Anthroposophic nursing care goes beyond the communicative approach of soft skills. Nurses form a bridge between treatment of the body and treatment of the patient's soul and spirit by actively valuing the human body, paying attention to touch, using warmth, cold, air, and light to promote healing processes, and much more. Although physical wellbeing, autonomy, and youthfulness are central to our modern materialistic culture, our bodies actually receive little respect and appreciation, especially when they become ill and eventually old. Nursing values need to be rediscovered that respect the debased human being, embrace illness as a part of existence, and allow time for healing. A key aspect of this book involves the idea and practice of "nursing gestures," relating inner attitudes and practical nursing activities to one another in detail through numerous examples and overviews.
Anthroposophic Nursing Practice shows not only the possibility, but also the practical experience of nursing care, which aims to be both holistic and optimistic. The knowledge and perspectives gathered in this book have matured through the work of several generations of anthroposophically oriented nurses, all striving to refine a truly integrative nursing practice.
This unique book will no doubt become the classic text on the important practice of anthroposophic nursing.
This book is a translation from German of Anthroposophische Pflegepraxis--Grundlagen und Anregungen für alltägliches Handeln, 4th edition (Salumed Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2017). Translated from the German by Carol Brousseau.
Blanning, Adam: - Adam Blanning, MD, practices anthroposophic family medicine at the Denver Center for Anthroposophic Therapies (DenverTherapies.com) in Denver, Colorado. He is president of the Anthroposophic Health Association (AHA), an umbrella organization for groups working to bring anthroposophic insights into the realms of medicine, nursing, naturopathy, body therapies, artistic therapies, movement therapies, and counseling. Dr. Blanning lectures and teaches nationally and internationally on topics related to holistic medicine and the dynamics of human development. He is the author of Understanding Deeper Developmental Needs: Holistic Approaches for Challenging Behaviors in Children (2017).
Girke, Matthias: - Dr. Matthias Girke, MD, is the co-leader of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum Switzerland and director of Internal Medicine at Havelhöhe Hospital in Berlin; he has a special interest in oncology and endocrinology.
Glöckler, Michaela: - Dr. Michaela Glöckler has been Leader of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, the School of Spiritual Science in Dornach, Switzerland since 1988. She attended the Waldorf School in Stuttgart, then studied German language, literature, and history in Freiburg and Heidelberg. She studied medicine in Tübingen and Marburg and trained as a pediatrician at the community hospital in Herdecke and at the Bochum University Pediatric Clinic. Until 1988 she was a colleague in the children's outpatient clinic at the Community Hospital in Herdecke and served as school doctor for the Rudolf Steiner School in Witten, Germany. Michaela has many publications in German, many of which have been published in English.
Heine, Rolf: - Rolf Heine (b. 1960) is a certified nurse and anthroposophic nursing specialist (IFAN). He completed his training at the Filderklinik Independent Nursing School in Filderstadt, near Stuttgart, Germany. From 1986 to 2016, Heine worked as a nurse at Filderklinik hospital, initially on the ward for internal medicine, followed by a teaching position at the Filderklinik Independent Nursing School and head of a nursing research project on the external applications of mustard and ginger. As a member of the nursing management at Filderklinik hospital, Mr. Heine was responsible for the gynecology-obstetrics, internal medicine, and oncology wards. He has many years of experience in the areas of quality assurance and nursing development. In 2012, he founded the Academy for Nursing Professions at the Filderklinik hospital and served as its director. Today he maintains the Network for Anthroposophic Nursing Care in Germany. He was a member of the board of the Association for Anthroposophic Nursing for 18 years, a member of the German Nursing Council (DPR), and a member of the board of the umbrella organization for Anthroposophic Medicine in Germany (DAMiD). He is also active as the coordinator of the International Forum for Anthroposophic Nursing (IFAN) in the Medical Section of the School for Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum and is a member of the International Coordination of Anthroposophic Medicine (IKAM). He is president of the International Council of Anthroposophic Nursing Associations (ICANA). He has published numerous contributions on the topic of anthroposophic nursing in books and professional journals. He lectures and teaches seminars in Germany and abroad.
