Nurse Coaching - How do I get started?

Nurses Entrepreneurs

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I am attempting to become a nurse / holistic nurse coach. All of the programs are over $5000. Any ideas on how to get it started.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hi, Kimhaehn. I'm excited to hear you are interested in taking steps to formally integrate coaching into your nursing practice. Congratulations in advance on taking your nursing career in a meaningful and rewarding direction. I'm a registered nurse and a soon-to-be credentialed coach (I expect to complete my ICF coach certification later this year). I have some thoughts I'd like to share in answer to your question... and they resulted in a long response… so pull up a cup of your favorite beverage and get comfy. ;-)

I'm passionate about coaching in healthcare because I see how valuable a coaching style of communication can be for improving patient outcomes, especially in preventive medicine and chronic care, where lifestyle change is the key to success. While nurses tend to be natural” coaches, and the nursing scope of practice involves coaching” elements, it is important to understand that coaching, in the wider world beyond nursing, is currently striving to emerge as a more formally recognized profession in its own right. It may help to think of the growing pains” the coaching industry is going through right now as a somewhat similar process to how the nursing profession developed, historically.

Currently in the US, anyone can hang his or her shingle as a coach” without formal coaching education or coaching certification. That is starting to change, but there is still much confusion at all levels. For example, when I tell people I'm a health and wellness coach” they either think I'm a massage therapist, a fitness trainer, or saleswoman for supplements. There is nothing wrong with any of these job descriptions, but as a nurse practitioner providing health and wellness coaching to private clients, my offerings are entirely different. Ultimately, I suspect that as coaching gains traction in healthcare over time, the pathways for education and certification will become more clear for nurses because they will be mandated (and possibly even financially supported) by employers.

Meanwhile, while we wait for the idealistic eventuality of employer support, there are multiple independent education programs and certifying bodies for coaches (not just nurse coaches), and you've already noticed that coaching education programs can be expensive. As a nurse, you would be well served by the AHNCC certification or possibly an ICF certification. So much depends on what your personal long-term goals are... are you wanting to work for an employer, or are you wanting to strike out on your own? Remember when you're planning your budget for coach training that the cost of the education program may be separate from the cost of your certification application and exam. There may also be costs for mentor coaching and membership in your certifying body's membership organization.

The eligibility criteria for the specific nurse-coach certification offered by the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Center (AHNCC) is listed at Nurse Coach - American Holistic Nurses

The eligibility critera for the ICF coach certification can be found at Individual Credentialing - ICF

You may want to check out a copy of the book, The Art and Science of Nurse Coaching: The Provider's Guide to Coaching Scope and Competencies.” The book sets up the big-picture framework for nurse coaching that you'll be plugging into as a nurse-coach or as a nurse who is also a credentialed coach. In my opinion, the book is a must-read for anyone in healthcare who is interested in coaching.

Because coaching involves specific processes, skills, and techniques for interpersonal communication, enrolling in a reputable coaching education course is actually a VERY worthwhile investment. It sounds like a lot at first, but you don't necessarily have to do all your training at once. I received my coach training through Wisdom of the Whole Coaching Academy, which is founded by a nurse (and co-author of the book listed above), so I knew the course of study was reputable. AND I was able to get nursing CEUs for taking my coach education courses, which helped me to justify the cost of tuition. If you don't care whether the coach training you receive is specifically geared toward nurses, you may be able to save some money by finding a reputable general coach training program offered in your community, such as through a local community college, university, or extension program. While the cost of a local program might be less, you may not be able to get nursing CEUs for your efforts. So there's always a bit of a trade-off.

Before you enroll in any coaching education course, make sure you know what coaching certification program the coaching education program is aligned with. For example, the Wisdom of the Whole program I mentioned earlier is aligned with both the AHNCC nurse coach certification standards and the International Coach Federation (ICF) coach certification standards. What you want to avoid is paying a bunch of money for a coaching education course that offers only self-certification with no support for a more widely recognized certification.

I hope this helps you get started with adding coaching to your nursing practice. I'll be posting a series of articles about coaching on allnurses.com soon, so definitely keep an eye out for that. Meanwhile, best of luck, and let us know what you decide to do.

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

Well according to what I have seen online, just sign up to be a Young Living or Doterra distributor. *Insert Sarcasm*

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I had no idea this was becoming a "thing".

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Specializes in Childbirth Educator, Birth Doula.

HILARIOUS. As someone who has studied clinical herbalism, trained in aromatherapy (as an esthetician), and is passionate about integrative and C+A medicine, this is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Everyone's a health coach! Except... you're not. :laugh:

This is one more reason why I think nurses really need to step into this role and give it more legitimacy and substance. Health coaching is an integral part of the trends in healthcare and it's an exciting place for nurses to be... IF we can get ahead of the curve and not be left behind.

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That would give you the Holistic and the Coach (possibly) but not the Nurse.

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Yes the link posted above is it. Its gonna cost because its so specialized.

I went through Wellcoaches but it is a (General) Health Coach.

There is alot of CEU and experience you need to have documented.

Its all listed at Nurse Coach - American Holistic Nurses

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I would consider getting a certified educator certificate in the area of health that you're interested. Like a Certified Diabetic Educator.

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Thank you for your discussion forum post. I was in your position too. I wanted to pursue my nursing degree, but it cost a lot. So, I weighed my options and figured that I really needed this degree. So, I chose to nursing pathway. I would do these things in order to help you decide:

1. Call your academic counselor.

2. Call the school.

3. Get nursing books from the library.

I wish you the best and good luck to you.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Here is a link to the first article in the series. There is more to come.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/orientation-to-nurse-1088660.html

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Here is a link to the first article in the series. There is more to come.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/orientation-to-nurse-1088660.html

Thank you Lane Therrell for this article. I've found it to be some of the most compelling information I've read. Your passion and knowledge has such a positive effect. I look forward to your series of articles on this site! By any chance do you have a business email, blog, website, where you can be reached? I look forward to hearing back from you! Thank you in advance!

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If you are a nurse interested in increasing your income through helping others with health and wellness, understanding the difference between coaching programs vs certification programs is critical. The only nationally accredited program I have found which deliver credentials which allow you to bill your services through your own NPI number is the NIWH (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). They are credentialed by the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and give ANCC nurse CE contact hours. The program provides you an NPI number and billing manual as well as training you to work with doctors or on your own. It's 400 hours, has a long list of credentials and recognitions from being in business 41 years, and has a program exclusively for nurses. I think it's worth checking out this program out and perhaps talking to someone there (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). Good luck!

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