Whole Health Programs
The NIWH 3-in-1 Whole Health Program® training is
accredited by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence
Advance your Scope of Practice with knowledge and credentials
in Patient Health Education and Disease Prevention
The NIWH 3-in-1 Whole Health Education® program
transforms a health professional’s scope of practice with three sought after skill sets:
Since 1977, the mission of NIWH has been to facilitate change in the delivery of health care in all settings by transforming way consumers receive their primary care services. This is achieved through educating credentialed professionals to better serve their patients and clients through a whole health – whole person care approach. Whole Health is focused on all aspects of an individual’s health behaviors. The NIWH 5 Aspects of Whole Health™ look at the physical, emotional, nutritional, environmental and their values, beliefs and worldview (spirituality) of each individual.
A patient advocate is a professional who provides services to patients and those supporting them who are navigating the complex healthcare continuum. Advocates work directly with clients (or with their legal representatives) to ensure they have a voice in their care and information to promote informed decision making.
This 3-in-1 training significantly sets our program apart from traditional health coaching programs. Ten outstanding Whole Health Coaching courses are provided which are applied in the Case Study portion of the program. Visit our Whole Health Coaching page for more details on the Whole Health Coaching courses.
Our comprehensive, evidence-based whole health curriculum is comprised of 24 Core Courses, plus 8 Case Study Tutorials, a Proctored Exam at a testing center in your regional location, three (3) patient case studies and a Final Paper project on your 3 Case Studies. The courses include outlines, course handouts and research abstracts, along with individual assignment templates and evaluation forms that earn you professionally accredited continuing education contact hours.
Each learner works with an assigned Academic Adviser, who is both a credentialed health care professional and a graduate of the Whole Health Education program. After a Proctored Exam on the 24 CORE courses, you will begin your 8 tutorial courses which are applied to the required three (3) Case Studies. The Case Study portion of the program is akin to the “clinical” portion of your professional training.
The training culminates with a Final Paper project which focuses on the three (3) case studies submitted by the learner. The Final Paper project (or Capstone Project) integrates all areas of program instruction and learning, and serves to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in Whole Health Education, Patient Health Education and Whole Health Coaching.
The program is 400 clock hours with nationally accredited continuing education contact hours. Each learner works with an Academic Adviser who will provide feedback and CE certificates as assignments are turned in. Learners can connect other students and graduates through our on-line Student Forum, Linked-In or Facebook sites.
Successful completion of the program qualifies graduates for:
- Receive a billing and coding manual from NIWH (we will also send a physician’s billing manual to a practice a graduate is employed by)
All graduates may choose to add to their NIWH credentials from the following electives:
Nurses additionally qualify to sit for the following:
The program has been designed to be completed in as few as 6-7 months or as many as 12-16 month. Students work on-line at their own pace. The entire curriculum takes 12 months to complete if the learner devotes 7-8 hours per week to the course work. If the learner dedicates 12-16 hours per week they can complete the program in 6-7 months.
NIWH provides an additional four (4) months, without charge, over and above the 12 month.Upon graduation you will receive an embossed diploma as a Whole Health Educator and two certificates for completing the training as a Whole Health Coach and a Patient Health Advocate. Graduates can sit for the National Board Certified Patient Advocate exam. More details are available on our 3-in-1 Whole Health Education training program page.
Graduates apply the training in a wide variety of settings. Many work within medical facilities as patient educators, while starting a private practice. Others work full time in health and wellness education, and others combine per diem work with their own practice. All medical specialties utilize and need patient educators. This ranges from pediatric to geriatric care, as well as fertility, hospice, women’s health and beyond.
All applications are conducted by phone. NIWH does not have an on-line application. We only accept applications by phone to ensure that all applicants are qualified for the programs. You can read more about the application process on our Registration page. To request an appointment with a representative, please send a request through our contact page or call our live answering service at 1-888-354 HEAL (4325)
We invite you to continue exploring our website to learn more about our
Whole Health Programs and how they can advance your career.
Comparison Chart of Patient Health Education with Health Coaching.
PLEASE NOTE: NIWH nutrition courses are patient/client education focused, providing epidemiological and evidence-based science on the how and why of nutrition in disease prevention, health recovery, wellness maintenance and for patient/client whole health education. Our whole foods focused nutrition courses are designed to enhance the professional’s knowledge of the science of nutrition but ARE NOT intended to teach learners how to recommend or prescribe diets or supplements to their patients or clients.
Unless a professional has a licensed scope of practice and credentials, along with professional liability insurance to practice nutrition, there are both legal and ethical constraints related to advising an individual about nutrition. The whole picture of heath® approach invites the client into understanding the cause and effect of the physical, emotional, nutritional, environmental and spiritual components of health so they can make the informed, sustainable lifestyle choices they deem are appropriate with their values and needs.
