Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/197379
ASK THE NURSE Q A & Marcie J. Carlson, MSN, RN, AHN-BC Outpatient Care Management Nurse Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Zion, Illinois Michelle Moore, BSN, RN, HN-BC Inpatient Care Manager Cancer Treatment Centers of America Zion, Illinois WHAT IS HOLISTIC NURSING? Grounded in evidence-based theory and in extensive study and practice, "holistic nursing is specifcally defned as 'all nursing practice that has healing the whole person as its goal,'" says Marcie J. Carlson, MSN, RN, AHN-BC, Care Manager at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in Zion, Illinois, who is board certifed in holistic nursing. Michelle Moore, BSN, RN, HN-BC, Care Manager at CTCA in Zion, who is also board certifed in holistic nursing, says, "The nurse is an integral part of the healing environment. We become a healing energy for those we serve and for ourselves." Moore adds that holistic nurses commit to self-care to ensure that they remain centered and conscious of their daily living so that they can in turn provide that energy to their patients and the larger environment. Carlson and Moore say that the essence of holistic nursing is a way of being versus doing: It is about who they are when they interact with their patients, their coworkers and their families. WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO NURSES UNDERGO TO BECOME EXPERTS IN THIS SPECIALTY? Nurses interested in becoming certifed in holistic nursing embark on a rigorous 48 cancer fighters thrive | winter 2013 Marcie J. Carlson, MSN, RN, AHN-BC Michelle Moore, BSN, RN, HN-BC journey of classes, research and poster presentations. The classes teach nurses the following concepts. • Transformational Leadership. In • Caring for Self and Others. This course emphasizes the importance of self-care. Self-care is taking care of yourself before you take care of someone else. this style of leadership, the leader identifes the needed change, creates a vision to guide the change through inspiration and executes the change with the commitment of the members of the group. • Authentic Communication. During authentic communication, one recognizes what others are saying without judgment or bias; authentic communication is about being present and really listening. • Energy Systems. Learning about energy systems trains nurses to become attuned to feeling tension and alleviating it. Being more attuned helps create a calm, relaxed internal environment, which helps create a calm, relaxed external environment. • Art of Science and Nursing. Holistic nurses learn the science of nursing and the practical application of the science at nursing school. Holistic trained nurses are also taught to trust their intuition. Trusting your intuition is what makes nursing an art form. "When you are at peace and in touch with your environment, it is easier to see and feel that your patient is in need of assistance. Intuition and science go hand in hand," Moore says. If your bucket is overfowing, you cannot help someone to the best of your ability. • Philosophy of Healing. Nurses learn that the philosophy of holistic nursing is to see the value in healing and caring in every moment, whatever the outcome. "In holistic nursing it is the responsibility of the nurse to create caring, healing partnerships and ultimately the best healing environment," Carlson says. "If a patient presents a question or problem, it is an opportunity for connection with the patient. A holistic nurse is honored to share this moment with the patient as an opportunity for bonding and healing. The holistic nurse sees the value of healing in every moment, which is very different than curing," Moore adds. WHAT ROLE DOES HOLISTIC NURSING PLAY AT CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS OF AMERICA? "The very foundation on which CTCA was built centers on providing patient care that is holistic in nature, and I believe our patients know that, want that and appreciate that," Carlson says. cfthrive.com