Integrative Health & Healing DNP--is it worth it?

db2xs · Dec 31, 2015

Yeah, as the old saying goes, there's a sucker born every minute ...

How is this person being a sucker?

elkpark · Dec 31, 2015

How is this person being a sucker?

She isn't. I was referring to her clients.

db2xs · Jan 3, 2016

She isn't. I was referring to her clients.

How are they being suckers?

Goldenfox · Jan 5, 2016

Would the potential employment benefits, if any, be worth the price?

Of course not!

I'm curious to know what your decision was. If I were in your situation I would drop the IHH thing. Not that it's useless but, as a psych practitioner, you won't have time to gauge the IHH modalities or to measure the non-objective outcomes; and how would you make money? As far as I know you can't bill for anything related to IHH. I would not pay doctoral tuition money to learn IHH at any college. You can learn this material for a lot less money elsewhere.

IHH has a place in aesthetics, comfort care, and as adjunctive therapy in managing certain types of chronic medical conditions and lifestyle situations (i.e. stress, high blood pressure...). I would get into IHH only if I were running a cash-only type of wellness/aesthetics/anti-aging business. As a psych practitioner, you could recommend certain IHH therapies to some patients---which is ok as a part of your patient education for people who might benefit from it. But the time that you're going to spend explaining that and on the follow through is time that you could have used to see (and bill) another patient. It's going to negatively affect your overall productivity, and no employer is going to stand for that for long.

Take IHH courses as part of a continuing ed workshop and open up your own cash business on the side with it.

Psychcns · Jan 5, 2016

@Golden fox.. I totally agree. I have maintained a side interest for a long time in things alternative. I think it is interesting there is talk now of a "gut brain" as well as the usual brain. I think there is a lot to learn about the parasympathetic nervous system in anxiety as well as the benefits of deep relaxation. I have no interest in trying to integrate allopathic and CAM. other than to acknowledge that there seem to be other ways of treating people than mainstream. I am very good with mainstream and I think my side interests may make me more open minded. I think practitioners get very excited when they come upon CAM and the like and I think it is out of a genuine desire to heal.. There is so much we don't know! I spend a fair amount of time keeping up with mainstream psychiatry- this is enough for me. All the new information about gene expression; Science magazine had an article that a brain lymph system has been discovered. Psychology has been researching neuroscience and attachment theory. So much to consider.

db2xs · Jan 6, 2016

you won't have time to gauge the IHH modalities or to measure the non-objective outcomes; and how would you make money? As far as I know you can't bill for anything related to IHH.
IHH has a place in aesthetics, comfort care, and as adjunctive therapy in managing certain types of chronic medical conditions and lifestyle situations (i.e. stress, high blood pressure...). I would get into IHH only if I were running a cash-only type of wellness/aesthetics/anti-aging business. As a psych practitioner, you could recommend certain IHH therapies to some patients---which is ok as a part of your patient education for people who might benefit from it. But the time that you're going to spend explaining that and on the follow through is time that you could have used to see (and bill) another patient. It's going to negatively affect your overall productivity, and no employer is going to stand for that for long.

I present this to you, OP: I know there is a market out there for CAM/IHH. How willing you are to get away from the mainstream--that is the real question. If you want to go into non-allopathic ventures, it might have to be cash business. I don't think there is a problem with wanting to combine the traditional with the conventional.

Also, remember: Not everyone wants conventional. You just have to tap into the right market/location.

layintracks · Jan 6, 2016

Yes I also would like to know exactly where that comment comes from and on what basis you would say something like that because your attitude comes across as simply very negative and condescending which in my opinion takes all the credibility away from your comments. It seems were all here to get feedback and to help one another not to be trouble makers and spread gloom and doom. I know facts relevant to the subject, I shared them. Its not hearsay, its not guessing and its not wishful thinking.

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Jan 16, 2016

She isn't. I was referring to her clients.
How are they being suckers?

Because "alternative medicine" is, by definition, ineffective or has a negative risk/benefit profile (that is why we prefer giving penicillin to handing out slices of moldy bread, or why we give chemotherapy instead of handing out pieces of bark for cancer patients to chew- because isolating and controlling pharmaceutical compounds allows us to control this ratio). If a treatment benefits our patients, we just call it plain old medicine. Some of CAM is actively harmful, and all of it is costing patients valuable money and time. it is unethical to use your position of authority as a health care provider to steer patients towards treatment that is not science based. it is grossly unethical to profit off of treatments whose potential benefit does not outweigh the potential risk.

Now, if by "integrative medicine," she means specializing in the lifestyle modification and education/counseling component of health care, that is providing a valuable service. These interventions are NOT "alternative" by any stretch, but the reality of modern health care makes it almost impossible for clinicians to have the necessary time to fully provide that component of care.

I am the first to point out the glaring problems within the medical/pharmaceutical industry. But that is not an argument for non-science based medicine. It is an argument for reform from within.

Lois Tobin · Feb 2, 2018

Your post is 3 years old - DId you do it??

I am looking into this as well. I am a seasoned FNP and also a trained in Energy Modalities and wellness workshops. This title may go a long way. Soon people will need nurses with a broader view and expertise as they fill up their cabinets with supplements and wander aimlessly for help betong their doctors office. Billions of dollars are being spent on this. Maybe ut is time for nurses to gain access to this capitol and bring wellness to a whole new level.

I am hoping to apply for a merit scholarship. I am still investigating

Melanie Abeyta · May 27, 2022

I know the original post is old, but posting for the nurses now that are looking into this. Holistic and integrative nursing is not just yoga and aromatherapy. It’s about looking at the patient from a holistic perspective and figuring out why they are having the symptoms/disease process and treating that. As apposed to medicating symptoms and providing alternative conjunctive therapy. This is what medicine should be! There should be more programs for us in functional and not integrative medicine. What makes nurses superior healthcare providers is that we learn from the very beginning to be our patient advocates and being their partners in health card but above that wellness.

Freckledkorican, MSN, APRN · Jul 29, 2022

On 5/27/2022 at 12:31 PM, Melanie Abeyta said:

I know the original post is old, but posting for the nurses now that are looking into this. Holistic and integrative nursing is not just yoga and aromatherapy. It’s about looking at the patient from a holistic perspective and figuring out why they are having the symptoms/disease process and treating that. As apposed to medicating symptoms and providing alternative conjunctive therapy. This is what medicine should be! There should be more programs for us in functional and not integrative medicine. What makes nurses superior healthcare providers is that we learn from the very beginning to be our patient advocates and being their partners in health card but above that wellness.

I agree. I am looking at the DNP: IHH Program at University of Minnesota and the curriculum is down my lane. I will apply in a few years because patients might be more willing to consider different types of therapies if I go through a structured program from a reputable university.

Has anyone gone through the program? I would love to hear about your experience.

Tegridy · Dec 27, 2022

On 6/10/2015 at 5:15 PM, LilRNonthePrairie said:

I am accepted to begin the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Minnesota beginning in September. I will be pursuing the psychiatric mental health specialty, but recently the thought of adding in the integrated health and healing (IHH) specialty has piqued my interest.

I requested more information on the program recently, and have received several e-mails from various individuals involved with the IHH program about everything from how to add on the specialty to encouragement to take 3-4 of their courses in Hawaii next January. I was even put in touch with a current student who is pursuing both tracks, and I was able to ask her some questions about how she is managing everything.

Today, I met with a veteran mental health social worker; she and I carpooled to a meeting. The topic of school was brought up, and I mentioned my recent interest in this IHH program. Her response gave me some food for thought, and I would like your honest opinion(s) as well: Is integrated health and healing worth pursuing a DNP in? The U of M charges just under 1k per credit, so adding in the IHH classes would substantially increase my tuition, not to mention adding the extra time commitment (and stress). Would the potential employment benefits, if any, be worth the price?

The veteran social worker advised me to take a couple of classes in aromatherapy and yoga and call it a day ?

Wow, universities are selling everything nowadays. I would take a hard pass on that garbage heap