How Kayley Hertzog Found Her Passion for Holistic Nursing

When Kayley Hertzog, BSN, HN-BC, chose nursing, she was continuing a family tradition. Both of her parents are nurses, and her brother is a physician assistant at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN).

“I loved my psychiatry rotation in nursing school,” Hertzog says. “Being present with patients and going beyond the medicine was impactful.”

After graduation, she began her career in psychiatry but soon transitioned into neurology. Today, she cares for patients in the neuroscience intensive care unit.

Hertzog first learned about LVHN’s holistic nursing program through her director. Though she had studied some holistic practices in school, LVHN’s nursing program gave her new ways to apply them in patient care. She has since earned certification as a Holistic Nurse-Board Certified (HN-BC).

“To me, holistic nursing means more than just focusing on the acute medical issue,” Hertzog says. “It’s about viewing the patient as a whole. Connecting with patients and colleagues in a deeper way makes everything more personal.”

She integrates mindfulness, deep breathing and guided meditation into her practice. Before each patient interaction, she centers herself so she can be fully present. She also asks patients what they like to watch or listen to, creating a calmer, more healing environment.

This June, Hertzog traveled to Reno, Nev., to attend and present at the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) Conference. She and her team shared their project teaching colleagues the 4-7-8 breathing technique during morning huddles. Nurses were shown in-person demonstrations, received badge cards and QR codes for guided practice, and could reflect on the impact of breathing exercises before and after their shifts.

The project showed measurable benefits for stress reduction. For Hertzog, presenting on a national stage was a first.

“It was nerve-wracking. I had never done anything beyond the bedside before,” she says. “But I felt supported by our leaders. It was exciting to represent LVHN.”

At the conference, LVHN was recognized with the Award for Holistic Institutional Excellence, honoring the health network’s commitment to holistic care. Meeting other nurses was equally valuable for Hertzog.

“Seeing the work being done across the country was encouraging,” she says. “It showed me how much the field is growing.”

Hertzog has witnessed the difference holistic practices can make for patients. She recalls helping one patient through a panic attack in the hallway.

“She was curled up in the fetal position, and nothing was working,” Hertzog says. “I sat with her and taught her to ‘smell the roses, blow out the birthday candles.’ With that simple deep breathing, her body relaxed, and she was able to tell me what had triggered her panic.”

That moment confirmed her calling. “It was the first time I implemented a practice and saw it work right in front of me,” Hertzog says.

Hertzog plans to continue researching holistic nursing and sharing what she learns with colleagues.

“This journey has been transformative,” she says. “Holistic nursing helped me step back and understand the ‘why’ behind what we do. We are treating more than an illness; we are treating the whole person.”

Her advice for colleagues considering holistic practices is simple: “Go for it. Many nurses already use holistic techniques without realizing it. The program gives you language, tools and a community to build on what you are already doing.”

As she looks to the future, Hertzog is eager to build on her AHNA experience. “This was great exposure to where nursing can take me,” she says. “I want to continue growing and sharing holistic nursing across the health network.”