AHNA Statement of Purpose
The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) is a non-profit membership association for nurses and other holistic healthcare professionals, serving more than 5,700 members and more than 125 local network chapters across the U.S. AHNA promotes the education of nurses, other healthcare professionals, and the public in all aspects of holistic caring and healing. The efforts of AHNA resulted in the recognition of holistic nursing as an “official nursing specialty” by the American Nurses Association. AHNA advances the profession of holistic nursing by providing continuing education in holistic nursing, helping to improve the health care workplace through the incorporation of the concepts of holistic nursing, educating professionals and the public about holistic nursing and integrative health care, and promoting research and scholarship in the field of holistic nursing. AHNA has taken positions on the practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), holistic nursing ethics, research and scholarship within the field of holistic nursing. In addition, AHNA monitors and responds to government policy initiatives around the U.S. Most recently, AHNA issued a response to the FDA on its draft document: Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. As a resource to its members, AHNA provides a supportive community, informative publications, continuing education, local networking opportunities, liability insurance, and a focus on self-care and wellness, among others. AHNA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation’s holistic nurses, and is at the forefront of policy relating to holistic nursing and integrative health care. AHNA recognizes the bond linking patient satisfaction and holistic nursing, as well as the connection between holism and career fulfillment. AHNA and its networks are working to legitimize holistic health care and to help resolve the nursing shortage. AHNA is affiliated with the American Holistic Nurses Certification Corporation (AHNCC).
