Holistic nursing care is crucial for driving positive health
outcomes because it considers the whole person, including their
physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. This
comprehensive approach allows for more personalized care,
leading to better patient satisfaction and improved health
outcomes. For Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) nurses,
understanding holistic nursing care is vital as it equips nurses
with the skills to provide comprehensive care, enhancing their
ability to promote health and wellness effectively. Furthermore, a
solid understanding of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and
physical assessment is essential in providing evidence-based
holistic nursing care. Together, these elements enable nurses to
develop a comprehensive care plan that addresses all aspects of
a patient’s health, thereby promoting holistic care and improving
patient outcomes.
For this assessment you will be creating a paper that explores
holistic nursing care and how pathophysiology, pharmacology,
and physical assessment play a role in delivering holistic care.
Your paper should be 3–5 double spaced pages, not counting the
title or reference page. You should also be prepared to support
your paper with evidence from the literature and professional
best practices.
Your assessment submission will be assessed on the following
criteria:
• Define holistic nursing care.
◦ Definition of Holistic Nursing Care and its Benefits
for Patients and Nurses: The section should provide a
clear definition of holistic nursing care and explain its
benefits for both patients and nurses. The definition
should be accurate and comprehensive, and the
benefits should be supported by evidence-based
research.
• Explain how pathophysiology can help nurses understand
the underlying causes and mechanisms of diseases and
disorders, and how they affect the whole person.
◦ Explanation of Pathophysiology and Its Role in
Nursing Practice: This section should explain how
pathophysiology can help nurses understand the
underlying causes and mechanisms of diseases and
disorders, and how they affect the whole person. The
explanation should be detailed and supported by
relevant examples.
• Discuss how pharmacology can help nurses select,
administer, and monitor the effects of medications, and how
they interact with the patient’s physical, psychological, and
social needs.
◦ Discussion of Pharmacology and Its Role in Nursing
Practice: This section should discuss how
pharmacology can help nurses select, administer, and
monitor the effects of medications, and how they
interact with the patient’s physical, psychological, and
social needs. The discussion should be comprehensive
and supported by relevant examples.
• Describe how nurses can use physical assessment to
collect, analyze, and interpret data about the patient’s health
status, and how they can use this information to plan,
implement, and evaluate care.
◦ Description of Physical Assessment and Its Role in
Nursing Practice: This section should describe how
physical assessment can help nurses collect, analyze,
and interpret data about the patient’s health status,
and how they can use this information to plan,
implement, and evaluate care. The description should
be detailed and supported by relevant examples.
• Identify two examples of how these three domains of
knowledge (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical
assessment) can be integrated and applied in different
clinical scenarios and settings.
◦ Examples of Integration and Application of
Knowledge in Clinical Scenarios: This section should
provide examples of how these three domains of
knowledge (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and
physical assessment) can be integrated and applied in
different clinical scenarios and settings. The examples
should be relevant and supported by evidence-based
research.
• Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style,
incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to
organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
• Length of submission: 3–5 pages of content plus title and
reference pages.
• Number of references: Cite a minimum of 4 sources of
scholarly or professional evidence that support your findings
and considerations. Resources should be no more than 5
years old. Use the Capella University Library and BSN
Program Library Research Guide as needed.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted
according to current APA style. See the APA Module.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will
demonstrate your proficiency in the following course
competencies and scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 1: Explain how pathophysiology,
pharmacology, and physical assessment comprise a holistic
approach to nursing care.
◦ Define holistic nursing care.
◦ Explain how pathophysiology can help nurses
understand the underlying causes and mechanisms of
diseases and disorders, and how they affect the whole
person.
◦ Discuss how pharmacology can help nurses select,
administer, and monitor the effects of medications, and
how they interact with the patient’s physical,
psychological, and social needs.
◦ Identify two examples of how these three domains of
knowledge (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and
physical assessment) can be integrated and applied in
different clinical scenarios and settings.
• Competency 2: Create evidence based interventions to
address the health needs, risks, and resources of individuals
from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
◦ Describe how nurses can use physical assessment to
collect, analyze, and interpret data about the patient’s
health status, and how they can use this information to
plan, implement, and evaluate care.
• Competency 5: Apply scholarly writing standards to
communicate evidence based strategies that support safe
and effective patient care.
◦ Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style,
incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to
organizational, professional, and scholarly writing
standards.
