How to become a holistic nurse?

Specialties Holistic

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Hello!

I am an LPN who wants to pursue a career in alternative health. I have been looking in to holistic nursing, and I am very interested....I am just confused as to how I can get certified. I am willing to go on for my RN and or BSN. Any info would be great!

Thanks! :heartbeat

Megan

"Active practice as a holistic nurse for a

minimum of one (1) year full-time or 2,000

hours within the last five (5) years part time"

This is one of the criteria for certification. How do you get into nursing in the holistic field without being certified? I guess what I am trying to say is, doesn't that sound a little backwards or am I misunderstanding this?

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Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.
"Active practice as a holistic nurse for a

minimum of one (1) year full-time or 2,000

hours within the last five (5) years part time"

This is one of the criteria for certification. How do you get into nursing in the holistic field without being certified? I guess what I am trying to say is, doesn't that sound a little backwards or am I misunderstanding this?

My take on it-and I may be wrong-is that once you become an RN and start implementing holistic or CAM modalities (i.e. guided imagery, acupressure, etc), then you can become certified under their time requirements.

The next question is 'How do I go about learning these techniques?'. I believe the association has a list of approved educational programs that you could enroll. Many of these programs involve distance learning. I don't think that their list is exclusive though.

I would just look into what kind of paperwork is needed to prove the 2,000 or one year requirement.

Good luck:up:

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Specializes in cardiac rehab, medical/tele, psychiatric.
"Active practice as a holistic nurse for a

minimum of one (1) year full-time or 2,000

hours within the last five (5) years part time"

This is one of the criteria for certification. How do you get into nursing in the holistic field without being certified? I guess what I am trying to say is, doesn't that sound a little backwards or am I misunderstanding this?

I have looked into this as well..it does sound a bit backwards. The issue I am running into is where can you practice these modalities? I know there are some hopitals where you can volunteer to do reiki, but besides that I am a bit confused as how one would go about getting expereince.

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Specializes in Oncology Certified Nurse, Holistic Nurse.

There is a move to have some type of Holistic certifications for ADN's. I am using my nursing in a Holistic business. I am teaching a 4 quadrant balanced living model. I am finding great fulfillment in this business, and I also do aromatherapy, and incorporate this into what I do. You can email me at [email protected] for more detailed information about what I am doing.

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Can you tell me what/where the three programs are? I am extremely interested in holistic nursing and am starting the process of going back to school to get my BSN (currently have my BS in another field)?

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Can you tell me what/where the three programs are? I am extremely interested in holistic nursing and am starting the process of going back to school to get my BSN (currently have my BS in another field)?

There is actually more than three. I was think if my school being the only three that has our theory series (Modeling and Role modeling) which is holistic.

There is a list of all the schools

http://www.ahncc.org/home/endorsedschools.html

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Specializes in Maternal Child.

Hi,

I am in the same boat as you and I'm really interested in getting this certification but I'm confused about the process - did you get any more info on how to earn the modality hours?

Thanks

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The practice requirement for certification isn't "backwards" -- all the generalist (undergrad-level) nursing certifications (regardless of which agency offers them) require that you have completed some specific minimum number of hours of clinical practice in the specific specialty in order to be eligible.

The point of certification isn't to enable you to get into the specialty; it's to prove/document that you are an experienced, competent clinician in that specific specialty.

The advanced practice certifications used to also require a year or more (depending on whether you were working full-time or part-time) of clinical experience before you were eligible for certification, but it was so hard to find a job as an APN without the advanced practice certification that the national certifying organizations changed that and decided to let people get certified right out of school (they made that change shortly after I had completed the original CNS certification process (including all the hours of experience and clinical supervision after I graduated), and I recall being pretty offended by that -- but I've found over the years that nobody in nursing really cares what I think ... :) ).

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