Should I try and become a Nurse in a Naturopathic Clinic or a Naturopathic Doctor?

Specialties Holistic Nursing Q/A

I am a 21 year old female and have been taking my prerequisites for Nursing. I felt very passionate about my choice, I do really enjoy caring for people and helping people. However, as I got further into my studies, talked to various RNs, and had researched the career for awhile, I realized how horrible our health care system really is in the U.S. I think that we rely too heavily on drugs and intoxicants, therefore I don't want to have to inject people with a bunch of drugs, like nurses have to do sometimes.

My mother in law who is an RN told me that at her hospital 14 patients died in one month due to medical errors(being given the wrong drugs).Then she told me that they actually had someone who's job it was to "erase" the medical error so that it doesn't make the hospital look bad and they never told the patients family. I was horrified. I don't want any part of that.

I believe that an organic diet, exercise, herbal TEAS, meditation, acupuncture, acupressure, Craniospinal therapy, etc. are the best ways of treating and preventing illness. So I have decided that I either want to be a Nurse(and later Nurse Practitioner) who works in a Naturopathic Clinic, or become a doctor who uses natural and alternative . My question is, to become a Naturopathic doctor do you HAVE to go to a special Naturopathic medical school or could you go to medical school and then just start your own Naturopathic practice?

Also, which option sounds best? I know that I would have to have a Bachelor's degree before I could go to med school anyway, so should I just continue on with Nursing and try to get into a Naturopathic Clinic?

Thanks

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I went to an NP a few years ago. Awesome experience. I felt she spent way more time with me than any regular "doctor"has before. In my opinion, go all the way. She had her own practice, for which I paid like $300 for one visit (worth it, to me), and did not have a nurse.

Not to mention- since you paid cash, your encounter with her will 'never' enter the digital realm, so your secrets are safe with her!

The American Holistic Nurses Association, accredited by ANCC supports CAM. Enough said.

Obviously the AHNA would "support" CAM. What do you mean by "accredited by ANCC"? I'm unaware of the ANCC "accrediting" any voluntary specialty organizations.

Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.
Rude and insensitive but there is absoloutely ZERO good evidence that naturopathy works. If we were talking about someone peddling an allopathic treatment regimen with zero evidence as a "cure" we'd call them a quack. Yet for some reason when we talk about CAM we're supposed to be "sensitive" about stuff that doesn't work.[/quote']

If there is zero evidence it is probably due to the fact that there is very little research given pharmaceutical companies have their tentacles in everything...

Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.

Obviously the AHNA would "support" CAM. What do you mean by "accredited by ANCC"? I'm unaware of the ANCC "accrediting" any voluntary specialty organizations.

The ANCC accredits the organization (AHNCC) and/or the credential for holistic nurse.

Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.
Want to hit me with the literature I've missed? Cause I'm pretty sure the CAM folks would be crowing about something showing even minimal benefit.

Lol. This is an old post so i won't bother fully address the level of ignorance of this post.

Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Um. There is plenty of evidence to back up many CAM modalities. Yes, some alternative remedies have been proven not to work. Others have been proven harmful. Some lack evidence to verify their efficacy, and others have fairly strong evidence supporting them. Lots of herbal remedies work very well, and things like acupuncture have some data behind them. Allopathic medicine has more than it's fair share of harmful and non-evidence based practices.

Don't knock CAM as a whole. We should look at all forms of healing- allopathic or naturopathic- with a healthy dose of skepticism.

ALSO- and this is important, IMO- the placebo effect is a real thing. The placebo effect can bring relief to people without the hefty dose of side effects inherent in many drugs. That's why I am a reluctant fan of homeopathy. Homeopathy is a load of crap. But it really *works* for some people, and as long as they don't eschew needed allopathic treatments, then homeopathy can be a helpful treatment.

An another note, naturopathic training can also help clinicians work with traditional healers. This skill is very important if you want to work in indigent communities or do international work.

usalsfyre, you sound quite defensive, like someone who might have loads of deeply buried anger, who might actually benefit from alternative modalities in healing. Don't knock it until you actually do some research yourself. It's out there and so are tons of evidence suggesting this stuff actually DOES work, better and faster than western medicine actually, without side effects and damage to the patient as well (can you say that about chemotherapy??). Some of the reason we don't always hear about how well it works, is the negative outlook pharmaceutical companies (among others) have against something that might take business from them. That battle is not a new one and not always out in the open to see. I am a nurse and massage therapist and have studied both sides of this equation for a long time. I practice natural methods in healing as well, on my clients/patients and myself with great results, and am debating going back to school actually, for naturopathy or holistic nursing...I haven't decided. But the fact is that no one knows all the answers, and you can't tell me that you do. So before shutting the idea down further in your own brain, and before sending any more rude comments, do yourself and everyone around you a favor and educate yourself on what you are actually bashing. Then you won't sound like such a moron. I hope for your sake and your health that you do...and I do apologize for any abrasiveness in this thread, I'm not perfect, as no one is. For starters, try googling Dr. Burzynski or Dr. Joel Wallach. Dr. Burzynski is well known for his alternative methods in treating and curing brain cancer, which results of have been well documented. Dr. Wallach is a naturopath and veterinarian who has developed a leading line of vitamins and minerals that have also been well documented to cease many diseases from developing further and even curing them, all on their own. Both doctors have been to court countless times, in attempts to debunk their methods, and guess what. They WON their cases and STILL practice because they had EVIDENCE their methods worked.

As for the original post, you sound like you have similar ambitions as myself so I can definitely relate. You have a genuine desire to help people, which is so great to see. Keep yourself motivated and educated in every system of healing that you can find! Good luck and I hope you succeed in finding your purpose!

Yea, I'm a little embarrassed that I did respond to it...it just struck a nerve after a long day I suppose! haha :).

Specializes in psychiatric nursing.

If usalsfyre gets into the situation where conventional Western medicine fails to address their own health issues, they will change their tune.

As a patient myself with chronic Lyme disease and a patient advocate for a Lyme disease organization, I have seen first hand how integrative medicine can address issues that Western medicine alone cannot.

I know of some of the CAM out there and that patients have had some good individual results. I have performed a literature review on the subject but, that would be my first suggestion to see what evidence is out there. also check the licensing requirements for your state prior to enrolling an a program to make sure it will meet your needs and you will be practicing legally. We have some holistic mds in our area but, seem the be just peddling their own herbs rather than really solving the problem. I am still uncertain about the whole thing but, like the idea of integrating less traditional approaches to the fast, less cut and cure everything right now approach.

The ANCC accredits the organization (AHNCC) and/or the credential for holistic nurse.

Actually, no. It's the AHNCC, the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation, a branch of the AHNA, not the ANCC, that offers the credential. The ANCC approves the AHNA's continuing education offerings, which is a pretty common situation and doesn't represent any specific approval or accreditation of the organization.

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