Holistic health care began in antiquity, but it gradually faded from traditional medicine. The re-emergence of the whole-thinking paradigm has begun to revolutionize the health care system. New modes of nursing intervention, including therapeutic massage, therapeutic touch, imagery, and music, are now available for implementation by the postanesthesia nurse. In addition, nurses must recognize the need for self-care and healthful behavior patterns in their own lives. When nurses model wellness, they feel and function better, and they will be more able to meet the goal of high-quality care.
