Holistic Nurse Career Overview

Abby McCoy, RN, BSN

Updated

Reviewed by NursingEducation Staff

What is a Holistic Nurse?

A holistic nurse expands their focus to include treating the entire person versus just their illness. Many credit Florence Nightingale for this concept and the formation of modern nursing. In the mid-1800s, Nightingale treated injured soldiers in a time of war. She introduced a radical new concept for the time: keeping patients clean and fed as well as treating their wounds. As medicine continues to grow more complex, so do treatments, and sometimes Nightingale’s ideas fall by the wayside as nurses get busier.

All nursing uses some form of holistic nursing, but holistic nurses go the extra mile to treat every aspect of the mind-body-spirit connection to help patients heal as a whole. The American Nurses Association recognized the holistic nursing specialty in 2006. According to the American Holistic Nursing Association, the five core values of holistic nurses are:

Any nurse can apply holistic nursing principles to their practice. But to fully embrace the practice, nurses may seek out further education and certification.

Holistic nursing offers alternative treatment options for patients looking to avoid over-medication or surgery. These nurses are trained in skills that can be applied with minimal equipment, meaning they can practice in more diverse locations.

What Does a Holistic Nurse Do?

Wherever they work, holistic nurses use techniques to attend to every aspect of health. They treat the whole person with methods including:

When a holistic nurse works in private practice or a day spa, they guide each patient through their appointment. They may take health histories, do medical assessments, and collaborate with the care team on a treatment plan.

Holistic nurse consultants can see patients in an office setting or in their own homes. When visiting a patient at home, holistic nurses can lead patients through many of the therapies listed above. Some make themselves available by phone for their patients after hours.

In a birthing center, a holistic nurse may assist a nurse midwife during prenatal check ups, labor, and delivery. Holistic nurses work with women who want to deliver their babies without medication, and can use many of the techniques listed above to help them achieve this goal.

Since movement and exercise hold an important place in holistic medicine, holistic nurses sometimes work in gyms, where they guide their clients through training to improve their strength, decrease pain, and boost mental health.

How Do I Become a Holistic Nurse?

A holistic nurse must get a nursing degree from an accredited nursing program. They may get an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). A BSN can take four years to complete, but some schools offer accelerated programs that can be done in as little as a year.

After graduation, candidates can apply to work as holistic nurses in any of the settings listed above. They will work as a graduate nurse (GN) until they pass the nurse licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN. A series of multiple-choice questions, this standardized test shows a nurse’s clinical knowledge and capability to begin practicing independently.

Once a holistic nurse has some experience under their belt, they can become certified in their specialty. The American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC) offers several holistic nurse certifications:

To be eligible for certification, the AHNCC requires nurses to have:

How Much Does a Holistic Nurse Make Per Year?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RNs make an average of $81,220 per year as of 2022. This amount can vary depending on your work setting and the cost of living in the area. The low-end average is $61,250, and the high-end is $129,400.

The BLS does not specify the salary for holistic nurses, but other salary reporting sites claim similar wages. Depending on where you work, your employer may offer higher or lower compensation:

Salaries also vary depending on which state a holistic nurse practices. The west coast generally pays nurses the best, but they also have a higher cost of living.

The west coast, New England states, Minnesota, and Alaska pay holistic nurses the highest wage, but the cost of living in these areas can also be high. The lowest paying states are in the Midwest and some southeastern states.

The top paying areas for holistic nurses include:

Certified holistic nurses can be paid more than a nurse who is not certified, depending on the facility. In general, the more experience and proof of expertise, the more a holistic nurse will be eligible to earn.

Are Holistic Nurses in High Demand?

The United States needs nurses of all kinds. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 24% of US hospitals have reported critical staffing shortages. Holistic, or integrative, care has been gaining popularity in the last few decades. More and more respected health organizations have acknowledged the mind-body connection and the need to focus on the whole person. As a result, holistic nurses may become increasingly in demand.

Additional Resources About Becoming a Holistic Nurse

To learn more about becoming a holistic nurse, these additional resources may help:


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