Holistic Nursing School: Higher Education Meets Higher Purpose

If you’re looking for a higher purpose in life, you may want to set your sights on holistic nursing school, particularly the 16-month ABSN program at Xavier University. After all, no one knows more about caring for the whole person than we do.

Our accelerated nursing program is among a select few in the country to have the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation endorsement. What does that mean for you? By graduating from the Xavier School of Nursing, you’re eligible to sit for both the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and Holistic Certification Examination.

While every nursing school graduate must pass the NCLEX to practice the profession, those with holistic nursing certification tend to stand out more in the health care industry. Why? It shows employers you have both the intellect and empathy to properly care for patients, which is critical as more health care facilities adopt integrative care systems.

Holistic Nursing Explained

If your desire is to help others, holistic nursing compels you to focus on each person as an individual, which not only benefits his/her care, but also makes your work more fulfilling.

A recognized nursing specialty since 2006, holistic care follows the premise that when the mind and body are thrown off balance, it can cause a series of chronic ailments. Therefore, holistic nurses seek well-rounded treatment plans for patients that address the mental and spiritual elements that often give way to physical distress.

While holistic nursing is a specialty, its philosophy applies to universal practice. In other words, holistic nurses work in hospitals, private practices, long-term care facilities, and schools ― really anywhere that employs registered nurses.

Holistic Nursing and You

While all nurses focus on their patients, holistic nurses are typically the ones who also take their own needs and emotions into consideration when caring for others. These well-rounded caregivers believe they cannot be effective in their jobs unless their minds and bodies are in peak condition.

By choosing a holistic nursing school, you’ll come to understand the importance self-care, self-responsibility, and self-reflection play in job performance and career satisfaction. Because when nurses have the right work-life balance, they’re able to provide the best possible patient care.

Our Holistic Philosophy

As more health care professionals realize the benefits of treating the whole patient, holistic nursing certification has become a serious consideration for many nursing students, and we’re one of 12 universities in the nation that can help you become certified.

Since 1831, our university has maintained a strong Catholic, Jesuit tradition of educating students through a series of mind-body-spirit interactions that promote care of oneself and others. It’s a teaching philosophy that prepares students to make the world a better place by helping them cultivate lives of reflection, compassion, and informed action.

While distinct in its own right, our Jesuit education philosophy can be traced back to 1548 when the first Jesuit college opened its doors in Messina, Sicily. Today, there are more than 300 Catholic and Jesuit higher learning institutions in the United States, and we’re among the 28 that are part of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU).

However, you don’t need to be Catholic to attend our university. Our doors are open to anyone who has a desire for knowledge in the service of others and a willingness to always do more.

Our Pedagogy Approach

How does our Jesuit philosophy influence your education as an accelerated nursing student? Through our Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, you’ll learn how to safely and effectively apply nursing skills as well as come to understand how illness can impact a patient from a physical, psychological, social, cultural, and religious perspective.

We follow this paradigm as a way to provide an education that not only focuses on your academic mastery and personal growth, but also contributes to the greater good of society. It’s a holistic teaching-learning strategy that serves to develop your competence, compassion, and conscience when caring for others.

More specifically, we create a contextual learning environment where the notion “care for the whole person” is a reoccurring theme throughout the ABSN program. For instance, nursing faculty teach the ABSN curriculum with your specific needs as a student in mind, encouraging you to revisit your past experiences and consider how they might influence your assimilation of new information.

As you grow your knowledge during the program, your clinical instructors will ask you to reflect on the ABSN content and share your thoughts on it. It’s a way to help you understand how your nursing studies influence your practice and shape your consciousness in the service of others. Faculty also provide opportunities that challenge your ingenuity and compel you to take action for positive change.

And, last but not least, the evaluation component of the paradigm helps to ensure your appropriate synthesis of the nursing content and your growth in the various areas of nursing practice.

Our Accelerated Curriculum

We frame our accredited ABSN curriculum within the context of six core Jesuit values, which add a spiritual dimension to patient care. You not only learn highly competent nursing skills, but also come to understand behaviors that reflect critical thought and moral responsibility.

Our ABSN program comprises three main components:

1. Online courses teach the fundamentals and theories of the profession, from health assessment to ethical practice, via an intuitive e-Learning platform.
2. Nursing skills and simulation labs teach safe, effective skills application, from wound care to intravenous therapy, within a mock, risk-free clinical setting.
3. Clinical rotations at top health care facilities provide real-world nursing experience in diverse areas of practice, from adult care to community health.

A Student’s View on Holistic Nursing

We asked current ABSN student Sarah B. to reflect on the Jesuit education philosophy at Xavier in relation to holistic nursing practice, and here’s what she had to say:

Q: What do you like about Xavier?

A: I’m drawn to both the clinical and human sides of nursing, so one of the things that attracted me to Xavier was its emphasis on holistic nursing practice. Now that I’ve spent some time in the ABSN program, I really like how the curriculum not only focuses on physical health, but also psychological, spiritual, and emotional health.

Q: How would you describe a Jesuit education?

A: At Xavier, we’re encouraged to do what is right, ask questions to seek understanding, and give back to others. When you think about it, those are the basics of nursing. I also believe the Jesuit philosophy is foundational to the nature of nursing.

Q: What’s the vibe at Xavier?

A: The overall vibe here is very inclusive and supportive. As someone who was not brought up Catholic, I felt incredibly welcomed by the Xavier community when I moved to Cincinnati from Vancouver, Washington, to attend the ABSN program.

Q: What’s your take on holistic nursing?

A: When I’m ready to enter the workforce, I believe my understanding of holistic care will enable me to foster better relationships with my patients and improve my ability to heal. It’s really important to me that my patients feel secure in times of vulnerability.

Is Holistic Nursing School for You?

If you’re looking for a fulfilling career that benefits you and the people around you, a job in holistic nursing can lift you to a higher purpose. Let our ABSN program in Cincinnati transform your life in as few as 16 months. Contact our admissions team today!