What is the Role of a Nurse Coach?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over three million nurses in the United States. This makes us the largest group of healthcare professionals in the world, and as such, we have a very important role to play in the healthcare industry. 

In fact, we’re the backbone of the system. We handle sensitive information, assist with complicated treatments and procedures, and help our patients manage all manner of illness — all while working crazy hours and keeping smiles on our faces.

After years of taking on this challenging work, most of us nurses find ourselves wondering:

Isn’t there something more I can be doing? A way to find more fulfillment in my work and to have a longer-lasting impact on the lives of my patients? ?

Of course, it’s no secret that the healthcare model is changing. Alternative medicine has been growing in popularity for years, as patients start looking for sustainable solutions and customized care. We nurses have stepped up and responded to this need by merging our expertise with holistic medicine to become Nurse Coaches.

Maybe you’ve heard about Nurse Coaching from fellow nurses who’ve joined our ranks. Or perhaps you’ve considered becoming a Nurse Coach yourself. Here we’ll discuss the role of a nurse coach and how you can use this certification to make significant changes in your patients’ lives. 

What Do Nurse Coaches Do?

A Nurse Coach is a registered nurse who uses traditional and alternative medicine to help their patients improve their overall health and well-being. We work to create a deeper connection with our patients, learning about their specific needs and health goals and helping them achieve a truly lasting level of health.

But what exactly do Nurse Coaches do?.

Promote Holistic Health and Wellness

As a Nurse Coach, you have many tools at your disposal to help your patients get healthy. Yes, you have the usual medical treatments, but you can also introduce lifestyle medicine for a natural treatment plan that doesn’t JUST treat an illness but instead treats the whole patient.

What kind of lifestyle medicine are we talking about? Plant-based diets, mindfulness and meditation, the healing power of social relationships — all these and more can be part of a Nurse Coach’s guidance. It’s up to you to co-create the right program with your patient.

Empower Patients to Reach their Goals

Let’s be honest; making lifestyle changes is hard. We’re creatures of habit, and we don’t always like adjusting those habits, even if it’s for our own good. This is why so many people struggle to maintain healthy routines like mindfulness, good sleep hygiene, and proper diet and exercise.

So how can we help our patients stay healthy? We have to turn to another role Nurse Coaches take on: coaching. Part of your training involves learning proven coaching techniques that inspire and empower your patients to set realistic goals, work toward them, and finally reach that finish line.

Create Long-Lasting Change

For many years, we nurses have been helping our medical colleagues apply mere band-aids to our patients. Yes, the current system helps relieve pain, treat illness, and improve patients’ quality of life. But how long is it before they’re back in the doctor’s office?  

As a Nurse Coach, you don’t just treat illness; you prevent it. The lifestyle changes you encourage, coupled with coaching, will lead to lasting changes in your patients’ lives, keeping them healthy, balanced, and happy for years to come. 

The Importance of Nurse Coaching

The importance of Nurse Coaching really can’t be understated. The fact is that Americans today are sick, stressed, and tired. Sure, another prescription might help them manage their current state, but how will it affect us in the long run?

Nurse Coaching moves beyond mere symptom management to create true physical, mental, and emotional wellness for all your patients. The work you do in this specialized field can result in healthier, happier people who remain that way. 

What’s more, as Nurse Coaching becomes more common (and all signs suggest that it will), we might see the entire healthcare system shift from treating a list of symptoms and ailments to actually treating a person. Doesn’t that sound amazing?  

If you want to see your patients capable of managing their well-being, Nurse Coaching will bring you more fulfillment and joy than the standard model of care ever will. And if you want to become a certified Nurse Coach, our Nurse Coaching Certificate Program will help you get there.

Contact us today to learn more about our immersive certification program. You can speak with a real-life Nurse Coach or check out our free training to learn more about Nurse Coaching and how it can change the healthcare industry and your future.

Frequently Asked Questions