Holistic practice--a concept analysis.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This article aims to clarify the concept of "holism" in nursing through the use of Rodgers [Rodgers, B.L., 1989. Concept analysis and the development of nursing knowledge; the evolutionary cycle. Journal of Advanced Nursing 14, 330-335] concept analysis framework. BACKGROUND The primary author is employed in a urology department which cares for many clients with end stage cancer. Holistic nursing practice is the philosophy of the unit, however many nurses struggle to articulate what holistic practice actually means to them, hence this analysis was deemed very pertinent to practicing nurses to enable the realization of nurses therapeutic potential when caring for patients in practice. METHOD Rodgers (1989) well-established method of concept analysis was employed to facilitate the clarification of the concept of holistic nursing practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The clarification of the concept offered a working definition of holistic nursing practice which practicing nurses can clearly comprehend and avail of when caring for patients of all race, religion and creed in the clinical practice area. CONCLUSION By undertaking this methodology of concept analysis the integrity of the concept was kept intact. The factors that influence holistic nursing practice were identified and a model case demonstrated the reality of holistic nursing care for practicing nurses.