Investigating the educational competency of student nurses in holistic nursing: Recalibrating holistic education

Abstract

Teaching nursing students a holistic approach to patient care and integrating treatment modalities is a crucial component of traditional holistic nursing education. This study aims to investigate the educational competency of student nurses in holistic nursing by employing a descriptive comparative design among the 209 student nurses from the University of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Results showed that the student nurses perceived that they have been skillful in the following; professional, legal, and ethical nursing (3.22±.455), management (3.27±.492), leadership (3.29±.493), and professionalism (3.32±.505). On gender and professional, legal, and ethical nursing, there found significant gender differences (t=.822; p=.012). Also, management was found to have significant differences with gender (t=.281; p=.009). Leadership (t=-.694; p>488) and professionalism (t=.885; p>.377) were found to have no significant difference with gender. Moreover, the professional, legal, and ethical nursing (t=.822; p<.001) and management (t=.910; p<.001) were found to have significant differences with the age of the student nurses, while leadership (t=.231; p>.794), and professionalism (t=.270; p>.764) were found no significant difference with age. On civil status, there found a significant difference in professional, legal, and ethical nursing (t=1.337; p<0.001). Meanwhile, management (t=.992; p>.397), leadership (t=.142p>.935), and professionalism (t=1.122; p>.341) were found to have no significant difference with civil status. Incorporating holistic nursing into nursing courses and research programs would help educate student nurses for multicultural practice contexts as healthcare settings become more diverse.