Holistic assessment and care: presence in the process

Abstract

Holistic assessment and care are inseparable from the nursing process. Holistic nursing practice informed by a philosophy of holism balancing art and science recognizes the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit. Holistic practice draws on knowledge, theories, expertise, intuition, and creativity. The purpose of this article is to place nursing in the context of holistic practice; to explicate the role of presence as an essential condition for holistic care; and to provide an example of the holistic caring process that incorporates theory, presence, and practice documented in the standard formats. A holistic approach to nursing integrates process and presence in the provision of care. Process alone is empty without presence. Presence alone is insufficient without the process.