Lerner Holistic Integrative Health Nursing Fellowship: A Whole Health Approach to Education and Practice.

Purpose: The Lerner Holistic Integrative Health Nursing Fellowship aims to incorporate components of Whole Health into nursing practice and promote innovative quality improvement programming that prioritizes well-being for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Methods: A lack of supported time has been reported as a barrier for education and self-care among nurses. This fellowship provided 10 participants with protected time to engage in a 9-month, 172-h curriculum including American Nurses Credentialing Corporation approved courses. Fellows completed baseline and post-fellowship surveys, post-module surveys, and exit interviews. Results: Fellows implemented 10 holistic based quality improvement initiatives, impacting over 453 patients and caregivers and 240 healthcare professionals. The fellowship resulted in an 80% increase in holistic nursing and integrative health utilization in professional practices and an 89% increase in knowledge, skill, and confidence related to holistic nursing, integrative health, the mind-body connection, and quality improvement or research initiatives. Conclusion: Transforming our system towards a Whole Health approach requires a dedicated and strategic plan. The fellowships' outcomes highlight the successful implementation of quality improvement initiatives and gains in knowledge, skills, and confidence in holistic nursing, IH, the mind-body connection, and quality improvement or research efforts.