Holistic RN/NP

Why don't you check out the universiity of Arizona Integrative Medicine Fellowship. Dr. Andrew Weil teaches there and I heard that it is an awesome program. You would be able to set up your own practice and be affiliated with a reputable school. I would also check out Integative medicine programs with the affiliated with the Chopra Center. Good luck!

I've actually looked into that program since before I started nursing school! I went into nursing with the long-term goal of becoming an NP and practicing integrative medicine. I will definitely look back into it. Good to know that fellowship is well-known/respected.

I am exactly wanting to the same thing as you! I began nursing school as a 2nd bachelors because I worked for a holistic doctor/chiro/naturopath and it inspired me. He practiced Nutrition Response Testing which is using muscle testing and whole food vitamin and herb supplements from Standard Process. I saw amazing recoveries, even myself (anxiety, paranoia, depression, stress....all due to B vitamin deficiency). However I need an advanced degree to study, a BSN won't cut it unless I am paired up with some type of doctor and practice with them. Getting a higher degree does intimidate me as I have the same question, will it open me up to more liabilities? Our patients still consulted with their medical doctors for prescriptions, lab work, diagnostic tests....but by becoming an NP I could order those same tests, which I think helps bring more credibility to the holistic field, by having evidence that these practices are effective.

let me know what you decide. I am going to look into the Weil program. I graduate next December 2010 with my BSN.

I just went to Weil's site and it said:

Eligibility

The Fellowship admits physicians (MD and DO), nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.

so it looks like NP degree is needed. My current program allows me to go straight into the MSN program. It is 2 years full time. I am just a little weary of not having any real experience once I graduate from an MSN program, other than school clinical time, it seems like a smart idea to get some RN experience prior, but with very few new grad positions available, maybe it is smart to stay in school. My school is located across the country, in a very small, isolated town. I don't know if I could stay another 2 years on top of the 1.5 for my BSN...my personal life is on hold! I am coming up on 27 and want to meet someone and start a family in the next few years. I just hate the thought of my youth withering away behind stacks of textbooks....but I really want to help people naturally, nutrition wise....I just don't feel great about giving drugs to patients with all the side effects.

I have a year before I graduate with my BSN....so hopefully some options will pop up and allow me to help people holistically.

Roses--

I feel like we have a lot in common.. I feel like my personal life is on hold because I am living at home (w/ my parents, im 23) to make up for the cost of all this schooling and I'm working full time.. I have no life!! One thing that's nice is I'm doing the NP program online mostly, except for clinicals and select courses. Some programs you can do completely at distance.. and just schedule your clinicals on your own - so keep that in mind. It's not like adding 2 more years.. you could move on from where you are and be in school purusing the NP at the same time.

I also don't feel right about giving patients a cup of meds. It took me a while to figure out why I felt guilty.. I was like "I'm doing my job.. carrying out orders.. I checked for allergies/contraindications, etc".. And finally I figured out that I just didn't agree with treating just symptoms! I mean I've known for a while I was interested in holistic medicine, but I never realized working as an RN would evoke a moral conflict. I just really hope I'll find what I'm looking to do some day, and really feel good about my job. Maybe I'll even apply for the U and A fellowship. Good luck to you!

Hi ChapterTwo,

Wow you seem to really be on the ball, on track to NP at 23. Good for you. Who cares about living with parents, I would totally do that if they were living near school. They should treat you like the young professional that you are. Living on your own is totally overrated, it must be nice to have the family support! they must be so proud of you.

On facebook there was an ad for a BSN-DNP or MSN-DNP completely online from the University of Michigan Flint. Only requires one visit per year, and I have family to stay with there. 2 years for the MSN-DNP, it looked like it was only one course every trimester! http://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/nursing.htm

My prenursing GPA is 3.5 and my first semester of nursing school is 3.0 (all high B's, but it's lame that 89% is just a B, not a B+!). I didn't stress too much over school, maybe if I were Type A I would get A's but I just like to control my stress and have a nicer quality of life. Next semester I will try for some A's since things are more familiar. I can easily psych myself out and doubt myself, and that is when my grade suffers (my first health assessment practicum was a disaster! I got a 73%, but the second one I studied just the same, but felt more confident and got a 96%). So I see I have a pattern of doing better when I feel more confident, regardless of my knowledge.

How do you find the NP classes? I worry about being smart enough....maybe I am just feeling incompetent because I only have ONE semester of nursing knowledge under my belt.

I am also thinking that if I don't get a job when I graduate next Dec 2010, then I will just stay here and continue on with their MSN program...keep applying to jobs, and look into programs where I might be able to transfer MSN credits if I want to move....but that seems unlikely.

My goal is definitely integrative/holistic nutrition just like you! I want to keep people from getting so sick that they end up in hospital. Health Promotion

You asked how I found the NP classes-- I was accepted into my NP program when I was accepted into the BSN. It was a second degree + master's. My school is a university-medical school and health sciences/nursing... most of the classes for the NP are offered both in class and online, so I'm just taking the online versions when I can.

Since you didn't start the NP thing yet and you're interested in holistic medicine, maybe you could look into other holistic degrees/certification. I'm going to follow through with the NP because I'm about 15 credits in, and at $900 a credit... yeah..not going to throw that away. But, in doing my research.. I've found a lot of alternatives to the NP that would allow me to practice holistic health care w/out the liability of an NP.. Massage therapy, Reflexology, Craniosacral therapy, Health/nutrition counselor. I mean, combining these with an RN or BSN could be pretty cool - and marketable.

But either way, take your time.. no sense in rushing the NP (like I'm doing) haha.. I get a lot of remarks about it from co-workers. Lack of experience, etc. The more years you work as an RN, the better off you'll be when you're done the NP. I chose this path before I knew all that, and I'm going to stick with it because I don't want to regret not doing it while I can. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm going to give it a try I guess!

Thanks! I am sure you will be happy to have the prestige of the NP degree.

I too am working on a path to become a Holistic NP. Currently, I'm doing the master's program at Tai Sophia for the Clinical Herbalist track.

I will be starting my NP program at Frontier (God-willing) later this year, but will be doing it part time.

Tai Sophia has a graduate certificate program for clinicians, so that might be something to look into.

Just curious - which programs are ya'll in for FNP that are mostly on-line? I'm trying to find something like this...

Thanks!

I am in the same place as Roses. I'm 21 and an RN, in school to get my bachelor's right now. My plan was to be an NP, but I'm much more interested in holistics than medicine, so am rethinking it all. Right now doesn't seem like the right time (in Ohio, at least) to get a lot of business as a holistic practitioner, but I think I could get a lot more business as an NP that takes a holistic approach. I'm not sure how this works with license rights and insurance companies.

Any information of programs or experience with boards of nursing or anything would really be appreciated!