Become a Board-Certified Holistic Nurse!
As healthcare continues to evolve, there is a growing recognition of the importance of holistic approaches in promoting healing, health, and wellness. By becoming a certified holistic nurse, you will gain expertise in integrating evidence-based practices, complementary therapies, and a holistic mindset into your nursing practice.
Join us on this transformative journey to enhance your nursing career and make a positive impact on the lives of your patients.
What does a Holistic Nurse do?
A holistic nurse is a licensed registered nurse (RN) with advanced training in holistic practice – learning to treat patients as whole people, mind, body, and spirit.
Nursing has always had roots in holistic practice, but modern medicine has strayed from the fundamentals of treating people as people.
Holistic nursing, and holistic medicine on the whole, is a movement to get back to the core of helping people heal by providing a full spectrum of support.
If you’ve practiced as a nurse for some time, you’ve felt the need for something more than what has become the norm in medicine.
Holistic Nurses are equipped with an enhanced toolkit of compassion and whole-person healing practices.
Holistic Nurses stand out for providing exceptional and patient-focused care.
Who can become a Holistic Nurse?
This program is open and appropriate for actively practicing nurses.
- Are you a nurse looking to make a real difference in the lives of your patients?
- Do you feel like something is missing from your routine patient care?
This program is for you!
If you’re not a nurse but are considering adding Holistic Health Coaching to your professional toolkit, see our Holistic Health Certificate information here.
Requirements
This is a general overview of the requirements; please refer to the AHNCC website for the most up-to-date listing of the requirements for this Holistic Nursing certificate.
Depending on your current license, you will be eligible for one of the following:
HN-BC® (Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- Unrestricted, current U.S. RN license*
- 2000 hours or 1-year full-time holistic nursing practice within last 5 years**
- 48 CNE hours in Holistic Nursing Theory, Research, Practice, or related topics, within 2 years of applying***
- Graduate of nationally accredited Nursing program****
HNB-BC® (Holistic Nurse Baccalaureate Board Certified)
- Unrestricted, current U.S. RN license*
- 2000 hours or 1-year full-time holistic nursing practice within last 5 years**
- 48 CNE hours in Holistic Nursing Theory, Research, Practice, or related topics, within 2 years of applying***
- Graduate of nationally accredited Baccalaureate Nursing program****
AHN-BC® (Advanced Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- Unrestricted, current U.S. RN license*
- 2000 hours or 1 year full time holistic nursing practice within last 5 years, which includes a minimum of 500 hours at the advanced level**
- 48 CNE hours in Holistic Nursing Theory, Research, Practice, or related topics, within 2 years of applying***
- Graduate of nationally accredited Graduate Nursing program****
APHN-BC® (Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- Unrestricted, current U.S. APRN license*
- 2000 hours or 1-year full-time holistic nursing practice within the last 5 years, which includes a minimum of 500 hours at the advanced practice level**
- 48 CNE hours in Holistic Nursing Theory, Research, Practice, or related topics, within 2 years of applying***
- Graduate of nationally accredited Graduate Nursing program****
Our Healing the Whole Person Program
Our “Healing the Whole Person” program courses award 20 Holistic Nursing CEs (CNEs) per course, which can be used towards the requirement of 48 Holistic CEs for the criteria to sit for the Holistic Nursing Certification exam.
Our 3-course program supplies 60 CNEs, and the full 4-course program supplies 80 CNEs which can be used to meet various requirements including sitting for Board Certifications in Holistic Nursing and/or Nurse Coaching and you receive our Holistic Health Coach certificate at the end of the 4-course program.
Please be aware that we do not directly teach the content of the Holistic Nurse Exam, but our program is a good companion program to the Holistic Nursing Core Values home-study course available from AHNA.
The Core Values of Holistic Nursing
1. Holistic Philosophy,
Theories, and Ethics
Holistic nursing is grounded in a philosophy that recognizes the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit, guided by theories and ethics that emphasize a comprehensive approach to healing and well-being.
2. Holistic Caring Process
The holistic caring process in nursing focuses on providing personalized patient-centered care that addresses individuals’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, promoting overall wellness and healing.
3. Holistic Communication, Therapeutic Healing Environment, and Cultural Diversity
Holistic nursing emphasizes effective communication within a therapeutic healing environment, taking into consideration cultural diversity to foster compassionate interactions that honor individual experiences and beliefs.
4. Holistic Education & Research
Holistic nursing promotes ongoing education and research, empowering nurses to expand their knowledge and skills, integrating complementary therapies and evidence-based practices into their care, thereby enhancing patient outcomes and well-being.
5. Holistic Nurse
Self-Reflection and Self-Care
Holistic nurses understand the importance of self-reflection and self-care, as it enables them to maintain personal well-being and authenticity, allowing them to better support their Patients’ holistic healing journeys.
How to get your Holistic Nursing Certificate
Our program provides the required Continuing Education (CE) credits for holistic nurse certification, enabling you to sit for the exam. However, please note that studying for the exam content is your independent responsibility, as our program does not explicitly cover the exam material.
You can find the resources needed to sit for the exam here:
- https://www.cnetnurse.com/_files/ugd/8331ae_98b6b4388b924f72a800df1573ae1b5c.pdf
- Basic Holistic Nursing: https://www.ahncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/12.13.2017-HN-BASIC-CORE-ESSENTIALS.pdf
- Advanced Holistic Nursing: https://www.ahncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-ADVANCED-CORE-ESSENTIALS-DOCUMENT-Final-PDF.pdf
The process is pretty simple.
First, you’ll want to enroll in an accepted Holistic Continuing Education program, like our Healing the Whole Person online course.
The entire course is designed to be completed within 16 weeks of starting the program (the 3-course program would take 12 weeks).
Along with your nursing credentials, the program will provide the required CEs to qualify to sit for the exam.
The certifying organization is the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC).
There is an application fee (currently $100) and a Certification Examination fee (regular fee of $395). Discounted fees are available for members of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), Health Ministries Association (HMA), and Nurses Organization of Veteran Affairs (NOVA).
Please visit AHNCC.org for the full details
++As a bonus if you complete our entire 4-course program, you can also receive our Advancing Nurse Coaching – Holistic Health Coaching Certificate.
Once you pass the exam, AHNCC will award you your certificate!
Ready to start?
You may register on our registration page, and if you have any questions about the program, we are available through chat, or you can message and request a call.
Have questions?
We can answer them!
Enroll in our 100% online,
self-paced course anytime.
References:
- A Brief History and Overview of Holistic Nursing
- AHNCC Core Essentials .. of Holistic Nursing