PRINCIPLES OF INTEGRATIVE NURSING
The image above encompasses the six principles of integrative nursing represented as one petal of the lotus flower. Additionally, integrative nursing is relationship-based and patient-centered to care for the individual with a holistic approach. Each of the six integrative nursing principles are listed below.
Human beings are whole systems inseparable from and influenced by environments.
This principle challenges you as a healthcare provider to consider all aspect of the patient including their environment and available resources within their community. In NURS 473 Population Health and Community Nursing, my group looked into a community within Mesa, AZ to perform a community health assessment. We explored the community to identify need their public health needs and issues by collecting data and interviewing key informants. At the end, we developed an educational program that can be implemented at local schools to address the opioid overdose crisis for this community.
Human beings have an innate capacity for healing and wellbeing.
The body has the ability to restore and heal itself given the proper tools and time. Proper nutrition and diet is important to one's health and its ability to heal. When a patient undergoes a major surgery, healthcare providers want to emphasis the importance of proper nutrition such as a high-protein diet to promote wound healing. The body will detect the injury, recruit the inflammatory markers, promote cell proliferation for cellular regeneration, which will cause the injury to heal.
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image: Wound healing process
Integrative Nursing is person-centered and relationship-based.
My clinical experiences throughout the Phoenix valley has taught me that there is not one specific way to care for a patient. It is important to care for the patient by a case-to-case by being mindful of their needs and incorporating their inputs into their treatment. In addition to improving health outcomes and quality of care, I have learned to be more cultural competent to respect any cultural differences. During my rotation at Encompass Health, one of my patient asked me to notify her of any visitors that were males so that she covers herself properly. I continued to discuss with her if there are any other aspect of her culture that she would like me to be aware of during her stay and to incorporate into her plan of care.
Nature has healing and restorative properties that contribute to health and wellbeing.
There is a strong relationship between nature and its benefits to human health outcomes and wellbeing. Evidence-based research present that having access to nature or being in nature has a positive impact. Sunlight therapy has been seen to improve one's mental and emotional health.
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Research article: The effects of sunlight exposure therapy on the improvement of depression and quality of life in post-stroke patients: A RCT study
Image: Hiking in Payson, AZ with my dog.
Integrative Nursing is informed by evidence and uses a full range of conventional and integrative approaches, employing the lease intensive intervention possible depending on the need and context.
During my labor and delivery rotation, my patient was going into labor and had a lot of pain due to the contractions and did not receive an epidural. I decided to use guided imagery as a distraction method to help relax the sympathetic nervous system and shift the attention away from the pain. We collaborated and came up with the idea of going to the beach, a place she goes often in her free time. Even though this did not completely take away the pain of child birth, it gave her a couple of minutes to take deep breathes and recollect herself.
Integrative Nursing focuses on the health and wellbeing of caregrivers as well as those they serve.
Nursing is a high-stress and high-demand job. It is important that we take the time to perform some self-care. The BSN-IH program has emphasized the importance of integrating self-care throughout the program and throughout our careers. It has been shown to improve concentration, increase happiness, and decrease stress. I have discovered my love for the arts and found new ways to express my creativity through dance as my form of self-care.
Image: Me performing in a Vietnamese cultural dance at a cultural event hosted by a student organization.