Nurse managers making a difference: creating a healing place

As the "point person" in developing patient care delivery systems, the nurse manager has the ability to shift the care environment from one driven by high technology to one that restores harmony and wholeness to patients and families. In developing a healing environment, the nurse manager must consider three main elements: (1) the philosophy or conceptual framework by which care is delivered; (2) psychoarchitectural designs; and (3) the use of healing arts modalities. Care of patients and families under the new paradigm of healing health care can provide one of the highest quality outcomes: the patient's experience of healing.