Integrative Health and Medicine

Launch your career in integrative health. Incorporate complementary therapies in clinical practice to improve outcomes and promote wellbeing.

Instructor: Robin Austin, DNP, DC , Louise Delagran , Janet Tomaino, DNP , Teri Verner, DNP, RN , Susan Thompson, DNP , Amy Taylor, MD , Alex Haley

Beginner Level • 2 months to complete at 10 hours a week • Flexible Schedule

What You'll Learn

  • Assess the current and potential role for integrative therapies in health and healthcare, including your own workplace.
  • Discuss the evidence base for use of integrative therapies, including the historical, clinical, and research data.
  • Assess if a therapy is appropriate, Educate patients about benefit and risk, Administer or advise on use, and Evaluate if the therapy was useful.
  • Partner with patients to incorporate integrative therapies for specific symptom management or enhanced health and wellbeing.

Skills You'll Gain

Education Software and Technology
Pharmacology
Health Assessment
Treatment Planning
Music
Health Policy
Research
Nursing Care
Contraindication
Health Care
Drug Interaction
Patient Education And Counseling

Shareable Certificate

Earn a shareable certificate to add to your LinkedIn profile

Outcomes

  • Learn in-demand skills from university and industry experts
  • Master a subject or tool with hands-on projects
  • Develop a deep understanding of key concepts
  • Earn a career certificate from University of Minnesota

5 courses series

This introductory course provides a framework for incorporating integrative therapies into your work with clients or patients. By the end of the course, you will be able to assess if integrative therapies are good options in specific situations, as well as educate patients and colleagues about benefits and risks. You will be confident discussing the evidence base for integrative therapies in general, with an understanding of some of the challenges of research in this area, and able to identify reliable sources of evidence-based information. You will leave with the skills to partner with patients or clients around use of these therapies and a plan to introduce integrative therapies in your work or other setting.Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 15 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

In this course, you will learn how you can use imagery and imagery interventions to help with symptom management and healing, as well as to enhance overall health and wellbeing. You will experience a variety of imagery interventions and evaluate how they might be helpful in providing relief or enhancing quality of life. By the end of the course, you will know how to assess if guided imagery is appropriate in specific situations or with specific patients. You will be able to find and evaluate guided imagery scripts and recordings you might use. Most importantly, you will learn how to write and record effective guided imagery scripts of your own for specific needs at work or in your personal life.Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 14.5 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

There is strong demand for alternatives to pharmaceuticals for a variety of common illnesses due to concerns of safety, efficacy, and a desire for more “natural” products. Despite this growing interest, “conventional” healthcare providers may have little to no knowledge about herbal medicines, which is further compounded by the sometimes misleading information in the media and on the internet. This course provides the necessary background for providers to begin to incorporate herbal medicines into their practice, particularly in regards to their therapeutic properties, efficacy (or lack thereof), and safety concerns, including quality control and potential adverse effects.Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 16 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

This course provides an overview of essential oil therapy and current aromatherapy practices in clinical settings and gives you the skills to bring aromatherapy into your own practice. By the end of the course, you will be able to: a) explain what essential oils are to a patient and how they work; b) assess if an essential oil might be beneficial to a patient, considering patient preference and the research evidence, as well as any safety issues or contraindications; and c) suggest a protocol for use in a clinical setting.Continuing Education Credits This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 15 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

By the end of this course, you will be able to assess when mindfulness may be helpful for your patients or clients, educate them about its potential benefits, and refer them to mindfulness programs and resources. You will also learn about the benefits of this practice for you as a busy healthcare provider. To begin, you will explore what mindfulness is (and is not) through presentations and direct experience. You will also learn about the research supporting the benefits (and risks) of mindfulness for various conditions, as well as how to identify contraindications. Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 10 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

Learner Testimonials

Felipe M.
Felipe M. • Learner since 2018

To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood.

Jennifer J.
Jennifer J. • Learner since 2020

I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work.

Larry W.
Larry W. • Learner since 2021

When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go.

Chaitanya A.
Chaitanya A. • Learner since 2727

Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits.