How to Become a Holistic Nurse: Career Overview

Holistic nursing systematically approaches health as the interrelation of physical, mental, emotional/psychological, spiritual, and environmental components to treat patients at each of these levels.

Holistic nursing jobs usually include these responsibilities:

The majority of holistic nurses work in acute care hospitals (35%), universities and colleges (20%), and private practices (20%). The following lists duties in common job settings and home healthcare where 10% of holistic nurses work.

Holistic nursing jobs can provide considerable satisfaction because holistic nursing addresses needs beyond a patient’s physical conditions, and holistic nurses typically have knowledge of complementary or alternative treatments.

However, holistic nursing does have some drawbacks. For instance, insurance may not cover the additional time that a holistic consultation requires, and some caregivers are skeptical about the usefulness of holistic care. See below for additional pros and cons.

Based on general RN salary data, the median annual holistic nurse salary is $75,330, while the median annual salary for all occupations is $41,950, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As with all nurse salaries, holistic nurse salaries vary by location, BSN status, and experience.

The BLS projects RN jobs to grow by 7% between 2019 and 2029, faster than the U.S. average. While there is no specific data on growth for holistic nursing jobs, it seems likely that with ongoing interest in complementary medicine and ongoing research into effective complementary practices, demand for holistic nurses could keep pace with or exceed growth among all categories of RNs.

A holistic nurse provides care for patients across all dimensions of wellness, including mental, emotional, environmental, and spiritual health. Holistic nursing care may include complementary and alternative healthcare, such as aromatherapy, breathwork, or mind-body practices.

A holistic nurse is one who sees health and wellness as much more than the absence of physical illness or injury and who provides care to address all aspects of health. Holistic nursing may include approaches outside contemporary Western practice, such as traditional Eastern approaches to wellness.

The five core values of holistic nursing include holistic philosophy, theory, and ethics; the holistic caring process; holistic communication, therapeutic environment, and cultural diversity; holistic education and research; and holistic nurse self-care.

A certified holistic nurse requires a current, unencumbered nursing license, at least one year (full time) or 2,000 hours (part time) experience as a holistic nurse, at least 48 hours of continuing nursing education, and passing the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation certification examination.