The health needs of the average American are complicated. At least 51.9 percent of people have one chronic medical condition which requires the regular assistance of a nurse. Eleven percent of people have two conditions, 7 percent have three, and five percent have four.

The job of nurses is, therefore, becoming more complicated. It’s no longer sufficient for nurses to design treatment plans that cater to a single condition: they need to have the skills to manage multiple issues in one person, many of which can interact in unexpected ways.

Nurse coaching is a form of medical education where nurses teach their clients about how to manage and, in some cases, recover from their conditions. Nurse coaches are of most value in complex instances in which an individual patient may have multiple comorbidities.

Nurse coaching can be a gratifying career path. You’re not just treating the patient, but actively helping them to manage and overcome their condition and live a better life. Part of your role will be to monitor patients and help them make progress towards their goals, whether its getting control of their blood sugar, recovering from an injury, or sticking to an exercise plan.

The following infographic shows how nurse coaching works, how to become a certified nurse coach, and how much training you’ll need to do. As you’ll read below, you’ll discover that you need to empower patients to reach their goals.

Infographic by Rutgers University

Do you want to become a nurse coach? Would it help make your work feel more fulfilling?