At its founding in 1981, the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) adopted as its primary mission the advancement of holistic healthcare by increasing awareness and promoting education as well as personal community-building among nurses, other healthcare professionals and the public. This non-profit professional membership organization (www.ahna.org) is becoming the definitive voice for holistic nursing for registered nurses and other holistic healthcare professionals around the world. Holistic nursing focuses on integrating traditional, complementary and alternative treatment opportunities to improve the physical, mental, emotional and relational health of the whole person. AHNA delivers valuable resources, improves educational tools, and offers superior networking opportunities to a vibrant and expanding universe of healthcare professionals. AHNA currently services almost 4,500 members through 143 local chapters/networks in the U.S. and abroad. Holistic nursing is recognized by the American Nurses Association as an official nursing specialty with both a defined scope and standards of practice.