As patients, most people find their way to seeking out a Functional Medicine provider after they have run into dead ends in conventional medicine without having their problems solved. As Functional Medicine practitioners, most find their way there knowing the intrinsic value of their field but seeing some obvious holes that conventional medicine can’t or won’t address. 

 

And most nurses find their way there as a little combination of both. For me personally, I just observed how the obesity epidemic was causing rates of chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension to absolutely skyrocket and affect patient outcomes for the worse. During Covid we learned that those with obesity, Vitamin D deficiency, and chronic illnesses fared far worse outcomes than those without. I was curious about my own Vitamin D levels and if my immune system was optimally ready to fight off what would inevitably come my way. 

 

Diving into micronutrient deficiencies opened the door for me to exploring the field of Functional Medicine, which I admit at the time I really knew nothing about. In my mind there was regular old medicine and then there was “holistic” medicine which was basically voodoo witchcraft type stuff. However, once I learned what it is – uncovering root causes to get to the bottom of issues like leaky gut, autoimmune conditions, balancing hormones and more – I was intrigued and began to seek out ways I could combine my nursing knowledge with Functional Medicine strategies to help others. 

Where can a nurse be trained in functional medicine?

 

Enter Functional Nurse Academy. Functional Nurse Academy provides training, a toolkit, monthly mentorship where you go over case studies, and access to a Facebook group where you can ask questions and get support for patient scenarios and more. You will learn how you can order labs (both conventional and functional medicine based) through a partnership with a laboratory’s physician network. There are constant updates to the course with more content constantly added. I cannot recommend it enough. Yes there is a high sticker price, but the knowledge and skills you will gain are absolutely worth it. 

 

How does it work within my scope of practice?

 

As an RN, you must function within your state board’s scope of practice. This means you are not diagnosing disease, but rather you are providing education about what lab test values can indicate, recommending lifestyle guidance on things like sleep and avoiding toxicities, providing education on supplements, and more. You can sign up for your own Fullscript Dispensary where you can enjoy wholesale supplements for yourself as well as have access to plans and templates for supplements for clients. 

 

Will I have to start my own business?

 

The course is specifically designed to help you launch your own business as a Functional Medicine Nurse Coach and has a whole section on business formation and marketing materials. There is a strategy included on how to turn your business into a six-figure income if you want it to become full time. 

 

If that is not something you are comfortable doing, I would still suggest taking the course to gain the knowledge, and then seek out ways to share the knowledge you’ve learned whether it be blogging, writing a book, making videos, etc. There are a number of affiliate marketing opportunities within Functional Medicine (supplements, products from Amazon, red light products, etc) as well. It can start off as a “side hustle” and grow from there. 

 

Starting your own business can be daunting for sure, but the course has a step-by-step checklist of things you need to do to get started. 

 

How fast will my business grow?

 

This depends on a lot of factors such as your willingness to put yourself out there, demand for this type of service in your area, population size of your area and so much more. Your first few clients will be friends and family and you’ll have more success if you pick a niche within Functional Medicine that you can become an expert in (such as thyroid, leaky gut, women’s hormones, etc). As a woman in perimenopause with friends who are going through it as well, one of my niches is DUTCH testing for hormones because we all want to see what our hormones are doing and to feel better! There is a huge demand out there for alternative testing!

 

It doesn’t happen overnight – as with any business, it takes time invested for it to grow. If you have a day job, don’t quit it before you get started! Be prepared for initial disappointments and bumps along the way (functional testing is expensive), but before you know it those doors will start to open for you if you put yourself out there. 

 

What if I’m not a nurse, but another licensed healthcare provider interested in learning this?

 

You’re in luck! The founder of FNA just launched a new program called Christian Functional Medicine Academy which is basically the same program, only it’s Christian based and for other licensed healthcare professionals. 

 

Conclusion

 

As the obesity epidemic worsens and people become sicker and sicker, the demand for Functional Medicine is going to grow. The public is constantly becoming more aware of toxins and toxicities in our environment and foods and people want answers! We all know that as nurses, we are the first ones our friends and families call when they have questions. The opportunity is bigger than ever to become an expert in this growing field. 

Check out some of my other posts related to Functional Medicine:

The ultimate toxic product swap guide

Overcoming insomnia: tips and tricks for an amazing night’s sleep