ABSTRACT: Holistic care is often a misunderstood concept. When mentioned, many people leap to thoughts of alternative therapies and spiritual care, rejecting it as irrelevant to veterinary patients.

While researching this article, I spoke to a group of veterinary nurses, and each admitted they would avoid any lecture or paper with ‘holistic care’ in the title, research that is reflected in the name of this article! This trend is unfortunate as it dismisses a valuable resource of toots and models from human-centred nursing that may improve levels of nursing care for veterinary patients.

This article will outline a clear definition of holistic care, and describe its application to clinical practice. It will consider the use of the nursing process and nursing care plans to provide a structure of working that will ensure patients receive individual and all-inclusive care.

Author

Helen Ballantyne BSc(Hons) PGDip RN RVN

Helen qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003, and has worked in a variety of settings nationally and internationally. She has been on the BVNA Council for three years and is currently honorary treasurer.

In September, Helen qualified as a ‘human’ nurse and works in critical care at Papworth Hospital, the UK’s largest specialist cardiothoracic centre. However, she remains a registered veterinary nurse, working shifts in emergency and critical care to keep her skills and knowledge up to date.

Helen has developed a strong interest in the idea of sharing medicine, applying concepts used by medical staff to the veterinary profession, and vice versa. Her friends and family take great delight in asking her, as she goes to work, “Is it humans or animals today?”

Keywords: Clinical, Nurse, Holistic

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 29 (02) • February 2014 • pp58-61

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