HOLISTIC CARE

One of the key aims of the coalition government is to shift society’s perception of ‘health’ towards a more holistic understanding and perspective. This is evident with the recent No Health without Mental Health outcomes strategy (Department of Health, 2011) that aims to promote physical and mental health as equal and inseparable components. I would like to ask students and others using the forum as to their experience of providing holistic care. For example, as a student mental health nurse do you feel comfortable and adequately skilled to care for patients with physical health care needs?, and vice versa for other nursing students on other pathways with regard to, for instance, mental health needs and awareness. Or does anyone perhaps hold the view that in order to improve holistic care and health outcomes student nursing programmes need to be more modernised and holistic focused - preparing students to be skilled in all aspects of nursing care i.e. mental, social and physical health?