Where are all of the holistic nurses?

Specialties Holistic

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I would love for this holistic nursing forum to be more active! I am been so immersed in the holistic/integrative world for the last few years that it is odd to me when I read a lot of the posts in the general nursing forum. It reminds me of how grateful I am to have discovered alternative health.

If you are a holistic nurse, what brought you to the field? What does your current practice look like?

I became involved in holistic nursing and functional medicine almost 3 years ago. I was diagnosed with 3 autoimmune diseases and I was really struggling and very ill for a while. Then I discovered food as medicine and the transformation in my health was remarkable. I went back to school for additional certifications in holistic nutrition and herbalism and now I have a practice nutritional therapy and functional medicine practice.

I'd love to connect with other like-minded nurses!

Specializes in critical care.

Freaking love you freaking loving my post! [emoji5]️

Google the Institute of Functional Medicine. Definitely training I want to get after I become an RN and then go on to be an NP specializing in functional medicine! I see an MD who practices functional medicine. Basically it's a way of looking at the entire body/patient and seeing how each system interacts with each other. For example, not many docs in conventional medicine would bring to a patient's attention that their chronic skin issues could actually be stemming from gut dysbiosis. But a functional medicine doctor would think of that. My doctor has me on both supplements and a medication - the great thing about functional medicine is that you use the best of both worlds! :)

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Functional medicine is a catch all term for science based modalities, liberally peppered and often heavily diluted with "alternative" therapies that vary from maybe helpful to benign to potentially harmful. Functional medicine practitioners have a propensity for ordering copious laboratory testing and imaging that is often of dubious clinical value, or even downright useless or potentially harmful.

All good providers look at the entire patient within their unique wider context- this is not something that sets CAM apart. Any provider worth their salt practices holistically. Because most CAM providers are not bound by insurance regulations and insultingly low medicaid reimbursement rates, they often have the luxury of extended visit times, which absolutely is a benefit to patients, no question. Unfortunately the mainstream health care system seems designed to actively discourage us from spending the necessary time to provide good holistic care, to the frustration of most every provider I know. But that does not mean we need to adopt a non-scientific approach to medicine. It means we need to fix the systems barriers that keep us from being able to practice true patient centered care.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/functional-medicine-the-ultimate-misnomer-in-the-world-of-integrative-medicine/

Functional medicine embraces homeopathy, which is a belief system wholly incompatible with science. In order for homeopathy to be real, our fundamental understanding of the physical laws of our universe would have to be false.

I am the first to defend any adult's right to choose (or decline) whatever type of health care (or "health care" as the case may be). My issue is with health care providers using their position of authority to steer patients towards treatments that may open them up to undue risk and/or cost them their time or money. We work in a science based profession, and have an ethical duty to provide the safest, most effective care for our patients. There is no ethical defense for recommending (or worse, SELLING) homeopathic remedies to a patient. There is no ethical defense to ordering batteries of unnecessary tests, as FM practitioners are wont to do. It is morally bankrupt to steer patients away from vaccinations, which is an all too common CAM trope.

There are soooo many problems with the US health care system, and also within academic medicine and research. But the answer is not to turn away from scientific skepticism.

Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

A good exercise, not specific to CAM- Identify some of your closely held beliefs, then set out to see if you can find evidence to convince yourself that you are wrong. Seek out opposing viewpoints, and formulate arguments against your personal opinion. You might find yourself changing your mind. Or if not, you will be thoroughly prepared for any future debates on the issue :)

I also encourage anyone truly interested in the process of science itself to do some googling about scientific skepticism, cognitive bias, and logical fallacies. Understanding your inherent neurochemical wiring is enough to give profound insight into your belief systems.

Specializes in Informatics, Critical care.

I love everything about this post. I am just discovering for myself the love of oils, diet choices and other natural methods to minimize some of my symptoms of various things and I have a true belief that wellness and preventative medicine are the future. My difficulty is that I have been away from the bedside for a few years now (thank you ICU and the injuries there) and one cannot certify in anything without clinical experience, which I cannot get because I cannot work bedside in an acute care setting anymore. I have yet to find a clinic that will pay an RN with my experience anything other than an entry-level LVN or MA salary and I cannot switch for that. It is very frustrating. Thoughts?

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I love everything about this post. I am just discovering for myself the love of oils, diet choices and other natural methods to minimize some of my symptoms of various things and I have a true belief that wellness and preventative medicine are the future. My difficulty is that I have been away from the bedside for a few years now (thank you ICU and the injuries there) and one cannot certify in anything without clinical experience, which I cannot get because I cannot work bedside in an acute care setting anymore. I have yet to find a clinic that will pay an RN with my experience anything other than an entry-level LVN or MA salary and I cannot switch for that. It is very frustrating. Thoughts?

Well, preventative care is not new, and certainly makes a huge difference in outcome and disease management. If you want to be in a preventative care position you are going to have to become more comfortable with a big pay cut. You aren't going to find primary care / clinic position that pays anywhere near what a busy Icu will pay. There are options such as certified diabetes nurse, clinical coordinators / managers, research coordinators etc that might come close. Community health is an interesting non clinical position, but it's not going to pay well. If you can't / don't want to work acute care, but want to work, you're going to have to accept less money.

I am starting my prerequisites for nursing in January 2017. I have always been interested in the natural side of healing. My interest and goal is to get my RN and specialize in naturopathy or holistic nursing. I don't think there are any schools for that in Michigan...I don't think I would last long in nursing if I had to work in a facility that uses traditional medicine. For I feel medicine is simply a band-aid. Certain ones definitely have their place, but I don't think I want to administer them. Can anyone turn me in the right direction?? I have looked in southern CA and there are many options...how about in Michigan?? Thanks in advance!

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I am starting my prerequisites for nursing in January 2017. I have always been interested in the natural side of healing. My interest and goal is to get my RN and specialize in naturopathy or holistic nursing. I don't think there are any schools for that in Michigan...I don't think I would last long in nursing if I had to work in a facility that uses traditional medicine. For I feel medicine is simply a band-aid. Certain ones definitely have their place, but I don't think I want to administer them. Can anyone turn me in the right direction?? I have looked in southern CA and there are many options...how about in Michigan?? Thanks in advance!

With your attitude about medicine you are

barking up the wrong tree Pursuing nursing. You will not get through nursing school without administering the medications and treatments you turn your nose up to. Holistic nursing is not naturopathy or alternative medicine. Holistic nursing is providing care that encompasses the whole person, and sometimes

include alternative and complimentary modalities

that are proven to work.

The he reason you havnt found any naturopathic nursing schools / jobs is because naturopathy is not a recognized medical field. Education is not standardized, licensing practices are sketchy and vary by state.

Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.
I am starting my prerequisites for nursing in January 2017. I have always been interested in the natural side of healing. My interest and goal is to get my RN and specialize in naturopathy or holistic nursing. I don't think there are any schools for that in Michigan...I don't think I would last long in nursing if I had to work in a facility that uses traditional medicine. For I feel medicine is simply a band-aid. Certain ones definitely have their place, but I don't think I want to administer them. Can anyone turn me in the right direction?? I have looked in southern CA and there are many options...how about in Michigan?? Thanks in advance!

seriously, your decision to enter the field of quackery via nursing is very misguided.

How do you think you will make it through school or ever get a job if you are unwilling to administer necessary medications?

Your assertion that "traditional" meds are a band aid is the very definition of hubris

clearly you are ignorant in the medical field so I'll forgive you, but I assure you there is nothing band aid like about meds that keep transplant patients alive or inhalers for asthmatics, for example

are you also anti vaccine? Wouldn't be surprised if you are

seriously nursing school would be a huge waste of money and time for you, give your spot to someone else

Specializes in Childbirth Educator, Birth Doula.

I find it super ironic that everyone on here defending nursing as an inherently holistic field has such a negative perspective on alternative medicine. I can only assume that these sorts of attitudes and perspectives are being used as filters (whether you realize it or not) with your patients who report engaging in these practices. Isn't the goal to be open and receptive to the possible social, emotional, and spiritual benefits of a wide variety of modalities which may not **currently** have the scientific community to vouch for them??

I'm a RN who has always had goals to integrate my passions for women's sexual and reproductive health, mindfulness practice, and traditional western herbalism. I was a doula and community health worker before becoming a nurse, and have always dreamed of running my own practice as a women's health coach with a focus on sexuality and trauma-informed care. In addition to being board certified, I've looked into getting trained in the Arvigo Techniques of Mayan uterine massage, Holistic Pelvic Care through Tami Kent, MPT, the Bodysex workshops with Dr. Betty Dodson, and the women's herbal educator program through Dr. Aviva Romm. These all would compliment my training and education as a nurse beautifully and I would be bringing in a unique and valuable perspective into all of these programs with my professional background.

Holistic nursing as an emphasis is a response to a very reactionary model of care that is appropriate for acute and critical care but inadequately deals with chronic and preventable health conditions. To dismiss is, as I said, the very opposite of holistic thinking.

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I find it super ironic that everyone on here defending nursing as an inherently holistic field has such a negative perspective on alternative medicine. I can only assume that these sorts of attitudes and perspectives are being used as filters (whether you realize it or not) with your patients who report engaging in these practices. Isn't the goal to be open and receptive to the possible social, emotional, and spiritual benefits of a wide variety of modalities which may not **currently** have the scientific community to vouch for them??

I'm a RN who has always had goals to integrate my passions for women's sexual and reproductive health, mindfulness practice, and traditional western herbalism. I was a doula and community health worker before becoming a nurse, and have always dreamed of running my own practice as a women's health coach with a focus on sexuality and trauma-informed care. In addition to being board certified, I've looked into getting trained in the Arvigo Techniques of uterine massage, Holistic Pelvic Care through Tami Kent, MPT, the Bodysex workshops with Dr. Betty Dodson, and the women's herbal educator program through Dr. Aviva Romm. These all would compliment my training and education as a nurse beautifully and I would be bringing in a unique and valuable perspective into all of these programs with my professional background.

Holistic nursing as an emphasis is a response to a very reactionary model of care that is appropriate for acute and critical care but inadequately deals with chronic and preventable health conditions. To dismiss is, as I said, the very opposite of holistic thinking.

i would disagree. In a time when medicine has advanced so far it's not ok to continue to use unproven therapies that can have real consequences for patients. And I absolutly refuse to accept the idea that in order to practice holsitically that I should not tell my patients that the high priced homepatic tinctures (aka sugar water) are not tested for safety or efficacy, have no valid medical purpose, and are not an alternative to anti hypertensive. Part of my job is educating patients to make good medical choices, not keeping quiet when they make poor ones.

The other alarming trend in "alternative" medicine is the increasing number of patients who will forgo proven medical treatments in favor of woo, and end up much sicker (or dead) because of it. And the alarming number of online health gurus who will take your money hand over fist without batting an eye. They don't care if what they are selling you is safe, or if there are any studies looking at its efficacy. They use extremely predatory practices to target people who are suffering the most, to make a pretty penny doing it.

Now, if someone wants to integrate traditional practice with their treatment, and it's not contraindicated, then I'm happy to support them! If someone who has chronic pain (and has enough money) wants to try acupuncture or cupping I will gladly ask them about their treatments. But when my piss poor patients tell me they are going to order $200 superfood supplements, or a young living essential oil kit to treat their cancer you bet your butt I'm going to explain to them that those things are not necessary or even proven effective. When my Chf patients tell me they are going to stop taking their meds because their chiropractor told them they need to take fewer pharmaceuticals, I'm going to tell them their chiro is a quack. When someone tells me they saw this great new supplement/ wrap / superfood on dr oz or mercola . Com or some other quackery site I'm going to redirect them. Because I advocate for my patients, and my patients deserve evidence based, safe, effective, proven, affordable medicine.

and lastly what the wholy heck is "Arvigo Techniques of uterine massage", why would one do it, is it covered by insurance, how much does it cost?

Specializes in Pediatric nursing: ED, forensic, neuro, triage.

I've been a nurse for almost 10 years all spent in pediatrics. I've been in child malteatment/forensic, emergency, and now pediatric epilepsy. Nursing truley is an art and being tined in/ aware of the whole person is something that I think takes time. I just discovered Holistic nursing certifications and am interested in finding out more about specialized CAMs.

I agree that other nurses can sometimes be the hardest people to discuss CAMs with. I get called "crunchy" for making my own deodorant!!!

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