What Is Nurse Coaching?
Nurses find themselves in an excellent position to become patient coaches. The relationship between the holistic nurse and patient already focuses on the client’s condition and clearly established goals are already set. Much of the intervention given is based on encouraging and motivating the patient to achieve those goals. Nursing interaction already revolves around chosen treatment modalities for the patient’s benefit. How is coaching different from the traditional nursing process?
Understanding when a patient is ready to embrace change and what the patient understands is critical. Traditional medical care all too often begins with the advent of a disease process. Holistic care instead focuses on all aspects of a patient’s health, both before and after a problem develops. The advent of non-medical programs for health and wellness coaching are attracting caregivers who perform functions not unlike the holistic care nurses already offer.
What is health and wellness coaching? Wellness coaches focus on maintaining healthful lifestyles, good dietary habits, fitness programs and emotional support. In contrast, health coaching revolves around a chronic condition, for which the coach and patient apply alternative therapies for remediation of symptoms. Programs available to the general public vary in the length and breadth of training, in whether or not the program is accredited or offers CEUs, and most are not AHNA approved.
What is nurse coaching? In both health and wellness coaching, the nurse partners with the patient in determining mutually agreed upon goals and health outcomes. The nurse coach brings knowledge and expertise beyond that which the general public enjoys, In a mentoring situation, the nurse brings personal experience and advice into the relationship, using influence to help the patient adopt better health practices. Each form of patient interaction touches on holistic aspects of the nurse/patient relationship, and goes further to cement in the patient’s mind the expected outcomes. Rather than being an extension of holistic practice, it becomes an extension of patient expectation and acceptance of holistic care objectives.
What is the value of health and wellness coaching? The United States relegates 75% of about $2.2 trillion spent on health care toward chronic illness1. Many within the health community and within the general population embrace current trends to reduce that amount by preventing or alleviating chronic diseases with health and wellness coaching, but in the eye of the client, who may embrace the additional preparation.
In a Compendium of health and wellness Coaching Literature, Sforzo et al2 determined that without a recognized definition of what coaching is and without standards or a credentialing mechanism, it was impossible to compare existing programs. They elicited five criteria for coaching criteria: training, professional status of the practitioner, goal setting, patient monitoring and client/practitioner relationship. The general public finds differentiation between less prepared and professional coaches even more confusing.
What is the purpose of AHNA-accredited certification in nurse coaching? By participating in a credentialing program, holistic nurses not only broaden the scope of current practice, but are recognized by the general population for their background and unique preparation in a coaching relationship. Public perception of the holistic nurse’s role is enhanced in this additional layer of accreditation. While traditional nursing diagnoses are still the basis of holistic nursing care, furthering the mentoring or coaching relationship enchances patient compliance of recommended therapies.
Emerging trends offer holistic nurses the opportunity to broaden the influence of their care. Accreditation programs are a pathway for holistic nurses to further legitimize their role in patient care.
“Chronic Disease Costs in the U.S. | Milken Institute Report.” Accessed April 2, 2021. https://milkeninstitute.org/reports/costs-chronic-disease-us.
Sforzo, Gary A., Miranda P. Kaye, Irina Todorova, Sebastian Harenberg, Kyle Costello, Laura Cobus-Kuo, Aubrey Faber, Elizabeth Frates, and Margaret Moore. “Compendium of the Health and Wellness Coaching Literature.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 12, no. 6 (November 1, 2018): 436–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617708562.
Questions about being a holistic nurse or nurse entrepreneur? I look forward to hearing from you.Sharon Burch, APRN, PHCNS-BC, APHN-BC, HWNC-BCsharon@newdirectionsfornurses.org