Master's in Holistic Nursing - waste of time?

mtsteelhorse · Mar 29, 2011

I have similar thoughts. I wanted to purse NP degree in Psych/Mental Health but there will soon be legislation that will restrict the ability to work in that field. My other passion is wellness and prevention. I would love to work in the holistic field. Let me know what you find out and I'll follow this thread. Good Luck!

futrn · Mar 30, 2011

From the research I have been doing about holistic nursing it seems to me that a lot of it is what you make of it. While there are some hospitals which are using integrative medicine where you could really use your skills, most are not open to it. But in those hospitals maybe you could get work giving workshops on how to deal with stress. If you become a AHN and a NP as well you can start your own practice! This opens up a lot more possibilities I believe. Also I have been thinking about looking into whether a HN could start a freelance homecare buisiness incorporating alternative modalities into their care. Good luck with everything! Let us know if you find any holistic based RN jobs =)

NightNurse876 · Apr 12, 2011

Lola!

I am hoping to start my master's at FAU in the spring. I do not think it's a waste especially since the only difference between the NP prog and HN prog is the concentraton course work so If you did the FNP prog ypu would need 15 or 17 HN credits and be able to sit for both certification exams....so it's an extra semester of work pretty much. Anywho, PM we r in the same area and have similar interests! I'm currently working on basic skin care, massage and reiki...should be done with all of those a december, just in time for the spring!

olof · May 20, 2011

I do agree with Marah1984. I am looking into taking mastersdegree with focus on holistic nursing. I don't want to be working irregular hours because of my kids so I want to have my own private clinic and help people to get into the complimentary therapies but they need nurses to help them into that path because they trust us more than just mr. John smith on the corner!

so don't give it up....

hugs

O

drolmareiki · Oct 27, 2011

No education is a waste of money. I think you should follow your heart. At the very least, you'll be in a community of like minded people who you probably would have never met otherwise.On a more practical side, I'd ask the school about their placements for grads and what type of assistance they give.

If your spirit is leading you, you must follow. Life is a series of karmic paths, and very few of these are straight lines!

I've never viewed the thousands of dollars I've spend on holistic training as ROI (return on investment), I look at it as service and creativity needed to keep my spirit fed and alive. The traditional degrees is the career and the other stuff is how you can stand out and carve your own path. Best of luck to you!

Have courage and never give up trying to share your gifts and talents!

I never remember this, but experiment more with what you presently know and would like to know. Put something together in your community (class, or small group) you might find you already have everything you need! This way you'll find your niche faster and then just stick to it. Most holistic work requires a tremendous business acumen and luck! (kind of not why you wanted to do anything holistic right?). Begin with the end in mind.

You'll need to manage your brand and services, and provide offerings, have a private practice/office, or work with others...

I'd also google some NPs and RNs that are also holistic practitioners and counselors. There are some NDs that went and became PAs because they wanted to prescribe antibiotics, despite all the great training at Bastyr. The key is practice. How do you want to practice, and who do you want to serve, and then create a plan around it. If you focus on employment in the traditional sense, you may be disappointed.

The YMCA's cancer live strong program, loves to have people assist leading meditations, yoga, and creative exercises for survivors. There are so many ways to help. I also think holistic is part of traditional nursing theory. If we practice consciously and are aware of ourselves and what we are bringing to ever situation, that also is an act of service.

Advocacy, information, empowerment, environment -- I think they are all the best parts of nursing!

sorry for the ramblings-- its 2am

Best to you all

Xoxo

yogalove · Nov 4, 2011

I agree that no education is a waste of time or money. I think that a lot of holistic nurses these days (and I could be wrong) are going into private practices. Regardless of whether they have their NP degree or not. I've been doing some looking online and there are lots of successful HN-BC's out there with their own practices who offer aromatherapy, massage, or even nutrition counseling for a holistic lifestlye.

I've recently been trying to figure out for myself whether going back to school for a master's in holistic nursing or getting my NP degree would be the best route. As you can see, all of these ways cost money. I'm starting to think maybe school isn't the answer right now, and it's best to focus on what I can do with my current degree (BSN), such as taking classes towards getting my holistic nurse certification, then sitting for the certification test.

I really don't know what the success of different kinds of holistic practices are out there.... Is it possible to have long and fulfilling career as a holistic nurse without getting an NP degree or masters of some sort?? (I think/hope so!!):) Thoughts/comments on the differences between these???

drolmareiki · Nov 4, 2011

I think you should work with what you have, as you have a BSN and can do a lot.

Having a license is pretty powerful. You aren't going to be able to bill most holistic services as an NP or holistic MD.

Take a look at their business models. They depend on acupuncture, self-pay clients, supplements, infusion, hyperbaric, medical devices, lab testing, etc...

My mother pretty much does probono case management and buys people herbs and supplements and helps them monitor their medications and md treatments and appointments. Since she's retired, she loves sharing her skills. As a nurse you are an advocate and educator.

Alot of these companies have continuing education for free. For example you can establish practitioner accounts with medical foods companies like Metagenics, and offer some of their nutrigenomic and metabolic program offerings. The key is authenticity. Trust your feelings. Figure out who you want to serve, and carve out a niche. Regardless of being an NP etc.. you'll need a focus.

I can't really speak to the options of NP versus masters, but I'd focus on the type of work you'd like to do, and get that a little clearer. I'm not sure about the scope of practice interms of case management or counseling lifestyle medicine. Maybe someone else could speak to that?

jmyangel · Feb 26, 2012

If you look at the education criteria since the turn of the year a master's degree is what is required for case management in our area hospitals. There may be other companies that will accept a BSN only. Most also require 3-5 years of clinical experience in an acute care setting. My advice is to get your Med-Surg experience unless you know that you want a specialty and have a shoe in. The game of furthering your education is baffling to me. It is so costly yet seems that the pay is not great. Now, in Kansas, they have made ANP a doctrine program...more money/time. It is like the dog chasing the rabbit...are we ever going to acheive completion. It gets exhausting. I am 3 classes away from finishing my BSN and just want my life back. I am a returning adult student so this is a 2nd career for me. Still searching for the perfect position...if it exists instead of the back breaking, stressful floor. I am 6 months from having my 3 years of acute care. I hope that with 3 years experience with Charge and a BSN some doors will open. The thing is that our jobs as hospital floor nurses would not be bad, they could be rewarding if more nurses were hired so that nurse to patient ratio was better. Then we would actually have time to be nurses. Love the job...hate the politics!

Piglet08 · Mar 10, 2012

Answering in what I think is the context of your question, yes, I think it's a waste of time. There's no licensed application for "holistic nursing".

Piglet08 · Mar 10, 2012

I've considered pursuing an NP, but there's still no way to apply that degree in a career in complementary, alternative, mind-body-spirit healing methods. Nursing is not an independent field. It's in-between, a no-man's-land, neither this nor that. We're not educated properly to be medical practitioners, but overeducated to be satisfied mindlessly following orders. It COULD be a bridge between disciplines, and offer multiple healing alternatives to those who want more than allopathic medicine offers, if the licensing boards would allow it. But I have no hope that they will.

overtonis · May 21, 2012

Do not go for a Masters Degree in anything unless you have worked in the field and feel completely satisfied with it. Then and only then should you consider masters degree. We are seeing alot of nurses with advanced degrees who had no idea what it was really about who are trying to transition out. A BSN will get you into the door for most jobs....if you love the heck out of it...then you should start conversation of masters degree and maybe the facility or company your with will pay a portion of it.