drolmareiki

I think you should work with what you have, as you have a BSN and can do a lot. Having a license is pretty powerful. You aren't going to be able to bill most holistic services as an NP or holistic MD. Take a look at their business models. They depend on acupuncture, self-pay clients, supplements, infusion, hyperbaric, medical devices, lab testing, etc... My mother pretty much does probono case management and buys people herbs and supplements and helps them monitor their medications and md treatments and appointments. Since she's retired, she loves sharing her skills. As a nurse you are an advocate and educator. Alot of these companies have continuing education for free. For example you can establish practitioner accounts with medical foods companies like Metagenics, and offer some of their nutrigenomic and metabolic program offerings. The key is authenticity. Trust your feelings. Figure out who you want to serve, and carve out a niche. Regardless of being an NP etc.. you'll need a focus. I can't really speak to the options of NP versus masters, but I'd focus on the type of work you'd like to do, and get that a little clearer. I'm not sure about the scope of practice interms of case management or counseling lifestyle medicine. Maybe someone else could speak to that?

http://www.nurseaidetesting.com/siu/ Quiz links: http://www.menteemedicalinstitute.org/workbook/indexQuiz-02/SampleQuiz02.jsp Practice test with answer key: http://www.prometric.com/NR/rdonlyres/ezautvajj5umgrmwt5a55svpeqofo6xfohp6u6ufa3kptepg7ebw2x6dijbvczyxjgjlv2gkoz7yyho4qy3jj5m6w7h/practicetest.pdf Practice test flash cards online: http://flashcarddb.com/cardset/99732 Performance Standards Video: http://www.nurseaidetesting.com/siu/aa_clip.asp?clipid=3 Enjoy!!

Hi Dian, I'm really interested in where you are doing your additional clinicals and more about the path you've chosen. I'm always interested in "less expensive"!!! There are many ways to skin a cat after all!

It is used in Ayurveda and in Naturopathic clinics under the care of a physician and usually for a limited time after a special diet. It would be interesting to see what their perspectives are. As with anything, there are preferred protocols and professionals. Part of article below::: "If you stand long and still enough near rivers, lakes and ponds where herons and similar long-beaked birds fish and feed, you will notice a curious habit. From time to time, a heron will suck up a beak full of water, twist its neck around and insert the beak into its own orifice, squirting the water deep into its bowels to flush out the putrid debris and other residue from its fish-based diet. Who taught these birds to do that? Nature did... and a Taoist respects no teacher more than nature. The very sound of the word colon prompts embarrassment these days. Many people can't even bare to look at a picture of a colon, let alone talk about their own. Suggest that someone run 5 gallons of warm water through it, and embarrassment turns to suspicion or sheer panic. American doctors are reluctant even to discuss the matter, and they flatly refuse to administer colonic irrigations to patients on request. They believe, as one New York physician put it, colonics 'went out with the horse-and-buggy' a century ago. American doctors also reject nutritional therapy, herbal remedies, fasting, therapeutic breathing, meditation and other 'outdated' methods that they no longer understand, nor want to understand. In Russia however, it remains standard procedure in all hospitals and clinics to administer a thorough colonic cleansing to all patients, regardless of their ailments, immediately upon entering any hospital. Russian physicians realize that no cure for any ailment can be properly administered to a filthy, highly toxic body, which simply cannot assimilate and utilize medications. Does anyone know if this is true? http://www.hps-online.com/colon/bcc1.htm

Just an 2011 update for the Rhode Island people... Warwick is no longer offering classes through their high school (adult ed). On their website, they are referring students to CCRI. Bristol community college is where I've been taking a few classes that have better hours for me. There is an accelerated 3 week class in Jan during the intersession. Same hours as CCRI, which I think is 120 hours combined in class and clinicals. For those who need more options, I spoke to some people at Emerson in Milford and they have evening and weekend classes. Its a private CNA school. A little more pricey but they include more (uniforms, books, test fees). They have classes starting every few months. Bristol CC also has E-health careers, as another CNA option. Additionally they are rolling out their nursing version on E-Health careers in 2012. I think its great! More options. So, for CNA classes other than CCRI: Emerson and Bristol seem to be the best. Also the RED CROSS in Massachusetts has classes on weekends. I know New Bedford has classes and there are some other cities close to RI. Hope this helps others looking for CNA classes near Rhode Island!

become part of a vibrant community of health professionals who are leading the transformation of healthcare by making integrative medicine a part of their practices! designed for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the fellowship in integrative medicine at the arizona center for integrative medicine is a 1,000 hour, two-year distance learning program. created by andrew weil, md in 2000, the fellowship in integrative medicine has achieved international recognition as the leading integrative medical education program in the world. why the fellowship is right for you participating in the fellowship re-energizes, restructures and reframes your perspective of medicine. it teaches a new way of caring for patients, with emphasis on the individual, not simply the disease - and on prevention, not just treatment. through the fellowship, you will be able to continue your medical practice while studying, and apply what you learn immediately. our fellows work in multiple care models, including primary care, consultative practice, clinical setting, and im-specific and community clinics for the underserved. im fellows have applied integrative techniques to more than 35 medical specialties, ranging from family practice to cardiology, oncology, pediatrics, ob-gyn, and rheumatology. what you will learn healthcare is often symptom-focused and reactive, rather than prevention-focused and proactive. patients and physicians rarely discuss nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle change, and instead focus mainly on diagnosis and treatment of disease. many clinicians feel unprepared to discuss the safe and effective use of dietary supplements or herbal medicines, or how to help patients incorporate relaxation or mind-body practices into their lives. the amount of information available in the fields of conventional, complementary and alternative medicine is growing at an exponential rate - making it difficult for even the most highly motivated practitioner to sort through the evidence and put into practice. the fellowship in integrative medicine provides you with a structured and highly interactive educational experience, allowing you to gain the knowledge and skills you need to effectively practice integrative medicine. our multimedia curriculum consists of: web-based modules with case studies online dialogues with faculty and colleagues podcasts and streaming video peer-reviewed content experiential exercises the fellowship curriculum is divided into eight quarters, typically nine to 10 weeks long, created by nationally recognized experts and faculty from a variety of disciplines, modalities and philosophies. you will learn: nutritional health the latest nutritional approaches and dietary recommendations for general health, as well as specific conditions such as cancer and diabetes botanicals and dietary supplements research-based uses, how to identify a quality product, supplement-drug interactions, and use in specific patient populations mind-body medicine ways in which emotional, mental, social and behavioral factors affect health and how to teach patients meditation and other mind-body techniques complementary and alternative practices uses, benefits and recommendations for traditional chinese medicine, ayurveda, chiropractic and homeopathy integrative approaches to women's health, pediatrics, mental health, gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular disease, cancer and much more. residential weeks create and maintain a sense of community with your fellowship class by meeting in tucson, arizona for three, week-long sessions during your two years of study. these residential weeks offer you the opportunity to connect with your classmates, establish relationships with faculty and directors, and receive hands-on training. you will return home feeling invigorated and inspired to incorporate the techniques you have learned into your practice! during your residential week training you will: apply manual medicine techniques develop an understanding of energy and mind-body medicine taste and prepare botanical remedies experience traditional chinese medicine practice alongside leaders in the field of integrative medicine alumni network the fellowship has created a strong international community of more than 400 alumni with whom you can share experiences, draw support, and participate in continuing educational opportunities. our alumni hail from all over the world - 45 u.s. states, canada, japan, korea, israel, united arab emirates, brazil, thailand, the u.s. virgin islands and puerto rico. they have also begun integrative practices and lead im programs at prestigious institutions, such as beth israel, chapel hill and university of california, san francisco.

Dr. Weil has a residency program for MDs and NPs in complementary medicine or rather functional medicine approaches. It is through the University of Arizona. Its totally not related to the holistic nurses certification/curricula, etc... Sorry for the confusion. I just joined a little while ago... Here's a recent press release on the latest developments and focus and goals: The University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine Earns 'Center of Excellence' Designation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 12, 2008 TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Arizona recently conferred Center of Excellence status on the College of Medicine's Program in Integrative Medicine - a move that reaffirms the positive impact integrative medicine has had on health-care system transformation. Now known as the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM), the program underwent an intensive evaluation process and earned unanimous endorsements from UA health sciences program directors and college deans. The new designation formally recognizes the center's achievements in the field over the past 14 years, and its status as the world leader in integrative medical education. Founded in 1994 by internationally renowned author and integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil, MD, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine joins nine other Centers of Excellence at the UA College of Medicine. "Having our work recognized in this way is among our greatest accomplishments to date," Dr. Weil said. "The Center of Excellence designation formally recognizes us as an innovator in educating the next generation of physicians and health-care professionals. Our challenge now is to remain at the forefront of innovation so as to make integrative medicine available to everyone, regardless of economic or geographic limitation." In formally approving the designation, UA President Robert N. Shelton said, "This formal designation acknowledges that the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine is a respected and significant voice within the University, and indeed throughout the global health-care community. "What began as a small, pioneering program has now inspired the development of scores of similar programs across the country, another manifestation of the University's innovation and leadership in the health sciences arena." Since its founding, the center has created five integrative medicine fellowships, received more than $7 million in federal funding and graduated nearly 300 integrative medicine fellows. Many of these fellows are now academic leaders in other prestigious centers, including The Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, Duke University, Tufts University, The University of Wisconsin, and the University of Maryland. The Center of Excellence designation will enhance the center's ability to court top-tier faculty and inspire a new era of program growth - led by the center's most ambitious program to date: the Integrative Medicine in Residency (IMR). The center's integrative medicine curriculum soon will be incorporated into standard three-year family medicine residency programs across the nation. Residents will learn to incorporate integrative medicine concepts into their practices, including patient-centered care techniques that facilitate lifestyle change. Through funding raised from both public and private sources, an IMR pilot program will be launched in July at eight family medicine residency programs nationwide, including the UA; Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City; Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C.; Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine; Maine-Dartmouth, Augusta, Maine; University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minn.; and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. "This will be the first program in the nation to create a required curriculum in integrative medicine for physicians during residency," said Victoria Maizes, MD, executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. "Over the next 10 years, development of IMR into the national model for residency education is a major goal for the center. We will gradually move beyond primary care into subspecialty training." Dr. Shelton added, "Through the center's leadership in education and research, the role that integrative medicine plays in health-care transformation has been revealed in exciting new ways. I celebrate the center's roots right here in Tucson, and I am eager to see its future unfold as a Center of Excellence." For more information about the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, please visit the Web site: http://www.integrativemedicine.arizona.edu, or call (520) 626-6417 . The mission of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine is to lead the transformation of health care by creating, educating and actively supporting a community of professionals who embody the philosophy and practice of integrative medicine. The center defines integrative medicine as healing-oriented medicine that takes into account the whole person (body, mind and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.

Maybe healthcare isn't for you. It sounds like you have some real concerns in your post. Probably over 20 of them. I'd work through your feelings in a more structured way and figure out what are fears versus reality, versus your ideal career. There are many ways to go, but the key to being a holistic anything, is self-care. When we are clear and aligned and taking really good care of ourselves, we can receive much more info from our environment. Great book by Nannette Hucknall - Karma your destiny and your career. She is available for career coaching and gives some exercises to do every night before bed for 30 days. That could help with the clarity piece.

Why don't you just do what you love??? Do you really need to spend more money on another degree? Only you can decide that. In 3 months, you could have a group exercise certification, yoga teacher certification, and can get started on zumba certification and do this on the side. Check out some fitness sites like AFAA, ACE, ACSM. We have so many identities, not one job or employer is going to be satisfying. Do what you love. It takes courage, and there are not many models out there that have figured out how to do it all. The key is to have a good heart and happy life. Why wait? Volunteer to teach a fitness class at work, or near your home. Cardiac Rehab departments at many hospitals are also having some consciousness raising, where they are having stress reduction training and the nurses are also leading tai chi, yoga, breathing, and meditation after the workouts. There you can be in a medical gym environment, and have more of what you are looking for perhaps. Additionally the nurses I've met (MGH Women's Cardiac Center) are counseling more directly with the patients on lifestyle factors. So maybe you want to run around and check out a variety of environments.

No education is a waste of money. I think you should follow your heart. At the very least, you'll be in a community of like minded people who you probably would have never met otherwise.On a more practical side, I'd ask the school about their placements for grads and what type of assistance they give. If your spirit is leading you, you must follow. Life is a series of karmic paths, and very few of these are straight lines! I've never viewed the thousands of dollars I've spend on holistic training as ROI (return on investment), I look at it as service and creativity needed to keep my spirit fed and alive. The traditional degrees is the career and the other stuff is how you can stand out and carve your own path. Best of luck to you! Have courage and never give up trying to share your gifts and talents! I never remember this, but experiment more with what you presently know and would like to know. Put something together in your community (class, or small group) you might find you already have everything you need! This way you'll find your niche faster and then just stick to it. Most holistic work requires a tremendous business acumen and luck! (kind of not why you wanted to do anything holistic right?). Begin with the end in mind. You'll need to manage your brand and services, and provide offerings, have a private practice/office, or work with others... I'd also google some NPs and RNs that are also holistic practitioners and counselors. There are some NDs that went and became PAs because they wanted to prescribe antibiotics, despite all the great training at Bastyr. The key is practice. How do you want to practice, and who do you want to serve, and then create a plan around it. If you focus on employment in the traditional sense, you may be disappointed. The YMCA's cancer live strong program, loves to have people assist leading meditations, yoga, and creative exercises for survivors. There are so many ways to help. I also think holistic is part of traditional nursing theory. If we practice consciously and are aware of ourselves and what we are bringing to ever situation, that also is an act of service. Advocacy, information, empowerment, environment -- I think they are all the best parts of nursing! sorry for the ramblings-- its 2am Best to you all Xoxo

I think its wonderful to have a strong desire to intergrate RN with intergrative medicine. As a Energy healer, and polarity therapist, and pre-NP student, my advice is multitudious (not a real word, I know!) : Here are some of my gleanings over the years of research and consideration of this very interesting topic! 1. Look at Naturopathic programs, like the one in Arizona that gives nurses advanced standing (like no science) in their programs, and actually get some solid theory in naturopathic principles and protocols. 2. You can also do a program at Dr. Weil's center as well in Arizona -- I think its a residency. 3. Find holistic MDs and network with them and find out what their needs are. Contact people like at Heel/BHI North America (Arizona?). 4. Have realistic expectations. Just because someone practices holistically, doesn't mean the work environment, the pay, and everything else is going to be ideal. 5. Focus on becoming your own practitioner and get education in advance nutrition and naturopathic modalities, and even acupuncture. I believe the requirement for the holistic nurses association is to actually get 1 or 2 certifications in holistic modalities. 6. Target MDs that may be covertly integrative, or at least open to alternatives. The people I'd target would be associated with Lyme Disease, Chronic fatigue, Mold Illnesses (chronic neurotoxins), and utilize lists from companies on MDs signed specific medical labs and medical nutriceutical companies like Metagenics, Neuroscience, Great Smokies. 7. Go to the conferences (Lyme, etc...) and research Klinghardt and some of the German approaches using EAV, etc... 8. Recognize that most of the work is out of pocket and therefore you are essentially treating the affluent. However, there are some very inspiring stories about APRNs as primary care in underrepresented inner city locations, achieving strong evidence based positive health outcomes by implementing holistic approaches to hypokinetic diseases and such. 9. Focus on your heart and realize there is no "right way", and also that people from other countries may be more open to your energy/ideals. 10. Look at Mindfullness Based Stress Reduction - a tremendous amount of new research is showing incredible outcomes in treatment for things such as psoriasis, etc... Start with your own practice, and learn how to introduce it to your community, where-ever you are. There is no need to move unless you specifically want to train with Klinghardt in Washingon, or Rothfield in Arlington, Hoffman in NY. 11. Also look at intergrative psychiatry. There is an incredible amount of research on the impact of nutrition and environmental toxins, lyme, etc... on the nervous system. The MIT website has some free open courseware that focuses on bioengineering and looking at ecology and health. MIT seems pretty holistic to me (to my surprise)!!! Hope my ideas help! Feel free to PM me if you'd like to discuss!