Did you know that there is a niche for nurse health coaches? You may have heard about a health coach, but it has now advanced with a nursing niche. Nurse health coaching is a new career option for nurses and has been on the rise. Nurse health coaches combine healing methods with coaching techniques to ensure their clients get holistic care. If you are considering an RN health coach career, you are in the right place. This article will take you through what this career path entails and if it is worth doing it. Read on to find out more.
What Is An RN Health Coach?
An RN health coach is a trained professional that helps foster and manage their client’s wellness and health. They work hand in hand with their patients to ensure that they deal with their needs in the best way possible and create plans to address them effectively. They do that with the primary aim being achieving the client’s health goals.
Note that nurse health coaches are not medical providers and do not give medical advice. However, they will guide you and offer resources to ensure you live your best healthy lives.
What Does An RN Health Coach Do?
Before going into this journey, knowing the job description and tasks that come with that field is imperative. Below are some of the tasks that nurse health coaches do:
Identify A Patient’s Risks
A nurse health coach’s most important job is determining the patient’s health risks. They identify the issues and concerns that could risk the patient’s health. They are the first to spot any risks that you may have.
Advocate For The Health and Well-Being Of The Patients
Nurse health coaches work to ensure that the well-being of their patients is put first. They negotiate with insurance companies to ensure their patients get the best service. They also talk you through your health and will help you understand your hospital bill.
Provide Wellness Strategies
People at risk of developing chronic health conditions enjoy the benefits of having a nurse health coach. This is because they will provide wellness strategies to help them make lifestyle changes in nutrition, stress management, and exercise. They take them through the journey and help them reduce high-risk behaviors.
They Help Their Patients Make Informed Decisions
We find it hard to understand all the complex medical terms, techniques, and medications. Doing it alone can be frustrating, and you may be misinformed. Here is where a nurse health coach comes in. They help patients make informed decisions regarding their treatment plan, medicine, and lifestyle. They talk to doctors and help communicate what the patient needs and how to achieve that in the best way possible.
Develop Coaching Plans For The Patient
The nurse health coach’s job is to develop coaching plans for their patient. This means that they work closely with their client to understand their health needs and how to achieve their goals. They tailor them to the client’s goals to achieve results.
Evaluate Patients’ Progress Towards Their Wellness Goals
The nurse health coach will evaluate the patient’s progress toward their wellness goals. It is their job to assess the client’s health status, evaluate their lifestyle and review their medical history. If you are not making progress, the health coach will evaluate the reason why the factors causing it and how to overcome them. You will encourage and support the patient through the journey and give them hope to achieve them. With constant reviews and support, the patient can make steady progress.
Prepare Workshops
It is the nurse health coach’s imperative to set up group coaching or workshops for their clients. These workshops help the clients meet up with others who may be going through the same issues, which will help them understand that they are not alone. They will also learn new tips, strategies, and techniques to boost their health. You can also initiate discussions on issues that most patients are going through to help develop reasonable ways to achieve results. These workshops help the patients understand their issues better and not feel lonely in their wellness journey.
Bottomline
Nurse health coaching is an integral part of the healthcare team and is vital in promoting wellness. RN health coaches work in many areas, such as hospitals, private practices, clinics, insurance companies, and businesses. They help promote health and wellness to their patients and ensure that they achieve their goals. As seen above, this career path is excellent for registered nurses. If you are interested, you can enroll in the Transformative Nurse Health Coach Program at the Nurse Coach Collective. They offer competitive training courses to help you get certified after seven months. The program is online, hence there is no need to go to class every day. Enroll today and embark on your RN health coach journey!