Welcome to Functional Nursing

Functional Medicine for Nurses™

A Root Cause Approach to Health & Healing
12-Week Online Course for Registered Nurses & Advanced Practice Nurses

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ – A Root Cause Approach to Health & Healing

This is a comprehensive continuing education course for all registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, and nurse coaches interested in integrating functional medicine into their practice.

Explore the core fundamentals of functional medicine and learn practical applications that can be done at the RN licensure level and above. Nurses will have a robust understanding of functional approaches within their scope of practice.

As a functional nurse, RNs and NPs can incorporate these healing offerings into their current practice to improve the health and happiness of their patients. Many course graduates go on to apply their new knowledge into their own private practice as a functional nurse or functional nurse coach.

$2,199.00

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Program Overview

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ provides a detailed overview of functional medicine that is comprehensive enough to fully incorporate interventions into current practice without the time commitment and cost of a two or more year program.  You will learn specifically how to become a functional medicine nurse.

Additionally, other programs include health coaches, dietitians, chiropractors, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, etc.  This course has customized content exclusively for the nursing professional and provides you with all you need to know to practice as functional medicine nurse.

It also pairs well with nurse coaching modalities, and many functional medicine practitioners have very successful practices incorporating fundamental functional medicine practices with their coaching skills.

Graduates of this course will have a broad understanding of available functional nursing practices and be equipped with practical knowledge and interventions to incorporate these into their current practice.

They will also gain an understanding of their own scope of practice and potential future as a functional medicine nurse.

Accreditation

  • The Integrative Nurse Coach Academy is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
  • Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17700 for 84 contact hours.

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Module Outline

12 Weeks - 84 Contact Hours*

100% online

We will compare the current allopathic healthcare model with the healing power of functional medicine. We will then review the practice of functional medicine, the background of functional medicine, and fundamental concepts that apply to every patient.
We will explore the RN and APN roles and scope of practice through the functional medicine lens. Students will learn how to intake and evaluate a new patient or client, and we will review various forms and screening tools used in functional medicine. We will discuss mapping their health history, and review a case study from a functional medicine perspective.

We will explore biochemistry from a functional medicine perspective including discussing health on a cellular level, apply this knowledge to common labs used in functional medicine evaluations, and how to obtain these labs depending on scope of practice. We will compare and contrast the normal reference range versus the optimal reference ranges, and their ability to reveal powerful insights into the root cause of a patient’s symptoms. We will review a case study from a functional medicine perspective.

We will thoroughly explore stress and sleep, the impact they have on our health, nursing interventions for restoring balance, and testing opportunities for evaluating the HPATG axis. We will review a case study from the functional medicine perspective.

We will explore the gastrointestinal tract from a functional medicine perspective, discuss nutrient deficiencies and methods for balancing nutrition. We will discuss supplements, their role in functional medicine, and some commonly recommended supplements. We will review a case study from a functional medicine perspective.
We will thoroughly explore common digestive disorders and the functional medicine approach to testing and treatment, and then review two case studies from a functional medicine perspective.
We will review food reactions, leaky gut, autoimmune disorders, skin disorders, and the functional medicine approach to treatment. We will evaluate therapeutic diets that are commonly used in functional medicine practice. We will review two case studies from a functional medicine perspective.
We will identify toxins, their impact on health, testing considerations, and interventions from a functional medicine perspective. We will review the various means the human body has for detoxification, and identify opportunities for intervention. We will review a case study from a functional medicine perspective.
We will review thyroid and sex hormone function and balance, compare testing options, and functional medicine interventions for restoring balance. We will review two case studies from a functional medicine perspective.
We will explore human metabolism from the cellular level to the level of the individual, define insulin resistance, and identify functional medicine interventions proven to reverse insulin resistance. We will explore functional medicine considerations for weight loss. We will then define inflammation and its role in cardiovascular health. We will review three case studies from a functional medicine perspective.
We will review common mental health and neurocognitive conditions identify the functional medicine approach of root cause analysis and treatment. We will explore Organic Acids testing (OATs), and its applications in functional medicine practice, and review two case studies from a functional medicine perspective.
We will review three case studies that promote a more complex scenario of applying functional medicine practices, and discuss prioritizing interventions using these case studies. We will discuss various functional medicine roles a nurse can play in current and future healthcare systems, methods to incorporate nurse coaching skills into a functional medicine model of nursing care, and opportunities for future development of functional medicine practice including additional learning resources and opportunities for certification.

Functional Nursing Course Creator & Faculty

Brigitte Sager Functional Medicine For Nurses Headshot

Brigitte Sager

DNP ARNP FNP-C NC-BC AFMC CNE

Functional Medicine for Nurses™
Nutrition for Nurses™
Course Creator & Lead Faculty

An experienced functional nurse practitioner, Brigitte has always had a passion for patient empowerment, education, and healing. After eight years as a critical care float nurse, Brigitte attended Georgetown University and became a family nurse practitioner.  Later, she continued her studies and obtained a DNP from Washington State University. During her four years as a primary care provider, she began studying functional medicine and became board-certified in functional medicine, nurse coaching (through INCA), and as a menopause practitioner (NAMS). She has a functional nursing consulting practice in Washington State.
 
Driven by a calling to empower nurses to harness the healing art of functional nursing and nutrition, Brigitte has become a public speaker at national conferences, advocating for a more holistic approach to healthcare. Brigitte is an experienced nurse educator, reflected in her board certification as a nurse educator (CNE) and Quality Matters Online Educator certification- not to mention the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from the alumni of Functional Medicine for Nurses™ & Nutrition for Nurses.

Functional Nursing News

(Post) Is Functional Medicine Part Of A Registered Nurse’s Scope Of Practice?

Is Functional Medicine Part of a Registered Nurse’s Scope of Practice?

What is the role of the nurse in functional medicine? One of the most common questions I get asked regarding practicing functional medicine as a nurse is about scope of practice, and for good reason!  It is a confusing topic, and we do not want to put our hard-earned licenses at risk! I created the Functional Medicine for Nurses™ program through the Integrative Nurse Coach® Academy, a program that gives me the opportunity to not only teach, but also support both RNs and NPs navigating the legalities of incorporating functional nursing into their own practice.  Each student in the program is required to research their own scope of practice and we explore what they found. I have come to learn that the majority of US states have very vague guidelines for nurses. All Nurses are Educators The one commonality in every state is the nurse’s role as an EDUCATOR. As

Read More »
(Post) Functional Medicine &Amp; Nurse Coaching: The Perfect Partnership

Functional Medicine & Nurse Coaching: The Perfect Partnership

I became a nurse almost 15 years ago. Like many of us who are deeply dedicated to the profession, I started out as an associate’s degree-trained RN, but soon returned for my bachelor’s degree (BSN), followed by a master’s in nursing (MSN) as a family nurse practitioner (FNP), and will soon have my doctorate in nursing practice (DNP). Learning has always been important to me.

Read More »

Unique Aspects of the Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Course

  • Now offered in partnership with the Institute for Functional Medicine.
  • This course is the only course that teaches functional medicine exclusively for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses.
  • This course is comprehensive enough for graduates to incorporate intervention into current practice, without the time commitment and cost of a 2+ year program.
  • This course uniquely complements nurse coaching modalities; knowledge gained and interventions learned will expand your nursing and nurse coaching skillset.
  • This course will include case studies to exemplify real-life scenarios where functional medicine assessment tools and clinical interventions impacted patient outcomes.
  • This course is lead by an experienced functional medicine nurse practitioner who actually uses what she is teaching in her own practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

You will be notified of books to purchase for the course prior to the course start date.  You can expect to pay less than $40 for instant access to digital copies of these books, and a bit more for print copies available to order online.

Yes, 84 contact hours

Integrative Nurse Coach Academy is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17700 for 84 contact hours.

This program is 84 contact hours divided over the course of 12 weeks. This course was designed with working nurses in mind, so you should expect to spend 6-8 hours per week on your coursework. Weekly due dates for assignments will be clearly explained in each module, but you will not be required to attend any class at a specific time. Beyond assignment due dates, your timed open book final exam will be open over a specific period of time (i.e. 72 hours), during which you may retake the test if you do not pass it the first time.

Yes! Nurse coaching and functional medicine practices are VERY synergistic.  The majority of functional medicine interventions involve modifications to a patient or client’s lifestyle, and nurse coaching skills are the ideal way to help them explore this and meet their goals.  Coaching can be a huge part of a patient or client’s success.

Not yet. Once a functional medicine nursing specialty certification is established, we will ensure our program fits the criteria to take the specialty certification exam.

This course is open to registered nurses and advanced practice nurses with a valid license (e.g., RN, APRN) from your state/ country of practice.

  • This course is the only course that teaches functional medicine exclusively for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses.
  • This course is comprehensive enough for graduates to incorporate intervention into current practice, without the time commitment and cost of a 2+ year program.
  • This course uniquely complements nurse coaching modalities; knowledge gained and interventions learned will expand your nursing and nurse coaching skillset.
  • This course will include extensive real-life case studies to exemplify real-life scenarios where the assessment tools and clinical interventions impacted patient outcomes.
  • This course is lead by an experienced functional medicine nurse practitioner who actually uses what she is teaching in her own practice.

This program will give you a working understanding of functional medicine principles, and how to apply them within a nursing framework.  Functional medicine interventions are equally nursing interventions.  The most powerful methods used in functional medicine are fully within the scope of an RN, and can be applied in their current work setting.  For advanced practice nurses (APNs), there is the added scope of prescriptive authority, but a large percentage of functional medicine practitioners (including nurses) use no prescriptive therapies. 

Additionally, some providers choose to provide safe, effective care with no lab data (or they have patients bring them recent labs for review).  We will explore methods for RNs and APNs to heal and promote wellness using powerful methodologies in a safe, effective manner in a broad spectrum of settings and with a variety of resources at their disposal.

The program includes content on clinical implementation of skills.  We will explore case studies throughout the program to help solidify your learning and practice applying your new knowledge. The main goal of this course is to prepare you to apply healing functional medicine practice in any healthcare setting.  Upon successful completion of the program, you may choose to call yourself a functional medicine nurse and work in the practice setting of your choice.

For some, this will be as a nurse coach/ consultant/ entrepreneur, for others this may be part of their bedside nursing or other clinical practice.  We will explore avenues for specializing in a specific niche of functional medicine that you are passionate about.

A valid registered nursing or advanced practice nursing license.  If you are an international nurse (non-US), you must have the equivalent to RN or APRN.

Classes will be conducted via pre-recorded training modules, reading assignments, asynchronous discussions, reflective journaling, case studies, quizzes, and a final exam (timed, open book). This allows you the greatest flexibility in learning the materials on your own schedule.

Your instructor (Brigitte Sager, MSN RN ARNP FNP-C NCMP NC-BC) will be available via email and Zoom office hours (video conferencing) to answer questions and otherwise assist you in mastering the evidence-based materials presented.

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Dates and Tuition

$2,199.00

Early registration pricing ends 30 days before each cohort’s start date. 

Payment plans available. See below for details.

CohortTuition
Cohort 13: Jan 06 - Mar 30, 2025
Original price was: $2,399.00.Current price is: $2,199.00.
Cohort 14: Apr 07 - Jun 29, 2025
Original price was: $2,499.00.Current price is: $2,199.00.

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Testimonials

Holistic, Integrative Nursing Programs & Courses

NEW!

institute for functional medicine - IFM - logo

Functional Medicine for Nurses™ is Now offered in Partnership with the Institute for Functional Medicine

For Immediate Release

MIAMI, Florida.September 23, 2022

The Integrative Nurse Coach® Academy | International Nurse Coach Association (INCA), the global leaders in nurse coaching training and holistic nursing continuing education courses, and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the leading voice for functional medicine, announce a new partnership designed to enhance and elevate the role of nurses and nurse practitioners in the field of functional medicine.

As the most trusted profession for over 20 years, IFM recognizes the key role nurses should play in using a root cause approach to healthcare. That’s why the organization has chosen to partner with INCA to support the growing number of nursing professionals seeking options for a respected, comprehensive functional medicine educational program exclusively for nurses. 

With over 100 nurses enrolled since the course launched in 2022, Functional Medicine for Nurses™provides registered nurses and nurse practitioners with a robust foundation for implementing functional medicine practices within both the registered nurse and nurse practitioner scopes of practice.

To further enhance learning and implementation, IFM is providing INCA’s Functional Medicine for Nurses™ students with access to valuable resources that coincide with each learning module within the course.

“Our partnership gives students access to a wealth of resources and support from the most respected source in functional medicine- the Institute for Functional Medicine,” states Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Course Creator and lead faculty, Brigitte Sager, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C, NCMP, NC-BC, AFMC. “It also lends credibility to this exciting education opportunity for nurses seeking to learn functional medicine from a respected source.”

IFM is also providing INCA students with a complimentary one-year student membership, which features numerous discounts for IFM programs for nurses who wish to expand their functional medicine knowledge. Additionally, INCA is extending a tuition discount to all IFM nurse members on INCA programs.

“IFM recognizes the critical role of nursing professionals in advancing the transformation of healthcare through a functional medicine approach,” states Amy R. Mack, MSES/MPA, IFM chief executive officer. “INCA, which is founded and managed by nurses, is well positioned to support the work in this space.”

As the practice of functional medicine continues to proliferate globally, it is imperative that nurses are highly trained in functional and integrative medicine practices to ensure safe and effective interventions for patients and clients. This partnership formally recognizes and emphasizes the pivotal role of the nurse in functional medicine practice.

About INCA

The Integrative Nurse Coach® Academy | International Nurse Coach Association is the global leader in nurse coach training and offers a variety of holistic nursing continuing education programs. Founded in 2010 by innovative nurse leaders Barbara Dossey and Susan Luck, INCA expanded its global reach in 2019 by converting its leading Integrative Nurse Coach® Certificate Program to an online format with the assistance of new partners Karen Avino & Ronald Kanka. INCA offers a variety of online integrative & holistic specialty nursing programs, including:

 

About IFM‍

The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) is the leading voice for functional medicine and advancing the transformation of health care for patients and practitioners worldwide. IFM is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization that believes functional medicine can help every individual reach their full potential for health and well-being. Founded in 1991 and dedicated to the widespread adoption of functional medicine, IFM works to advance education and training, clinical patient care, research, and outcomes in functional medicine worldwide. For more information, please visit IFM.org

About Functional Medicine‍

Functional medicine determines how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual. The functional medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. 

functional medicine nurses intro

NEW!
Functional Medicine for Nurses™ Introductory Program

  • Entirely Self-Paced
  • 3 Contact Hours*
  • Tuition: $75
  • Upon completion, you will receive a coupon code for $75 which you can apply to the comprehensive, 12-week program tuition.
*Integrative Nurse Coach Academy is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.