How to Put "Fitness Into Nursing" / How to Start Fitness Nursing?
Coaching for Fitness Nurses who want to combine the two,
improve client health outcomes and want to make a profit doing so...
Starts Here! Scroll All The Way Down and Answer the 3 Questions!
Have you decided to explore and stretch, even change your beliefs?
These aren't the 3 questions, just something for you to ponder...
Do you have an idea that you want to put out there into the healthcare world that is fitness based?
Do you care more about people liking you than helping people?
Did you know only 2.5% of the population make more than $175,000 a year. That's an average. You have to be like this 2.5% (Not the other 97.5%) to make that kind of money. You have to be different, be authentic and market to the people who want, what you have to offer. So what's your offer?
Did you know the fastest path to cash is working with people one-on-one first,learning about your ideal client, using your client/patient teaching skills?
If you want to receive my
30-minute complimentary
"I Want to Build on My Fitness Nursing Idea; But I Don't Know Where to Start"coaching session...
Please e-mail me at:
info@fitnessnursing.com
with "Interested in 30-minute coaching" in the subject line...
AND answer the 3 questions below (see examples, scroll down below) included in your
e-mail. I will contact you within 72 hrs. of receipt of your e-mail and we can chat about your Fitness Nursing dream!
You understand that you are under no obligation and all of your information is kept confidential.
O.K., I've decided to do this... what's my next step?
You need to answer the following 3 questions, (YES, THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS) but answer ONLY AFTER you have gone through the 4 steps above. These questions may take a while, it's o.k. Answering them will help give you more clarity.
Once you answer these 3 very important questions, then it becomes easier for you to tell people what you do and they can tell other people what you do and what your offer is (what your value is):
- 1. What is Your Story?
- 2. Who are Your Ideal Clients?
- 3. What is Your Offer?
Email me your answers here: info@fitnessnursing.com I will respond within 72 hours, after receiving your e-mail, to set up a complimetary strategy session for 30-45 min.
Your Story? (who cares? You'd be surprised.) You have to find your direction. This is "the why" you are doing what you do. This may take take some time. Your ideas may change too along the way and that's o.k. But you have to "take action" and connect your story to your purpose. YOUR STORY MUST HAVE A POINT! Storytelling connects you to your ideal client.
You need something to sustain you. Look large here. Who cares? You have to tie your story into why you are the best person to solve their problem. Think about what you have done, will do. What has made you take notice of issues that you feel you can solve. (differently than any one else).
Here's my start figuring out my story: (Started by listed stuff I did. List bullets like below, education and experienced-based)
- worked for many years teaching and speaking in a hospital system's (various hospitals and system affiliates) Health Resources Dept.
- coordinated health fairs, vendors, lectures, presentations for physicians, pharmaceutical reps, other professionals, spoke a lot myself, ordered food, get rooms, market the events, set-up, doing and follow-up for health screenings.
- same time was an elite personal trainer at a high-end club,
- developed personal fitness routines to group exercise classes to performing stand-up comedy. (At fitness clubs and comedy bars).
- and even found time, about 10 hours a week teaching basic nursing at a community college and
- 1-2 weekends a month taught a National Personal Trainer Certification course for the public
- have 2 college degrees, and 9 fitness certifications. Over 1500 hours hands-on experience as an Athletic Trainer at a Division I University .
- All of this varied experience in fitness, nursing, health and solopreneurship puts me in a great position to shorten your learning curve when you are ready to put your fitness nursing idea out there in your 'ideal client' world.
Do you understand that you just have to make a decision so you can get off that unit, get out of that office and start making your own rules and income, (if that's what you want).
- To finish up, Lori, affectionately known as (a.k.a.) and with a smile, is called 'Minky', (usually when performing as a Health-Info-Tainer), grew up in a competitive sports family (I missed the transformation, remembered the result); when I was working as a nurse I missed talking and teaching my patients (I had to be very task oriented instead, you know, to get the 'job' done, now hospitals and healthcare centers are very 'corporate').
- tired of going back and forth of the nurse role and the fitness trainer role; not respected for each while working in the other...
- tried unsuccessfully to combine them both
- wasn't until my mom "suddenly" dropped dead while jogging on a treadmill, did my real education begin and the clarity of what I wanted to do was revealed
- finally the "How?" came clear. The "How?" begins with your story. (We've all got one) Through my story and my journey is when I realized what I could do to stop other pre-diabetics needless suffering by focusing on minimally what they need, to live healthier. I became more holistic, more like a nurse; NOT a fitness specific professional.
- finally put the "Fitness" in my nursing care practice; NOT the other way around and then I knew what I had to do. My mother did not need "nursing'" in her fitness routine; she needed "fitness" in her nursing care. She needed nursing care, she was sicker than anybody knew.
- My favorite quote, "You have to be healthy to lose weight; not lose weight to be healthy" ~ Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, MD, Endocrinologist ThIs is the mantra of a Fitness Nurse.
I developed a transformation for pre-diabetics in my fitness nursing business (called WeightlossPRN and CFNC) to empower pre-diabetics (My ideal clients; not necessarily yours) to experience sustainable waist reduction on their own. (I hate dependency and watching people waste their time in the gym!) My mother was dependent on glucophage, eventually insulin, and at the gym she wasted her time there and on what she ate. She wasted her precious energy on things that never helped her in the way that would have added more quality years to her life and therefore more joy to mine and all of ours.
Do you have to have a tragedy to create your story? No. But the story better inspire you. It has to be authentic and has relevence to what you are doing and why. That's all.
Ask yourself these sample questions to help with your story:
A. What type of work do you like to do and why?
B. Was there an "aha" moment that got you to think outside the box? What was it? (Mine was my mother's sudden death on a treadmill, I also used to teach all the neighborhood kids in a playhouse. I played the teacher. Everybody HAD to listen to me. I love listening to myself talk. I want people to laugh with me and at me. Laughing is something I love.)
C. What is something that you HATE? Yes hate. Something in the world. How within health/fitness/healthcare, etc? It effects you so much that you have to be the one who points it out and sets out to change it with your offer / transformation. (Not dwell on it; but acknowledge it; embrace it to form emotion your story)
(Example to just start listing things that you hate: I hate it when I see people wasting their time in the gym. I hate the smell of stale liquor on someone the next day. I hate it when someone answers the phone, "How may I direct your call?" Can't a machine do that?)
D. Do you think no one will care what you have to say? Why?
Your 'Ideal Client'?
A. Who do you enjoy helping and why?
B. Describe the one person who you like to talk to and look forward to hearing from (more personality than physical appearance, but physical ability could be a determining factor):
C. Your ideal clients are not necessarily like you. They know what they know. When searching for clients don't go to places where everybody has the same initials as you. When you go to places where you are uniquely qualified to help the people there, watch all the 'nurse initials'. I have to watch myself too. We are so used to defining ourselves by the initials behind our name. But other people we want to help don't know what they mean...
it's distracting.
You know what you know. Nurses are initial addicts. Many times nurses ask me if they should get certified in fitness specialty, get more education, etc. Maybe you should, but you don't have to be alphabet soup. This doesn't mean don't be proud of your accomplishments, but when it comes to making the money you want you always have to think about the market.
(ie==> I make as much or more money than an adjunct professor when I teach a very basic C.N.A. class here in NJ, not because I know more than the PhD. in her/his field; but because the market needs C.N.A. Instructors and I can name my price. And I do. It's something I know like the back of my hand, I have autonomy, I can listen to myself talk and it's only 90 hours at a time, then the class is over. Perfect for when I need quick cash flow. So I continue to do it 2-3 times a year, ~ 10 hours a week; but not for much longer. Just don't have the time! Bottom line, people, companies, your ideal clients will pay for whatever you offer, if it is perceived as valuable to them and solves their problem.)
Find something that a market will find a need for and put yourself out there! People want you to solve their problem. Period. They will pay for this, especially if they like you. You have to let them know what you exist for the solving of their problem. Focus on solving that one problem your ideal client has first. And be authentic about it.
Your Offer?
Finding your passion is very important. You need passion to sustain you and your business; BUT you also need to know if people will part with their hard-earned cash to get your offer, so your offer has to solve their problem!
A. Describe your transformation. How will the client be different after working with you?
B. Will you offer packages (I recommend), hourly rates, one-on-one, group, in person,
computer, phone, social media, apps? You do not need to give up your 'day job' or invest in
a lot of technology to get started.
C. "You can't expect your potential customers to pay you for your services what you're NOT
willing to pay someone else for your growth". ~Lisa Sasevich
That's when you know what to charge and when to charge more for your services.
You have to be ready to handle rejection of your services (NOT YOU) and feel good
about charging what you do.
Remember it's NOT important who doesn't get it; it's only important who does! Those are
the people who you are talking to. The ones who get it. They get you and your
message.
You should frame your offer so people you know are eager to give you referrals and how to use word of mouth marketing to get your first clients. Tell people who you are and what your offer is in a way that they can tell someone else with confidence and excitement.
Now you just have to decide to:
1. Sign up for the 1-month webinar group intensive mentorship in April 2012 (CLOSED)
2. Contact Lori with your answers to the above questions and arrange a complimentary
Fitness Nursing strategy session for about 40 minutes. Please e-mail your inquiry and
answers to: info@fitnessnursing.com with "complimentary strategy session" in the subject
line. I will respond within 72 hours. (No obligation at all. I'm eager to helping you start and
to get going.
3. Keep trying to get free information and piece meal your signature program and delivery on
your own. You're just not ready to invest in yourself (time, not just money, is considered an
investment) and your dream. Which is fine. I hope you will still listen in on all the free
preview calls and continue to receive my e-newsletters.
I look forward to and it is my joy to work with you and shorten your learning curve. Let's start a Fitness Nursing Movement! One "_________ Fitness Nurse" at a time! Call and/or e-mail Lori today with your answers. Don't let your Fitness Nursing dream stay hidden within you. Many people out there need your help.
Yours in Fitness & Nursing,
Lori
info@fitnessnursing.com
(732) 620-2193
How to Start Fitness Nursing? (Mindset - You have to believe that you can put "fitness" into your nursing practice)
Here are the FIRST 4 steps you need to take for general fitness nursing:
1. Make a decision. Here it is again. It's a deal-breaker. Decide if you want to work as
a fitness nurse OR a personal trainer and/or an exercise professional. Trying to be
both will confuse people and yourself.
I want to be a nursing professional and help you nurses who want to work
as nursing professionals with a fitness specialty and utilize the nursing
process thoughout your fitness nursing services (even if you work for
someone). Start calling yourself a Fitness Nurse!
2. Pick a fitness specialty. Once you decide that you want to be a nursing
professional with a fitness specialty, decide on that fitness specialty.
This site is different than my Certified Fitness Nurse Coach site when it comes to
fitness certification. Depending on what you want to do, it may require that you get
certified in a particular fitness certification. You have to feel confident in what you do. 
So do whatever that takes. But you don't need to go crazy like I did. (you know who
you are too)
Try to pick a fitness certification that most closely teaches you how to
help the "unhealthy" group of people who you want to work with.
Various fitness specialties are personal fitness trainer, group fitness
instructor, cancer exercise specialist, exercise for arthritis, yoga, Pilates,
aqua fitness, senior fitness, clinical exercise specialists (ACSM), and many
more.
3. Pick a nursing niche. (But rest assured...this can and WILL evolve and
change) but for now, wanting to serve the best way you can as a nurse first and begin
to make money now, ask yourself "Who is your ideal client?" "Who do you feel
comfortable around?" "What kind of patients do you like to work with?"
Remember that "not-so-healthy" group of people who
you feel you could help the most? Define them as your niche or
target market. Warning: It has to be specific. People want you to solve
their specific problem. Working with moms and grandmoms is too broad.
Better would be:
That school teacher (specific working) moms over 40 with cardiac
history. Or even better, describe your ideal client. What's their specific
problem that you will solve on a regular basis?
Also, ask yourself "Who is that group that I would work with even if
I didn't get paid?" Who do you enjoy giving advice and information
to? What do you like to talk about and read about, specifically?
Who would best benefit from your expertise and knowledge and care?
Keep in mind that all of my clients are able to exercise and follow my
proper exercise plan created from my fitness nursing assessment.
They have conditions like osteopenia and urinary incontinence (who I am
attracting).
They may also have hypertension, borderline Type 2 diabetes and other
ailments.
You need to learn what their:
- medical condition or potential medical condition
- pain
- concern
and then use in your marketing that you can solve their problem both as a
nurse (caring) and through fitness (safe and effective). You will also get
suggestions on best certifications that match your target group.
Example: Look at what the pharmaceutical companies are doing. They
are finding special health conditions and marketing to those people with
those conditions and promising how and why they can improve their
condition with their product. I agree that wellness is the goal. But you
have to help people find you by 'labeling yourself' or 'branding yourself'
with an 'unhealthy specialty' or a specialty where people need caring and
help, (they have active disease and can relate to nursing) like S/P cardiac rehab or
physical therapy, post-natal care, cancer, children with ADD, diabetes, etc. who
you'll care for holistically, with your fitness nursing sessions.
(do nurses even say S/P {Status Post} anymore?)
4. Decide where you want to work. Do you want to work for yourself
AND/OR do you want to work from someone else?
Either way, working with your own clients, referrals from a private
physician's practice or for a hospital wellness center or gym, you will
become a "Fitness Nurse Pioneer" and have to market yourself.
How would you like to walk into a **gym or a hospital
wellness center, a private studio or club with a 'boxed' presentation of
what you, the "________Fitness Nurse" has to offer certain members of
that club? (You fill in the blank) I realize that this may not be something
nurses are used to doing. But stepping into the health and fitness realm
demands you declare fitness nursing specialty or you may go unnoticed and under
appreciated.
**Personally, I don't recommend working at a traditional gym or club as a
"fitness nurse". People (the general public), don't think, "I'm going to the gym to see a
nurse". Since we are 'keeping the nurse piece' paramount, we would be best served
working as independent contractors with our own signature program/offer to those who
need it and would part with their hard earned cash for it.
Support is available.
This can be boring===>> and not important to others, but for right now, right it down. Make a list, even if it wasn't nursing related. You want to see the whole picture.===>>
This is the vunerable part.===>> The part that really gets you going, probably your "aha" moment. This gets others going to. Embrace it! ===>>
I know that at this point in your reading you will be tempted to just dive in. "I just want to make some money! Show me!" But I am telling you that is a wasted trip, focus on one thing first, you have to develop your core message, then begin to develop your signature FN program, using your story. You MUST know these answers, to sustain your FN practice/business. This is YOUR contribution. It has to be enough to motivate you for the duration of your FN practice.
Through this journey you should also start putting together your:
"FAB
5"
I believe it was Jim Rohn who said, "You are the sum of the 5 people who surround you". The 5 closest people to you.
Who are your "fabulous 5" people? Are they all for your fitness nursing practice/ business idea? You need to get this going ASAP. As your ideas form and the trial and error starts, these 5 people will also change. Just make sure that they are the right people as to where you want to be; not where you were. They are your cheerleaders, support and resource circle. They are your:
FAB 5
(They are NOT necessarily your friends and definitely NOT your family. NOT USUALLY)
Here are my Fab 5:
1. Business Coach
2. Nurse in Business
Mentor
3. Nurse Educator
4. Marketing Support
Person
5. My Man
P.S. I also like to have about 7-8 regular/paid e-mail newletters/subscriptions from authentic, successful business people on the internet, who inspire me and I buy from time to time. I suggest you do the same.
Business TIP: Figure out what is the simplest way of making money in your business and then invest most of your time on that and not much else.
