[RubyCO]

Hello, I am a massage therapist and am looking into pursing holistic nursing. In addition, I am extremely interested in acupuncture. I have been researching holistic nursing programs and welcome any advice for schooling. What is the best route? Going through a nursing program and then taking additional classes and/or online classes for holistic certification? Or attending a school that caters to holistic specialization? Some of the school program only seem to offer a few holistic courses at best. I already have a BS in social work so this may shorten the length of my education. Is a fast track advisable or a regular track?
Are there any nursing programs that integrate acupuncture? The Holistic Nursing Association did not have any helpful info. in that area. Would I need to complete nursing and acupuncture school?
Are there opportunities for travel as well?
Thanks for any recommendations!

[nizhoni]

RubyCo,

I am a registered nurse with a deep interest in Chinese Medicine. You will need to complete acupuncture school if you wish to provide acupuncture, even if you are already an RN, as it is its own licensed profession. If you don't wish to do that (it usually involves 3-4 years of full-time study leading to a master's degree), you could study acupressure and provide that care. You could do this either by virtue of your massage license/certification or by virtue of a nursing license in most states (since nurses are licensed to touch). Check with the nursing board of the state in which you would practice to be sure that this would be acceptable.

If you want to study nursing and provide primary care, you have the option of using your BS in Social Work as a means of fast-tracking to a master of science in nursing with a specialty certification. This is done via a 3-year program. You also have the option of pursuing the clinical nursing doctorate, said to be the way of the future for clinicians. Of course, the merits of fast-track programs like these are hotly debated on this board as well as elsewhere and you would have to decide how you feel about those issues. But if you are most interested in providing primary health care (which your interest in acupuncture implies), you could complete an MSN with a specialty, for example, in family nurse practice, then emphasize holistic care when you graduate.

In the meantime, let me play devil's advocate here: why are you interested in becoming a nurse? Do you really want to study Western medicine? I think that you will find many aspects of nursing school to be pretty frustrating if you are interested in anything beyond the standard model of Western medicine. While nursing programs may be more "holistic" in their focus (in the sense that they deal with the physical, spiritual and psychosocial aspects of each individual), only a few really offer anything regarding complementary and alternative health care practicies. You could simply decide to pursue acupuncture on its own merits. Much depends on whether you intend to work in a geographical area that is accepting of acupuncture as a primary health care profession; in some areas, being a nurse might help pay the bills.

In short, I know of no nursing programs that integrate acupuncture, since acupuncture is an entirely separate course of study. Tennessee State University has a master of science in nursing program that focuses on holistic nursing--but my understanding is that it's not yet a nurse practitioner program, despite an allusion to the same on their website. There are three other MSN programs in the country that offer a concentration in holistic nursing, and the University of Phoenix has a master of science in nursing in Integrative Medicine. I predict the number will increase given both public and professional interest in complementary health care practices. There is a program in New York state that actually offers a nurse practitioner program in holistic nursing--and I think it's the only official MSN/NP (as opposed to MSN only) program in the country. TSU is working on getting their program accepted for NP status, but as I understand it they are not there yet.

Regardless, none of these would allow you to do acupuncture--for that, you must go to acupuncture school.

Very long post, hope it helps!

Marla
RN-BC, Licensed Midwife (CA)

[RubyCO]

Nizhoni,

Thanks for your insightful reply. This definitely gave me helpful info. and things to think about. Probably too many to think about but necessary.
Originally, I became interested in nursing for several factors. I wanted to continue work in the health field while obtaining job security, lucrative pay, and possible travel and/or job mobility. While researching the occupational handbook guide through the labor department, I found out about holistic nursing and it stated they may provide acupuncture, massage, etc.
I have contemplated acupuncture but still have reserve about some of the philosophies and results. Nonetheless, I am still interested but have concerns about the professions earnings plus the school is nothing to sneeze at 30-40,000 in comparison to nursing school. Not that I base price on everything I want to do but it is a major concern. Obviously, nursing has more demand and security but I guess that all depends on what you want to do. In addition, I have become used to working more or less on my own or in settings with little supervision. That makes me wonder in regards to the bureaucratic atmosphere for nurses (in some settings). I've heard nurses being disgruntled about lack of respect and/or chain of command, etc. How big of an issue is that really? Anyway...thanks for the input about acupressure/shiatsu.
Thanks for your time and effort.