PaleoNurse

I am in the midst of researching this currently. I haven't found any clear answers yet! I hope someone with more experience can chime in.

I've agonized with this question throughout my nursing career, but at this point, I am able to admit that the answer for me is NO. It took a lot to even get to the point to admit that nursing was a career decision that wasn't optimal for me. While I am grateful for the life lessons and opportunities that I've had to touch other people's lives, this career choice has also had a lot of heartache and unhappiness attached to it. Honestly, I would have made a better physician. And yes, I know that "it's never too late" and all that jazz and I have no doubt that I could still do it...but now I know way too much and that's the last thing I would want to do. I wouldn't be happy with being a physician at this point in my life, if I ever would have been in the first place. Conventional health care is definitely not the place for me. Isn't it kind of crazy that our society expects young people to make a career decision when they are fresh out of high school and then happily stick with it for the rest of their lives? I started nursing school when I was 17-years-old. Even during nursing school, I had the nagging feeling that it wasn't a good fit for me, but I was too stubborn and dedicated to give it up. The really great news is that each day presents an opportunity to make a new choice and I am actively pursuing another career. I will also maintain my nutritional therapy and functional health private practice, and I am prepared to have a career that is a bit more eclectic than the typical nursing role.

All good points by NedRN. Except as a home health agency, you will have regulatory obligations to provide directly (or be able to provide on a contract basis) certain services, beyond just nursing (medical social work, skilled PT/OT/ST, aide services). You may be thinking of private duty nursing services as opposed to skilled home health?

Hi Beth- Any tips on how to set rates for services? Do you calculate an hourly rate and then estimate the time you will spend on a project? Also, do you find that sites such as Elance undermine the value of what you can offer as a nurse writer?

Home health is one of the toughest, most competitive sectors in health care. I have 8 years of experience in the home health and hospice industry and I've had many roles ranging from nurse to administration to home health CMS surveyor. Unfortunately, home health and hospice are among the greatest areas of Medicare fraud and abuse right now and a lot of referrals from less reputable agencies are obtained illegally (kickbacks to physicians and other referral sources). Marketing ploys such as going to independent/assisted living centers and hosting huge giveaways/lunches, etc. for residents and staff are also looked upon suspiciously. So, whatever you do, keep it squeaky clean because CMS and the FBI do pay attention to all of that. Getting referrals is really all about establishing relationships with sources out in the community. What does your agency offer that others can't or don't? Get into physician's offices, hospital case management departments, nursing home social work departments, and assisted living facilities and introduce yourself. Be prepared to offer some kind of value to them (that isn't illegal and doesn't have monetary value). Educational presentations to their staff on topics that are pertinent to you both (pain management, advanced directives, etc) can be a way to get your foot in the door. If you can apply to be a CEU provider to nurses, CNAs, SWs, etc, that can be hugely helpful. Good luck!

Interesting topic. I have a background in hospice. Although I've learned a lot about the dying process, I would say that I've learned even more about living. My work in hospice inspires me to live as fully and love as deeply as I can. A lot of people die with regrets, which is unfortunate and sad. At the end, most people simply want to feel as though their life made a difference and that they mattered to others. When reflecting on their lives, people talk about their relationships with others, because that is what is important. Not their possessions or their wealth or their lack thereof. It's a bit of a cliche, but very true-- You can't take those things with you. As far as death itself (as opposed to the dying process), I still feel as though it is a great mystery that I don't know much about. However, working in hospice has only deepened my faith and my belief in an after-life. Many, many people have near death visions and spiritual experiences at the end of life. Yes, there are scientific theories that attempt to explain these away, but I prefer to believe that there is something more. Please, please, please don't be afraid to have the tough conversations with your family about your wishes at the end of life. It can be difficult, but it is such a critical conversation to have and it can save so much heartache and turmoil for you and your loved ones.

Definitely working as an RN is more stressful. No doubt about that. I look back on nursing school fondly at times...

I own a private nutritional therapy and functional health practice. I've been in business for 2 1/2 years. Prior to that, I owned a health coaching practice for several years. I recently moved to California from Florida.

I would love to get an idea of what other nurse entrepreneurs are up to. Would anyone be willing to share what their business is? Even if you haven't yet implemented your business plan, I'd love to hear from you! Please include what your business (or planned business) is, your location, how long you have been in business, and any other information that may be helpful. Thank you!

You absolutely don't want to be involved with that. There are professional line supplements that are sold to health care professionals only and I think that is why your friend wants to involve you. Health care providers have to sign a contract that they won't resell the supplements on Amazon or sites like Amazon, but it often happens. I don't think you could lose your license, but you could definitely be sued by the supplement companies for doing that. It is an illegal business practice.

What are your career goals? How do you envision yourself using the holistic master's degree? What benefits would it provide to you? Could you learn/practice without it? What job will you be able to get with this degree? Before pursuing this (or any other master's degree), make sure that you are clear on the answers to those questions. Or as clear as you can be. We can never be fully certain of the direction that life with take us :) It looks like an interesting program, but I'm not sure that it would necessarily make you any more employable or qualified to work with people in a holistic role than other less expensive routes. I do know that it will not make you more employable in conventional health care roles. Most nurses that practice in holistic roles are entrepreneurs. Building a holistic practice can be very challenging and entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. It would be really tough to rack up the student loans and then figure out that you can't pay those loans through your holistic practice. Not to be a downer, but it's definitely something you need to consider.

If you are definitely interested in nutrition versus the more generic "health coaching", I would recommend looking into nutrition certification programs. I also thought about the RD-route, but I ruled it out after a lot of thought and research. I obtained my holistic nutrition certification through the Nutritional Therapy Association and I was very pleased with my experience. If you aren't as interested in focusing on the nutrition-aspect of things, a health coaching cert may suit you. Personally, I don't believe that a health coaching certification is necessary to practice health coaching because everything that a health coach does is well within the scope of practice of a nurse. I know that view is controversial, but I practiced as a health coach for several years and I never had an official certification. I did do self-education on coaching theories, motivation techniques, etc, but I never found it necessary to go through a formal program. If you do go that route, make sure that you choose a reputable program that will provide valuable education to you.

Great article, Beth! And congrats on pursuing your passion. How much in demand are your services? Not to be too nosy, but is this a viable source of income for someone that is the sole bread-winner?

Thank you for that detailed reply, Conorm88! Very useful information!

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, myasthenia gravis, and seronegative inflammatory arthritis. "Cure" is an interesting word because we can't make those kind of claims in conventional medicine. I wouldn't claim to have cured my autoimmune disease anyway, because that isn't accurate. "Managed" or "controlled" are better words. On my last colonoscopy, I have no evidence of inflammation or disease at all. I have had no progression of the MG and I have had significant improvement on my last EMG. Ocular symptoms have improved drastically. My joint pain is 95% gone. I take no pharmaceutical medications for any of these diseases. But if I were to become cross-contaminated in the kitchen, or not follow my diet, or not get enough rest and sleep, I will have a return of symptoms. I don't think my autoimmune disease is "cured", but it's being managed quite well.