A Nurse Health Coach Can Help People With Chronic Illnesses and Other Health Problems

As people age the cost of looking after their health increases, if they suffer from chronic illnesses, and require the attendance of health care professionals. It can be a great advantage if instead of looking after their illnesses, they instead opt for health promotion that can help to prevent illnesses. This can be helped to a great extent by appointing or taking on the services of a nurse health coach.

Health Coaches  

These coaches have extensive knowledge of health and wellnesses, besides the basic clinical knowledge they have acquired through their original training. As they are already offering their services as trained nurses to those who need such care, they can in addition assume responsibilities for looking after the physical health of their patients by offering them ways to make lifestyle changes that can improve their health and lessen their dependence on medicines.

Training

Health coach training greatly increases their chances of employment as nurses, as home caregivers realize the additional benefit of improved health that results from taking on the services of a health coach, who can also help in improving the health of their near and dear ones Nurses have always been considered trusted, have the knowledge of clinical requirements and who are good at communicating. They are known to have high ethical standards and are trusted by the public at large. Their additional training as health coaches can only add to this. Nurses have always been trained for building relationships that motivate patients, and it becomes easier for them to get a patient to make lifestyle changes that can improve their health. 

Nurses can get training as health coaches from a number of programs, such as The Nurse Coach Collective

(Website: https://thenursecoaches.com/) that offer the necessary certification after a period of study and assessment. They require to have basic training as nurses through any Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This allows them to be registered as nurses and the additional coach certification can only add to their employability

What Do They Do

A nurse health coach uses a number of strategies to do this that can include advice on nutrition, ways to avoid stress, managing time and other skills that can help their patient to cope with any problems. Older people often forget what they have been taught, but a health coach can help them to resume actions while helping them to relate them to improved health, so that the association helps them to resume healthy behavior that can then lead them to wellness. They continue with the teaching process and also clear up any doubts that the patient may have. 

The primary focus of a nurse coach is to recognize the lifestyle that their patient has, and suggest any changes needed to improve it, so that it results in better health. They point out any deficiency in nutrition and the need for exercise, besides also supervising their medication. They are trained to not focus on just health issues, but take into account their social status, economic background, and other spiritual, vocational or academic needs. 

Most nurses use conventional treatments to help their patients, but there are nurse health coaches who use alternative methods of treatment to help a patient regain wellness, both in mind and spirit. They use yoga therapy, aroma therapy, meditation and others to rid a patient of any anxiety caused by constant and chronic illnesses. This training can also be obtained from some of the programs that take on the training of health coaches.

Primarily, health coaches who are also registered nurses start with understanding the behavior of their patients that can lead to health risks. They then develop strategies to coach the patient on how to make lifestyle changes in eating habits, routines, and diet that they feel are affecting their health. They establish wellness goals and get their patient to define the objectives that they are looking for and setting goals and timelines to achieve them. They act as mentors and guides in the reaching of these goals. The patient will have their own idea of their health concerns and risks, and a health coach must spot any trouble that is adding to these concerns. Every patient requires an individualized coaching plan, which the coach has to come up with after a proper initial assessment. These plans can always be modified to suit newer conditions.

Progress needs to be constantly evaluated and patients need to be constantly motivated to adhere to those actions that are assisting in maintaining their health.

Employment

A nurse health coach can easily find employment with insurance companies who use them to get their patients who have medical care policies, so that any changes in lifestyle they make, improve their health and reduces health care costs. Besides this, it can also help to reduce the burden on families that have to look after their elderly and infirm.

To Learn More about becoming a certified Nurse Coach visit The Nurse Coach Collective.