RN Personal Trainer

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Psych.

I am an RN and am currently studying for an ACSM certification as a Health Fitness Specialist. My goal is to work with people who are at risk for diabetes, htn, cad, etc. who will greatly benefit from lifestyle modification through exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction. Anybody have any insight into this endeavor, or know someone who has been successful with it? I have become very passionate about the benefits of exercise and nutrition to overall health and want to make a career of it.

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I know a nurse who did the same. I don't have contact with her anymore, and, I think she still will figure out some way to integrate her RN with that somewhere. I remember her telling me that her trainer instructor told her that RNs don't make good trainers... ROFLMAO!! I thought, excuse me, but the learning curve bar is set a lot higher in nursing. Not like she can't handle the edu or the clientele. I almost spit out my coffee when she told me this. :lol2:

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.
I remember her telling me that her trainer instructor told her that RNs don't make good trainers.

thats probably because nurses cant tolerate healthy people who whine when they dont have a good reason to. if you're fighting for your life, sure whine away--you deserve it, Ill feel bad for you--but if you are whining for your flab...ehhh

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I don't have anything helpful to offer but I just wanted to say that I think that's an awesome endeavour. I've mildly considered that route myself but only in passing musings. My true passion is to be a midwife someday. I'm curious, what is the pay? Best wishes to you!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Psych.
I'm curious, what is the pay?

It would be an entrepreurial endeavor so I'd have to figure that part out.

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Personally - and not just because of my medical background - I'd be more likely to listen to you than some supposed "expert" who looks good in shorts and a tank top.

I also think you'd be able to talk some sense into folks who run the risk of really hurting themselves by trying too much too soon.

I'll admit I was skeptical about this when I first read your post, but the whole thing's really growing on me - I say go for it and keep us posted!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I grew up with this RN/pro weight lifter and fitness trainer:

About Fitness Accomplished: Biography

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Specializes in Functional Medicine, Holistic Nutrition.

Hello...I am currently certified as a Health Fitness Specialist through ACSM! It is also my dream to integrate both the personal training and nursing as you described by catering to populations that are at risk or elderly. I received the certification a few years ago and I have used it in my personal life with friends and family. However, I haven't been in a place financially or personally to start a business. One of my concerns is that the pay would be significantly less than what I currently make (at least at first). Since my background is in home health care, I've played around with the idea of doing in-home personal training and bringing the gym to people. Please update me if you are still interested in this and how you did on the exam. Best of luck to you!

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Have you thought about cardiac rehab? It's the target population that would most benefit from an RN personal trainer. I often see these patients working with physical therapy and occupational therapy, which is great after major cardiac surgery, stroke, etc., but what they really need is a lifestyle adjustment. I am not a personal trainer, but I have a general interest in health and wellness, like most nurses, I'm guessing. :) I wish I were in a capacity to see these patients in a longer term setting since I get such fulfillment when I'm able to offer some advice that will help enrich their life. Good luck!

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Specializes in Functional Medicine, Holistic Nutrition.
I am an RN and am currently studying for an ACSM certification as a Health Fitness Specialist. My goal is to work with people who are at risk for diabetes, htn, cad, etc. who will greatly benefit from lifestyle modification through exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction. Anybody have any insight into this endeavor, or know someone who has been successful with it? I have become very passionate about the benefits of exercise and nutrition to overall health and want to make a career of it.

Smkiya- Any update on your progress? I am anxious to hear if you passed the test and have done anything with your new certification yet...

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Specializes in MICU/SICU.

There's an RN working at my gym...but she doesn't do any exercise instruction at all that I've seen. I think her official title is "lifestyle advisor" or something. Mostly what she does is nutritional consulting, I think. The name-plaque on her door says she's a CDE, but beyond that I don't know if she has any specific training in nutrition, other than her BSN (also on the door).

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Specializes in (future hope) Genetic Nursing.
I am an RN and am currently studying for an ACSM certification as a Health Fitness Specialist. My goal is to work with people who are at risk for diabetes, htn, cad, etc. who will greatly benefit from lifestyle modification through exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction. Anybody have any insight into this endeavor, or know someone who has been successful with it? I have become very passionate about the benefits of exercise and nutrition to overall health and want to make a career of it.

Actually I came from the opposite direction. I was a personal trainer before I became a nurse and earn my Trainer Certification under NASM. Now let just start with a question here. Are you planning to work for a gym, a private studio, A home training company, or are you entering the field in some other direction? I ask this because each option has different pro and cons to them.

Here let me give you some generals on environments that you may work in. I know I won't hit all of points involved with being a trainer in each environment but I hope I can give you general set ups of those places that you maybe venturing into.

the Gym allow for you to have a large pool of clients to pull from. So in theory you can touch the maximum amount of peoples lives. Especially if your a group trainer. The big problem with the gym is that you have to sell, sell, sell. usually have a quota of people you suppose to have on your roster. Some gyms base you pay per client on how many clients you have. This selling environments I believe really takes away from what your original goal was when you enter the fitness profession, that is, to help people live healthier lives. Personally I hated working in the gyms and having to sell my soul in order to make the monthly quota. So I left that environment as fast as I could. But if you feel you can sell/promote health to a level where you have tons of clients while not compromising you personal ethics then that might be the environment for you to start.

Private studios/Cooperate office training facility are cool because you don't have to sell. Some one else does that for you. You basically all you have do is to meet with and discuss goals, areas of behavior modification (change in diet or lifestyle), any health issues the clients imped the clients progress and then start your training sessions. And of course some studios allow you to bring in outside clients you scored on your own to train as long as you pay a certain amount for time used in the studio. The only downside is that you don't get to meet as many folks and hence effect less lives overall.

Home Training: if you work for a home training company is similar in respect to a studio because you don't have to sell. Again someone already does that for you. Also a good thing about Home training is that for the most part you can somewhat choose you own schedule. I forgot to mention earlier for both private studios and Gyms you usually have a split shift scenario where you usually have most of your clients in the early morning and have a lull in the afternoon then end up training again in the evening. This from my experience doesn't happen as much in home training you can usually get a solid block of folk once your established your repeat clientèle an have gain the maximum client that you need or want. The downsides are some home training companies are rather erratic when it comes handling out clients. One week the company could send you 2 or 3 new clients you can choose from and some times weeks will go by and you won't get a call/leads on any new clients. That's why repeat clients are important in Home Training. Also I don't know of a single company that gives you mileage for the travel so the wear and tear on your car in one you. (Of course you can write this off in your tax's at the end of the year.) And oh yes you will probably be required to buy you own equipment and lug it around with you just in case the client doesn't have anything to use for the workout. (again you can write this equipment off at the end of the year.)

I don't know if you have your BSN or not but one of the best companies I've heard off ( have not work for them) is Medifit.

http://www.medifit.com/

http://www.medifit.com/careers.html

Granted they usually are looking for someone with a B.S. in heath promotion or exercise physiology but if you have your BSN they may be open to consider you.

I wish you good luck with you fitness endeavor, wherever it take you.

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