Holistic RN or chiropractic?

[abell]

I am a premed student in portland oregon. i got accepted into chiropractic school but was warned that it might be difficult to make a living as a chiropractor. I have a BA but i am now working on pre-reqs to get an RN degree. i can go to chiropractic school this fall if i decide to do it because i was already accepted.

Do holistic nurses

-work in hospitals or private clinics?

-are there a lot of them, are they paid well, is it a recognized profession?

I would like to work and provide care using natural healing modalities that might include massage, chiropractic, naturopathic, and nutrition counselling. In other words, i want to help people who are sick, help them to detox and be healthy, and get paid to do this, and be happy and successful, and work with a group of doctors or caring people to help support the sick and encourage them to get well. is that what holistic nursing is? or should i go for chiropractic.

Thanks!

A Bell

[Josh L.Ac.]

It sounds like you want to be a licensed naturopathic physician. In many states it is illegal to practice"holistic medicine", natural medicine or anything remotely sounding like naturopathic medicine without a license to practice it. which is an ND (or NMD in Arizona). It is practicing medicine without a license. See the wbsite for the American Association of Naturopathic doctors for accredited colleges and universities. They are 4 year programs with internship and you don't work under anyone. You are considered a primary care physician.

You might be able to legally practice as a PCP in several states, but ND schools lack the training necessary to ethically practice as one. Four to six hundred patient contacts in school combined with the fact that the vast majority of naturopaths do not perform a residency results in a practitioner that lacks the clinical training to operate safely and effectively as a PCP.

Now some FNP programs give advanced standing to naturopaths, which would correct some of the clinical deficiencies.

[RNDave]

You might be able to legally practice as a PCP in several states, but ND schools lack the training necessary to ethically practice as one. Four to six hundred patient contacts in school combined with the fact that the vast majority of naturopaths do not perform a residency results in a practitioner that lacks the clinical training to operate safely and effectively as a PCP.

Similar to chiropractic school except that even less patient contacts are required. No residency is required in chiropractic. You graduate and are able to call yourself 'Dr.' seeing patients without needing a referral. But where would a DC or ND serve a residency? There is no resident system, as there is at teaching hospitals, for an alternative/holistic doctor.

Cheers,

Dave

[truffles111]

i was reading this posting....just curious...what did you decide to do?

[andpeggy]

I'm kind of curious to know, too! What did you decide, if you're still out there? I've struggled with the same decision, but ultimately keep coming back to nursing.

Also, HolisticNP, thanks for your post. "If you choose a career based on your own beliefs, you'll find your way." I need to remember that anytime I start thinking about doing something in healthcare other than nursing.

[lizdctorn2b]

I know this is an old old post. I too, am a DC, for 8 years. I am currently in my first semester for my BSN (almost done!)...with this semester that is! It was a very difficult task for me to shut down my office (took a whole year) but so far, I have not one regret. I have learned more about patient care than in Chiropractic school. With the economy it is today, and insurance reimbursements going down the tubes it was difficult to make a decent living as a chiro. Some DC's make ALOT of money, but I came to terms with myself such as..I am not a saleswoman, I am not an accountant,receptionist, med claims biller...the list goes on. They didn't tell us in Chiro school that an associates position is hard to come by; we were told we would make a great living for our families. Now I am at a point in my life where I understand that I did not fail. Chiropractic failed me. And on a positive note, becoming a nurse I do not have to worry about overhead, numbers of patients, bills, insurance reimbursements, 401 K, retirement, benefits....

My plan is to go for my NP when I am done. I could totally see myself in that position with patients. I swish everyone the best!

[mamiekay]

I'm an RN and my nursing program incorporated holistic healing and complementary modalities into every aspect of our training. Maybe we are an anomaly? In every single care plan, in addition to all of the medications and cares, we had to have a complementary modality as part of our plan of care. Of course, being students, most of us used "therapeutic presence", but we had some students who were trained and certified in Qi Gong, Healing Touch and hypnosis, and they were encouraged to use those modalities as appropriate. I know of several colleges and universities in my area who incorporate integrative medicine into their nursing programs, as well as at least one where the medical program incorporates IM.

The hospital where I work has a huge outpatient holistic clinic plus a separate hospital staff of RN's whose jobs are to see inpatients and perform complementary healing modalities. I'm able to order an integrative medicine consult for any of my patients who request them (or whom I'm able to convince to give it a try). We offer acupuncture, accupressure, healing touch, massage, music, aromatherapy, talk, and several others. It's exciting to be part of a medical community that gives credence to complementary modalities.

I have to say that I think you'd have a wider scope of practice as a chiropractor (I couldn't live w/o mine!!!), but there are good jobs to be had as an RN certified in one or more complementary modalities. BTW, I'm from MN where we tend to be very "progressive" with our politics and conservative with our medicine. I'd think in Oregon, or anywhere on the West Coast, as well as some other more progressively-thinking states (CO & UT come to mind), you'd be able to make a good living as either a chiropractor or a CAM RN. Follow what your heart is telling you and good luck!

[phillystudentforlife]

Hi! That's a big decision that you will want to thoroughly consider. To my knowledge, there are Holistic Nurse Practitioners. You would need to become a R.N. and then go on to pursue an advanced degree as an NP. I'm not sure if this is the only avenue. I'm currently looking into this career path. There was an article on a holistic N.P. on nurse.com .

I would suggest weighing what you will be doing with each job, where you will be working, etc. There are a few chiropractic/massage therapy/nutritional counseling offices in my area. Maybe research the career outlooks of both.

Are you an entrepreneurial person?

Whatever you decide, I believe that if you are creative and flexible, you will find a way to practice whatever specialty you go into.

[chiromed0]

Again, let me discourage anyone from pursuing a career without fiscal reasoning. Getting a $100K+ education for a career that may net you from $35K to $1M is not sound. Look at the probabilities of your career NOT the possibilities. Anyone can win the lottery but don't balance your checkbook by it. A nurse practitioner can practically do anything a D.C. is licensed to do and have more sound basis for doing it. How you practice, holitistically or not, is strictly up to you and no "schooling" will really change that. Chiropractors are no more "holistic" than medical doctors just b/c they decide to do something to the body from the outside rather than the inside. It makes little sense.

Nursing is a growing profession-stick to it.