As Integrative Nurse Coaches, we are uniquely positioned to rise to the demands of healthcare transformation. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its recent reaffirmation by the U.S. Supreme Court have paved the way for new care models that emphasize prevention, wellness, and holistic patient-centered care—an exact match for the principles and practices of nurse coaching.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) praised the ACA’s provisions as a victory for patients and the nursing profession. With an emphasis on preventing hospital readmissions and supporting well-being over disease treatment, this law expands opportunities for nurses—including Nurse Coaches—to play pivotal roles in health promotion, chronic disease management, and care coordination.
Why Now Is the Time for Nurse Coaches
Nurses are the most trusted professionals in healthcare. With more than 3 million RNs in the U.S. and over 17 million nurses globally, we are embedded in every care setting and community. The ACA’s support of team-based models, nurse-led clinics, and wellness incentives puts Integrative Nurse Coaches at the center of the movement to shift healthcare from illness to wellness.
According to the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), holistic nurses are defined as “facilitators of healing: consultants, collaborators, educators, and guides.” This reflects the ethos of nurse coaching and aligns perfectly with today’s policy-driven emphasis on whole-person care.
Nursing Leadership in Action: What We Can Do
- Educate colleagues and patients about the benefits of nurse coaching in preventive care
- Integrate coaching models into nurse-managed health centers
- Offer programs that reduce hospital readmissions and improve chronic disease outcomes
- Collaborate with providers in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs)
- Advocate for Nurse Coaches in leadership roles on wellness teams
“Integrative Nurse Coaching offers a pathway to support the whole person—biological, psychological, social, spiritual, cultural, and environmental. This broad view is vital in today’s complex health systems.” — Read more about Integrative Nurse Coaching
Real-World Application: Building Coaching into Systems
Through programs like the Integrative Nurse Coach® Certificate Program (INCCP), Nurse Coaches gain practical tools to create wellness infrastructures in hospitals, communities, and health systems. Graduates of INCCP report using their training to:
- Decrease nurse burnout through internal coaching
- Deliver cost-effective group coaching programs
- Support community wellness initiatives tied to social determinants of health
These systemic applications support the ACA’s focus on reducing costs while improving outcomes—a win for healthcare organizations, nurses, and patients.
Internal Links for Further Reading
- What is Integrative Nurse Coaching?
- How Nurse Coaches Bring Value: Preparing for a Coaching Session
- Functional Nursing: Integrating Whole-Person Care
External Resources
Conclusion & CTA
The ACA opened the door, but it’s up to us to walk through it. As Integrative Nurse Coaches, we have the tools, the training, and the heart to lead this next evolution of care.
👉 Learn more about how to become an Integrative Nurse Coach and help shape the future of healthcare.
Or, Schedule a Call with one of our board-certified admissions advisors to explore if this path is right for you.
“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.” — B.K.S. Iyengar
As Co-Founder of the International Nurse Coach Association for over a decade, Susan has been teaching and developing coaching program and currently through the Integrative Nurse Coach® Academy. She is Board Certified in Health and Wellness Coaching, Holistic Nursing, and Clinical Nutrition. Susan has authored several chapters on Nutrition and Environmental Health for Holistic Nursing, Integrative Nursing, and Nurse Leadership textbooks. She has co-authored Nurse Coaching and Self-Assessment chapters in; Holistic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice, 7th edition (2015-2020) and is co-author of the award winning book (ANA Gold Seal, 2015) Nurse Coaching: Integrative Approaches for Health and Wellbeing (2015) and The Art and Science of Nurse Coaching, an ANA Publication (2013), that led the way to establishing the standards for practice in the emerging Nurse Coach role. For the past 20 years, she has been the Nurse Coach and Nutrition consultant for Special Immunology Services at Mercy Hospital in Miami and is currently the Director of Nurse Coaching at Rezilir Health in Hollywood, Florida. Susan continues to integrate lifestyle health and wellness education into diverse communities, bringing her expertise and passion as a nurse, clinical nutritionist, and medical anthropologist. She has developed and implemented integrative health initiatives for diverse community organizations including the Yellow Courtyard, Integrative Health Symposium, Urban Zen, New York Open Center, The Lower East Side Girls Club, Kripalu, Omega Institute, and the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University. As a concerned global citizen, Susan is the founder and education director of the Earthrose Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to environmental health education and advocacy. She maintains a private practice as an Integrative Nurse Coach® with a focus on nutrition and the environment.
