Holistic Healing Environment nurtures the mind, body, and spirit, allowing patients to feel calm and supported during cancer treatment. Healing environments are designed with natural lighting, soothing colors, and comfortable furnishings to provide a calming and nurturing atmosphere. They also promote relaxation, stress reduction, and social support. Holistic healing environments are an important component of a holistic cancer care strategy that addresses the whole person’s well-being during and after chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

The term “optimal healing environment” was first coined in 2004 by Samueli Institute and refers to a healthcare system that is designed to stimulate and support people’s inherent healing capacity through their health-creating behaviors, the relationships they have with others, and the physical environment in which they are located (Figure 1).

Balancing Body and Mind: Creating a Holistic Healing Environment in the UK

In an effort to improve patient experience at TVH, nursing leadership implemented several innovations, including a shared-governance model, an Integrative Healing Arts Academy, a Holistic Practice Council, and a 360deg Optimal Healing Environments Inventory. The 360deg Optimal Healing Environments inventory identifies the key components of an optimal healing environment (OHE) and includes 4 dimensions of the healing environment, namely emotions, space design, interpersonal interaction, and pleasant surroundings.

To identify which of these elements have the most impact on patient perception, this study analyzed the results from the inventory and used multivariate analysis to determine if there are any significant differences by age or sex with respect to the four dimensions of the healing environment. The data indicate that younger children accept the NTUCH healing environment to a greater degree than older children in all four dimensions.