What primary focus distinguishes holistic nursing from conventional nursing?

Holistic nursing is fundamentally distinguished by its emphasis on incorporating alternative therapies as part of a comprehensive approach to patient care. This perspective views the patient as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms or a specific health condition. Holistic nurses consider the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of each individual, striving to address all aspects of health and well-being.

Incorporating alternative therapies allows holistic nurses to provide a broader range of treatment options that may enhance the healing process, promote wellness, and support patients in achieving their health goals. This might include practices such as mindfulness, aromatherapy, energy work, nutrition counseling, and other complementary therapies that are not typically part of conventional medical practice but can significantly contribute to a patient's overall health.

The other options focus primarily on conventional medical practices. Administering medications and managing acute illnesses are essential components of traditional nursing care that prioritize symptomatic treatment and clinical interventions. Performing surgical procedures is a specialized skill associated with surgical nursing and is not aligned with the holistic approach that emphasizes an integrative, multifaceted perspective on health.