Career Opportunities for Holistic Nurses

Agnus · Aug 9, 2006

Hi all! I'm very interested in the holistic side of health but am not sure what career options are out there for me if I pursue the holistic nursing track. Can I be a travel nurse? How does holistic nursing differ from the traditional hospital nurse? I just want to know my options before I travel that road.
And since I'm posting right now, I'll ask my other question. What are the pre reqs to be accepted into a naturopathic medical school?
Thank you all in advance! Please keep the answers, comments, and suggestions coming!!!

I am about to start a certificate program in Holistic Nursing and Wellness Counseling. I will try to answer your questions ask I understand them and within the limits of my knowledge.

A Hollistic nurse must first be a Registered Nurse. The traditional hospital nurse as you call her/him may or may not practice hollistic nursing.

Hollistic nursing is a speciality within nursing. That is one of the wonderful things about this profession there are so many areas where you may specialize.

And you may specilize in more than one area. For instance you may practice hollistic nursing and labor and delivery.

Yet you are in both cases still a "traditional hospital nurse."

Nursing traditionally embraces the concept of hollism and view itself as a hollistic profession as opposed to medicine.

Unfortunately because the vast majority of nurses work in hospitals we are quickly aclimated to allopathy the treatment of disease and for many of us our philosophy of hollism becomes superceeded.

Hollism is a philosophy that focuses on the whole person. The idea is you consider spirit, mind, body, enviorment, family and community as one. The general belief is one does not effect a cure on another but one may help remove blocks to healing so that the individual may heal themselves. Hollistic care has a strong focus on wellness as opposed to illness. When you are not sick a medical doctor does nothing for you. On the other hand someone focused on welness will help you not only maintain that state of wellbeing but to improve upon it. Much of what we do involves teaching the patient how and what he needs to do to achieve this. These are things that insurance does not pay for and therefore are seldom presued by health care professionals.

Can you travel. Absolutely yes. I believe a hollistic nurse has more in her orificenal to care for her patinents than the so called more traditional schooled nurse. You will find yourself welcome where ever you do a travel assignment.

As you go down this path you will be pleasantly surprised to discover conventional nurses hold many of your beliefs and philosophies and would love to lean some of your modoalities of treatment. Many many nurses in thier individual bedside practice do incorporate various aspects and modalities of hollism into their daily practice.

CaliAlli · Aug 10, 2006

Thank you very much for your response! Let me clarify for anyone that when I wrote "traditional hospital nurse," it was in NO way meant as a slight against anyone and/or his/her profession. Agnus, I'm very interested in what you have written, but can you (or anyone else) provide me with specific jobs I can do as a holistic nurse? I do NOT want to administer medicine to people (unless it is all-natural herbs and such like), so I don't know exactly where my place is in a hospital, or even if I have any business in a hospital. I really want to impact people's lives for the better; I want to truly help people, but as the pharmaceutical world continues to dominate our society (all for the sake of the almighty dollar), my vision of what I can do becomes smaller and smaller.

Palmo · Aug 15, 2006

Hi,

I have the same questions...

I have been thinking of..perhaps an intergrative approach...and am also interested in specific jobs...

The last response was very nice but kind of "vague"

Anyone have any advice :)...

Thanks:nurse:

zenman · Aug 16, 2006

Thank you very much for your response! Let me clarify for anyone that when I wrote "traditional hospital nurse," it was in NO way meant as a slight against anyone and/or his/her profession. Agnus, I'm very interested in what you have written, but can you (or anyone else) provide me with specific jobs I can do as a holistic nurse? I do NOT want to administer medicine to people (unless it is all-natural herbs and such like), so I don't know exactly where my place is in a hospital, or even if I have any business in a hospital. I really want to impact people's lives for the better; I want to truly help people, but as the pharmaceutical world continues to dominate our society (all for the sake of the almighty dollar), my vision of what I can do becomes smaller and smaller.

Might want to check out http://www.thefourwinds.com for a program that will not only accomplish what you want, but will change you...can't beat that!

Agnus · Aug 17, 2006

Hi,
I have the same questions...
I have been thinking of..perhaps an intergrative approach...and am also interested in specific jobs...
The last response was very nice but kind of "vague"
Anyone have any advice :)...
Thanks:nurse:

It is difficult because I do not have anyway of knowing you're nor the original poster's knowledge base. I do not know if you are nurses, for example.

It seems like you are asking for specific job titles utilizing intergrative or complementary therapies. Ther are and there are not. Let me explain.

There are positions such as massage therapist. Herbalists, hypnotherapists, acupuncturists, etc. Many nurses hold positions like these. However, generally speaking these are not nursing positions but are positions in thier own right.

The use of the above therapists vary from hospital to hospital. Some use them some do not use them at all. If I were going into one of these fields or a simular field a hospital is not the first place I would look for work.

As far as traveling in these positions. I doubt it.

Then there are nurses that have these skills and other intergartive skills who utilize these in the coorifice of thier regular nursing practice. These folks can and do travel.

Hope this gives you more clairty.

Any intergative therapy can be turned into a job in it's own right. In some cases you may want to team with someone who is offering something simular in some you may want to create your own business.

For instance you could team with others at a spa, or at a chiropractic practice.

nightingale, RN · Aug 17, 2006

It is difficult because I do not have anyway of knowing you're nor the original poster's knowledge base. I do not know if you are nurses, for example.
It seems like you are asking for specific job titles utilizing intergrative or complementary therapies. Ther are and there are not. Let me explain.
There are positions such as massage therapist. Herbalists, hypnotherapists, acupuncturists, etc. Many nurses hold positions like these. However, generally speaking these are not nursing positions but are positions in thier own right.
The use of the above therapists vary from hospital to hospital. Some use them some do not use them at all. If I were going into one of these fields or a simular field a hospital is not the first place I would look for work.
As far as traveling in these positions. I doubt it.
Then there are nurses that have these skills and other intergartive skills who utilize these in the coorifice of thier regular nursing practice. These folks can and do travel.
Hope this gives you more clairty.
Any intergative therapy can be turned into a job in it's own right. In some cases you may want to team with someone who is offering something simular in some you may want to create your own business.
For instance you could team with others at a spa, or at a chiropractic practice.

Agnus: I also appreciated your succinct desription of Holistic Nursing. Here is the quote from above:

Hollism is a philosophy that focuses on the whole person. The idea is you consider spirit, mind, body, enviorment, family and community as one. The general belief is one does not effect a cure on another but one may help remove blocks to healing so that the individual may heal themselves. Hollistic care has a strong focus on wellness as opposed to illness. When you are not sick a medical doctor does nothing for you. On the other hand someone focused on welness will help you not only maintain that state of wellbeing but to improve upon it. Much of what we do involves teaching the patient how and what he needs to do to achieve this. These are things that insurance does not pay for and therefore are seldom presued by health care professionals.

Within the disciplines of what your quoted and the variousl Nurse Speicalties, Holistic Nursing can be incorporated. I have seen mnay benefits of this in Home Health Care to PACU; to me, I can see it benefiting most areas of Nursing. To understand this, I think you would have to understanding Nursing First.

As a Traveler option... nah... I do not see this as a specialty in demand that stands alone. Knowing it, does make you (IMHO) a better Nurse.

yumaRN1990 · Aug 21, 2006

I am very interested in becoming a certified Holistic Nurse, too. But I need some assistance in getting strated. Are there study guides to help you prepare for the the exam? I am hoping to test through the American Holistic Nursing Association. Any ideas?:balloons:

spottss · Aug 31, 2006

I agree with Agnus. These modalities compliment you as a nurse but there aren't specific jobs in those as far as I know. If there were, you can bet alot of practicioners of massage, and all the modalities under the massage umbrella who aren't nurses but are certified in those modalities would be already filling those positions in hospitals. I know this because i am a massage therapist now for 5 years. I have also just become a practical nurse. I never saw much in the way of jobs specific to massage or other modalities in any allopathic setting. Otherwise i wound never have left massage to become a nurse. It has alot to do with insurance and the fact that the bureaucracy doesn't see the profit potential vs selling drugs using insurance. Of course this is my humble opinion and I could be wrong.

Having said that, i still think it is worth becoming a massage therapist or other non-convential practicioner if you are interested. It can only help and may even lead to a combined career, taking the pressure off of being a nurse only.

Agnus · Aug 31, 2006

It has alot to do with insurance and the fact that the bureaucracy doesn't see the profit potential vs selling drugs using insurance. Of course this is my humble opinion and I could be wrong.
Having said that, i still think it is worth becoming a massage therapist or other non-convential practicioner if you are interested. It can only help and may even lead to a combined career, taking the pressure off of being a nurse only.

Oh I think your humble opinion has hit the nail squarely on the head. As much as we HATE it health care is a profit driven industry.

It is more profitable to keep you sick and treat with expensive treatments and drugs than it is to keep you healthy.

I moved in January of this year. I have yet to find a physician. Although I have had to resort to Chiropractic due to job stress. The last couple of days I have been off and had a bad lower respitory infection.

I am a nurse I know how to treat it. Am doing very well thank you. Now here is my delima. I work this weekend SAT Sun Mon. To "legally" stay home and take care of myself I have to go to a physician and get an excuse. Which will probably mean I have to demonstrate I am sicker than I am. I am trying to get better for pete sake. So I will either call in without an excuse or go to work sick. ummm. I'll see how I am but I really don't think I could get the excuse because I am working on getting better not staying sick. I might just go to urgent care tomorrow FRI. and see. Because 3 days in a row knock the stuffings out of me when I am at my best.

Know we know what is likely to happen if I go to work. and that runs me down even more. Then I become really sick.

There is your profit. just keep me sick. Don't give me a chance to recover and probably perscribe some abx which I doubt are appropriate. Instead of elevating HOB when sleeping, using hot teas, soup etc to clear air ways. getting some fresh air. (cant do that working in hosp). Taking my vitimines and getting lots of fresh fruits etc. And pacing self with activites. Deep breathing and coughing. Yea they'd really appreciate the coughing at work.

ilbacio · Sep 5, 2006

I am also a massage therapist and I am seriously considering nursing school.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts about leaving massage to become a nurse..... Are you happy? Any regrets? Has nursing opened a lot more doors for you? What's your opinion about CAM departments being added to hospitals? Do you think it will be mainstream/trend in the near future?

Also, is there any demand in the hospitals for nurses to get more holistic education??

Looking forward to replies.

Agnus · Sep 7, 2006

What's your opinion about CAM departments being added to hospitals? Do you think it will be mainstream/trend in the near future?
Also, is there any demand in the hospitals for nurses to get more holistic education??
Looking forward to replies.

No, and no, for the reasons already cited onl this thread.

Nurses are always encouraged to get more education of a holistic nature, and it is not a current demand nor is there likely to be a demand as such.

Again, do not confuse hollistic with Complimentary, Iintergarative, OR Alternative. A nurse can provide hollistic care without using a single one of these. I believe that was explained as well.