tlancio

To answer the question asked by passionflower "I feel with all my years as a nurse, teaching proper nutrition,etc. I could already consider myself a health coach. Am I wrong in thinking this?" Yes, you are wrong. Teaching is not coaching, that is the difference. In Coaching you don't provide the answers, instead you ask a series of skillful questions and provide techniques to help the client tap into their own feelings, wants and needs, not what you (the nurse) thinks they should be doing. There are no right answers in coaching, you are working in partnership with the client, not telling them what they should or should not be doing which is what is done in traditional nursing. And yes you can use you nursing knowledge to be an effective coach but teaching is not your focus as a coach. That's why nurses should take a course or educate yourself on what coaching is and how to do it effectively. Hope this clears things up.

So what is your idea of acute care? Do you think acute care experience is only learned in a hospital setting? Reading your post I got the feeling that you don't feel you've gained any credible experience working in LTC (wrong, you have) Also this may be why you haven't gotten a job in the hospital, you're not presenting yourself in the best light. Make a list of everything you've learned in the past year including leadership skills (never put on a resume or say in an interview you have some leadership skills) and you'll be amazed at the experience you do have and can use to get the job you want in any hospital. It's all in how you present yourself and if you present yourself like you did in this post you won't get the job but if you highlight what you have learned and can articulate this to a potential employer you'll be ahead of the game. Try buying nursing career books that give solid advice on getting that nursing job you want, Donna Cardillo wrote an excellent book called The Ultimate Career Guide for Nurses. You'll find examples of resumes, cover letters, interview tips and more. Stop thinking that just because you work in a LTC facility you're not acquiring skills that can be transferred to a hospital setting because you are. All nurses gain experience in different types of settings and these experiences can be transitioned to other part of the nursing profession, keep this in mind when setting out for your next job interview - you have transferrable skills. Good luck!

To answer your question of "Is it worth it to join the AHNA?" the answer is YES! This is a great place to start if you want more information on this topic and how to transition. If you don't want to join yet, see if there is a chapter in your area and if so go to a meeting as a guest and network with these nurses. "Should I get a certification?" the answer is no, you don't qualify for certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) You need to be working at least 1000 hours as a Holistic Nurse. I think you mean more training by taking courses in Holistic Health which you can do online but first I would network with nurses who are already in this specialty. They are going to be your best resources for information on what you can do and how to make a living as a Holistic Nurse. I have been a nurse for 25 + years and I feel your frustration, it's why I left hospital nursing 10 years ago and went into home care so if you need more help you can pm me, I write about holistic nursing on my blog, maybe I can give you ideas on what you could do. I wish you all the best!

Just to update my post above from 2011, there is now certification for nurses who are coaches. The American Holistic Nurses’ Certification Corporation (AHNCC) which is the board that certifies nurses in Holistic Nursing, is now accepting applications for a new program called Professional Nurse Coaches Certification Program. This is for nurses who are working as health and wellness coaches, they can now become certified, recognized as a nursing specialty. You'll be able to put the initials NC-BC behind your name - Nurse Coach Board Certified. Here's a link to the certification program if anyone is interested AHNCC To answer the question above from njoceangirl41 you could try looking at insurance companies, they hire health coaches or if there is an alternative health center in your area, they may hire health coaches also. You probably won't find these jobs listed, you'll have to go looking for them by calling the companies or going directly to their websites for info. It also helps if you know someone who works for these types of companies, they can help you get a foot in the door. Good luck!

To answer your question njoceangirl41 about "Do you have to complete this course to become an RN health coach?" is no you don't have to finish any course to call yourself a health coach but the reason for taking a health coaching program is to learn what coaching is and how to apply it. Most people who didn't take a coaching program and do coaching are actually consultants not coaches because they don't understand that coaching isn't about you telling a client what to do, it's the client figuring out what is best for them. As nurses we are task oriented and follow care plans, doctors orders and teaching clients what they need to do be well. In coaching this isn't how it works, so although you have a MS in healing modalities that background won't prepare you for being a health coach, additional training is needed to effectively help others make a change in their health that works for them not for you. It's a skill that nurses can easily learn though and I highly recommend doing research on this topic to give you an idea of what coaching is and how to apply it. You may be able to self teach yourself how to coach others or consider hiring someone to be your coach to see how the process works. Hope this helps, if you need any more information let me know, I'm a nurse writer and write about this topic frequently, just pm me.

Take the job, if you lose skills than so be it. They can be learned again but there are many alternative nursing careers out there that don't require you to be at the bedside if you lost this job and had to look for another. I recommend for any nurse feeling burnout to look elsewhere no matter what your situation is. No one wants a nurse working at the bedside because she has to, there are many options for nurses today. Congratulations on the job, I wish you all the best!

Do you really want to hire a web developer? Self hosted wordpress is not that difficult, what do you need help with. I may be able to give you an answer for free. I have 3 wordpress.org sites.

Yes, use Indeed.com to search for jobs in your area. There is also health coaching which insurance companies hire, Quality Improvement, Risk management, Legal nurse consultant (working with lawyers) Occupational health and safety, sales and marketing for pharmaceutical companies or medical equipment companies, nurse entrepreneur, holistic nursing, nursing informatics....

I agree with healthynurse, job security as a self employed NP will take time, alot of time, especially if you're not good at marketing yourself. It's best to start your business when you have a full time job, it's what I am doing now. I have been able to get myself down to 3 days a week and hope by this time next year I will be a full time nurse entrepreneur. And yes, being self employed and an Independent Nurse contractor are the same thing. Hope this helps - tinalancio

The answer to your question is yes, you can use your MHI to meet the requirements of "12 semester hours of academic credit in informatics courses that are part of a graduate-level informatics nursing program." Health Informatics is part of a nursing informatics graduate program. You do not have to have a Masters in Nursing Informatics to qualify for certification. Hope this helps.

I agree to what was said above by ikarus7401 and let me add this, don't waste your money and time going back to school to become CRNA or NP if that's not what you are interested in. Nursing Informatics is in its infancy stage and would not be hard for you to get into without much more experience. Here's some job titles you may want to look for - Clinical Analyst Project Manager RN – Information Systems Nurse Specialist Informatics Nurse Clinical Consultant Systems Analyst Implementation Specialist Also the HIMSS offers courses for nurses here HIMSS | Nursing Informatics | Professional Education | Salary Guide Hope this helps.

Are asking where to find information about nursing informatics? Have you checked out the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) for more information. There is also a nursing informatics magazine you may want to subscribe to (it's available at a discounted rate if you join the ANIA) called Computers, Informatics, Nursing found at LWW or do a search and you will find it easily. And no, nursing informatics is not all about numbers and statistics, I work for a home healthcare agency and we use laptops in the field. We have 2 nursing informatics nurses on staff who work with the software company to develop it and to continue improving upon the software, making our job out in the field easier and safer for our patients. If we (field nurses) have an idea on how to improve the software for better outcomes we pitch the idea to the informatics nurse who works with the software company to make it happen. We've been using laptops in the field for about 2 years now and I love it and it's great having 2 nursing informatics nurses on staff, they do teaching as well and are always available to help when problems with the software arise. This is a great field to get into and I suggest looking at all the information (the two suggestions above) available now while your are still in school. Plenty of work in this field and if you educate yourself now about this exciting field, you will be prepared for a job in this nursing specialty after graduation. The ANIA has a forum, newsletter, member directory and more, a great place to network for your first nursing job as a nursing informatics nurse. Good Luck, I wish all the best!

Hi, The answer to your question about "would being an LVN hinder me from having my own independent practice" is NO, absolutely not. In fact you are at an advantage being a nurse and yes in your bio make sure you state you are a nurse. Many people are Holistic Life Coaches without a health or nursing background, you go for it. I would suggest you take a course that allows you to demonstrate how to do coaching as it is not want you are used to doing as a nurse. The American Holistic Nurses Ass. has a list of approved programs on their website. Take a look at these programs and understand by reading, researching and doing all you can to learn what Holistic Coaching is all about. This is a great field to get into, Good Luck!

I agree with Ashley above, don't include basic nursing skills and yes include clinical experience especially if it is a special skills not usually done by all nursing students. I would also include any special awards you received or committees you worked on or volunteer work that you did. Make your resume easy to read and be specific using action verbs to describe what your experience is. It's all in the words you put on your resume that will make it stand out, so don't be wordy or go on and on, make it scannable and easy to find the information needed. Not sure why someone would say not to include clinical experience. What would you put on your resume if you didn't summarize your clinical experience? Donna Cardillo wrote an excellent book called "The Ultimate Career Guide for Nurses" if you need help with writing a resume and cover letter.

a great person you may want to talk to or connect with is annette tersigni, she is the yoga nurse and is a holistic nurse. you can find her at yoganurse.com connect with her and ask her how you may get started in holistic nursing, she does teaching in relaxation, yoga and nutrition. she also does a yearly retreat i'm hoping to get in on next year. she's easy to connect with and would be more than happy to help you especially since you live in a rural area. it's tough when you don't have resources near you, i'm sure there's not much in the way of alternative clinics in your area right? hope this helps, i write about holistic nursing on my blog and have a great interest in the topic and in answer to mystcnurse comment about " by the very definition of "nursing" are "holistic", encompassing the whole person into their care" this is not true, not all nurses practice holistic nursing, i wish they did but nurses mostly treat the symptoms, they don't have time in a hospital setting to treat also the mind, spirit, environment, culture etc. and western medicine has not caught up to the concept of holistic healing as of yet. . just saying.

I agree with the comment above, counter offer for $28-$30 an hour. I work in Delaware in home care and make $31/hr Would not take a job for $22/hr in home care for that amount even if you are a new grad. My daughter in law is an LPN and that's what she makes an hour $22. Just a word of caution here. As a new grad you may want to get your PEDS experience elsewhere like a hospital or clinic. Home care is long hours and lots of time on your own without peers to help with questions or what to do in certain situations. Be sure you're aware of all the irresponsibility that come with being a home care nurse, for $22/hr you may want to reconsider and keep your psych job. Just saying, don't want to discourage you but know what you're getting into. I've been in home care now for 14 years and it's still tough work and I wouldn't recommend it for a new grad. Good Luck!! I wish you all the best.

You're welcome, glad I could help!

Hi, I think I might be able to help you out. First off Forensic nursing is called just that, Forensic nursing. There are no Forensic LPNs, they are interested in your nursing knowledge not whether you are an LPN or RN. The only time that comes into play is when applying for further education. So with that being said you might want to look at your local police station, public health department, emergency room, correctional facility or the coroners office, these are places where Forensic nurses work. You probably will not see these jobs posted online or in the newspaper so the best thing to do is call these places and ask if they have a Forensic nurse on staff and ask if you could speak with her or him. Do what is called an"information interview" Tell them you are interested in this type of nursing and wanted to learn more about their job and what you would need to do to get a job like this. Here's a list of what a Forensic nurses title might be: Forensic Clinical Nurse Expert Correctional Nursing Expert Forensic Investigator Forensic Gerontology Specialist Forensic Legal Adviser or Consultant Forensic Psychiatric Nurse Death Investigator Sexual Assault Examiner There is an association called the International association of Forensic Nurses at International Association of Forensic Nurses that you might want to check out, great information there, they will also be able to answer your questions and help you find something in your area. Hope this helps. Tina Lanciault, RN

To 84RN you still use paper. We do everything on a laptop and all patient information including signing the SOC and ROC is done on the computer, I have no need to carry all that paper but that is something to consider for those Home Healthcare Nurses out there who are still using paper. Good advice.

Hi, I've been in Home Care for about 14 years now, doing Oncology Home Care. I'm assuming your doing med-surg patient care visits right? My advice is to be organized at the start of your day so that if you need to change your schedule you'll be able to without feeling overwhelmed. What I mean by that is 1. Map out the best route to get to your patients homes. Don't count on your GPS, it's not always right. I ask for directions when I'm talking with the patient. This saves time and gas. 2. Have all the supplies needed. When calling a patient make sure you ask if supplies are in the home, otherwise you might have to make another trip to the home, big time waster. 3. Speaking of supplies make sure you have supplies in your car box for those times you can't get to the office like when working evening, weekends or on call. 4. Have someone or a company you can call if you have car problems such as AAA, or a friend who could pick you up and have a flashlight, flares, jumper cables, blanket, snack foods in your car for times when you are strained. These are my 4 top things that have ruined my day over the years of working in home care. Hope this helps.

I agree with Koku, as a new grad you will not feel like you know much anyways whether you're away for a year and half or for one week. So if you can afford too, try volunteering at a facility you are interested in working at such as a hospital, clinic or nursing home. Once you are in you will have a better chance of knowing when an RN job is available and if you're already working there they will be more incline to hire you after they see the terrific job you've been doing. But if you need a paying position consider looking outside the hospital setting such as community nursing, clinics, assisted living facilities, insurance companies, research. It all depends what you want to do with your nursing career. There's no set rules that say you have to start out in a hospital setting, there's so much more you can do. Brainstorm what it is you want to do and actively go after it by making phone calls, sending emails, writing letters, talking to people etc. Don't be discouraged, the more pro active you become in your job search the better your chances of getting that nursing job. Good Luck! Hope this helps. Tina

Hi, I suggest you make a list of the pediatric clinics in your area and check out their websites which you may or may not see job postings. If no postings are listed try to find out who does the hiring at that clinic and make contact with them by phone or email asking if their are positions available or do an informational interview asking what is takes to get a job there, ask for suggestions on what to include in your resume. Give them your contact information and ask them to call you if something becomes available. You will have to actively seek out employers rather than waiting for a position to be posted and sometimes it is who you know so if you know someone who works at one of these clinics make contact with them and let them know you are looking for work at a pediatric clinic. You could even put the word out on social networking sites like Linkedin or FB to let people know you are interested in this kind of work. You never know who may see your posting, sometimes it's a friend of a friend who has an in to the place you want to work at. Hope this helps! tina

Join the Holistic Nures Association now and start networking with like minded nurses who will help you decide what it is you want to do and where you can work as a holistic nurse. You can also take courses online in many different areas of Holistic therapies such as aromatherapy, massage Reiki etc. Also buy books on the subjects you are interested in, Amazon has a hugh assortament and if you have a kindle most come in ereader format. I too am interested in Holistic Nursing. I'm studying aromatherapy at this time using essential oils with cancer patients for relief of nausea, pain management. I hope within the next year to start my own business being a wellness coach using alternative therapies. Hope this helps. tlancio

Starting a health coaching business is possible but I would first have to ask you how much business experience do you have? You need to understand business, marketing and how to work with clients. It's not enough just to have a nursing license. I have been in nursing for 30 years now and I took a coaching program last year. I learned so much. Coaching is a different mind set than what you are taught in nursing school, you need to understand what coaching means and how it's done successfully. I've written about health coaching on my blog and for other sites, if you need more info you can pm me. There's a science in how health coaching is done right, that's what you will need to learn as well as the business end of things - these are the things that are not taught in nursing school. Good Luck! Tina L.

I agree with Lyndamont, start with the American Holistic Nurses Ass. This is what I have done. They have a local chapter here in Delaware and I plan to go to their next meeting to network with Holistic Nurses and pick their brains to find out what there are doing, who they work for, etc. etc. I've been interested in Holistic Nursing for a long time now and I'm finally taking action. So my advice is to seek out nurses who are already doing what you want to do and talk with them to see how they got where they are. That's what I plan to do.