Jean Watsons theory of caring caritas of developing and sustaining loving, trusting-caring relationships (Watson, 2021).
The first step in providing holistic care for these patients is to empathize with her. Let her know that her struggles are valid. Emotionally connect with her and let her know that you are here to help her get through this pregnancy with her. Secondly, Id offer her resources that can help her grieve, such as a grief support group, and/or find a new mothers support group (Joel, 2018). Support groups are great for connecting with others that are facing the same struggles you are, or have been in similar situations. Finding support lets the patient know she is not alone in how she is feeling.
A third step Id take is to look at the patient’s nutritional and sleep status, as well as what she does for physical activity. Ensuring she is getting the right nutrients and staying hydrated not only helps her stay energized, but gives her body what it needs so it can get the sleep it needs to recover from the day. She mentioned having aches and pains so Id recommend options like prenatal yoga, chiropractics or massage therapy (Joel, 2018).
Lastly, its important to address the relationship with her partner. As nurses we are taught to always address patient safety. Id enquire about their relationship to ensure there arent signs of physical or emotional abuse, and offer to refer her to a counselor or therapist for support (Joel, 2018).
Holistic care takes into account the person as a whole. Taking time to address the patient’s needs emotionally, spiritually and physically. By taking the time to connect with the patient on these levels you are then able to provide well-rounded care that prioritizes the things that are important to them.
References
Joel, L.A., (2018). Advanced practice nursing. Essentials for role development (4th Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Watson, J. (2021, June 18). Caring science & theory. Watson Caring Science Institute.
