A holistic nurse is a licensed nurse who uses nursing knowledge, theories, expertise, and intuition to recognize and care for the whole person within their scope, standards of practice, and the holistic nursing specialty.  A holistic nurse takes a holistic approach to patient care, which means they consider the wholeness of a person, including their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and environmental connections to self. Therefore, the condition of the whole person is considered during the holistic nurse's assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation of the client's healing journey.

Holistic nursing care is personal and relationship- centered. It is healing and prevention-focused, rather than disease and cure-oriented. Philosophically, holistic nursing is a worldview -- a way of being in the world. Most people confine holistic nursing to something a nurse does; however, it is truly a way-of-being. It is a mind-shift focused first and foremost on the nurse’s development of self. It is honoring and caring for the self, including a developing sense of self-awareness, self-compassion and self-acceptance. It incorporates mindfulness and self-compassion into every thought and action. Ultimately, it is about showing-up-differently and being a role model for others. Staying true to this philosophy, our vision isn't to provide a guide on 'how-to do Holistic Nursing’; rather, it’s to provide a safe and brave space for nurses to come together in community to support one another in personal growth while learning what it means to be a holistic nurse.