Lifestyle medicine

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I am an RN with an associates degree in nursing, plus a Bachelor's and Masters in other fields (counseling psychology). I am very interested in working with patients on lifestyle changes to manage weight, disease and health in general. I have been looking at ways I could continue my education with a focus on exercise, nutrition, metabolism, etc and remain within the nursing profession. I don't really want to get an MS in exercise physiology or nutrition. Ideally, I'd like to find a Nurse Practioner program with lifestyle as a core focus. Closest I've come is a masters in public health at Loma Linda, but this would not allow me to practice as an NP, etc. There is a lot of buzz about shifting to include this as core in MD and NP programs, but I have not found any programs. Anyone know of anything, that is not an "adjunct" to an existing NP?

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I have a BS degree in exercise phys so I incorporate all of that into my daily patient teaching as an FNP. It's hard enough getting patients to pay anything out of pocket to see a registered dietician...I can't imagine people would pay cash for lifestyle counseling and it sure is heck is not easily coded for reimbursement. I see this as something is totally needed, yet not really practical for bringing home the proverbial bacon.

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Very good point Bronze 5. There is buzz, yes. But no money yet. I feel confident that, as the national and global "cost" of health care becomes more and more unbearable under the weight of chronic disease management, society will be forced to fork it out for whatever measures guide folks towards lifestyle choices to combat....obesity, heart disease, diabetes. And chronic disease buzz words aside, it just makes so much sense!! The question is....just how long before we break?

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Very good point Bronze 5. There is buzz, yes. But no money yet. I feel confident that, as the national and global "cost" of health care becomes more and more unbearable under the weight of chronic disease management, society will be forced to fork it out for whatever measures guide folks towards lifestyle choices to combat....obesity, heart disease, diabetes. And chronic disease buzz words aside, it just makes so much sense!! The question is....just how long before we break?

I've been saying that since I started as an exercise physiologist in cardiac rehab in 1994 when it dawned on me how many THOUSANDS we were billing Medicare AFTER the fact (i.e. after disease progression, CABG, etc). It truly befuzzles me as to how many insurance companies will pay for all sorts of surgical bariatric procedures but for instance, will not pay for...a gym membership or weight loss program.

On the other hand, there are patients themselves who don't want to have to be bothered with climbing onto a treadmill and pushing away the plate. ugh. So frustrating. We work with an amazing local dietician and getting people to see her for even one visit is seriously harder than pulling teeth. They look at me with big eyes "will insurance pay for it????" Well lady, even if they DON'T you still need it and it costs LESS THAN YOUR CELL PHONE BILL EVERY MONTH SO SUCK IT UP AND JUST GO FOR AT LEAST TWO VISITS.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I was seriously considering going this route, but as others have said there is little reimbursement. I think you could easily incorporate these skills into your practice as an FNP though.

Does psych NP hold any interest for you? You can help patients manage their concomitant physical and psychiatric problems.

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Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN has a DNP in Lifestyle Medicine. According to the course descriptions in the catalog, nutrition, exercise, and health coaching are all part of the curriculum amongst other things. Hope this helps anybody who might be looking in this direction.

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Very good point Bronze 5. There is buzz, yes. But no money yet. I feel confident that, as the national and global "cost" of health care becomes more and more unbearable under the weight of chronic disease management, society will be forced to fork it out for whatever measures guide folks towards lifestyle choices to combat....obesity, heart disease, diabetes. And chronic disease buzz words aside, it just makes so much sense!! The question is....just how long before we break?

Apparently a very, very, very long time. Unfortunately. :/

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