In this episode of The Functional Nurse Podcast, Brigitte Sager, DNP, shares her favorite takeaways from the 2023 Thought Leaders Consortium hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Bland, founder of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. This Cutting Edge conference, held in Seattle, focused on the neuroimmune connection and explored crucial topics like long COVID, mitochondrial health, nutrition, autoimmune conditions, and chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and Alzheimer's.

Brigitte highlights the insights of renowned speakers, including Dr. Deanna Minich on melatonin's role beyond sleep, Dr. Kenneth Pelletier on longevity and epigenetics, and Dr. Dale Bredesen on Alzheimer's prevention and reversal. This episode also explores how loneliness and trauma impact health, emphasizing nurses' unique role in supporting patients holistically.

https://plminstitute.org/ 

Hosted by Brigitte Sager, NP, a functional medicine nurse practitioner, nurse coach, and an RN and NP FM educator.

Consider sharing this podcast with other nurses on your social media platforms, in a text, or listen together on this page or share this link to the website and podcast.

Be well!

In this episode, Brigitte Sager, DNP, IFMCP talks with Dr. Holly Lucille, nationally recognized naturopathic doctor and registered nurse about how RNs and NPs can safely and effectively use supplements in functional nursing practice.

They discuss clinical decision-making, scope considerations, supplement quality, patient education, and the workflow strategies that help nurses build clear, consistent, and sustainable treatment plans. Dr. Lucille also shares how she uses Fullscript to streamline supplement recommendations, improve adherence, and simplify follow-up.

How nurses and NPs can use supplements safely and within scope

Choosing high-quality, cost-conscious supplement options

How Fullscript automations support adherence and reduce nurse workload

Ways to set clear expectations around dosing, timelines, and symptom changes

How to teach the clinical “why” behind every recommendation

Practical workflow tips for nurses integrating functional and naturopathic approaches

Guidance for nurses transitioning into functional and integrative care

This conversation is packed with practical strategies for RNs, NPs, and any nurse looking to build functional medicine skills and confidently incorporate supplements into patient care.

Fullscript for practitioners:

http://us.fullscript.com/practitioner-signup/manifest-wellbeing

Connect with Dr. Holly Lucille:

https://www.drhollylucille.com/

Courses & Training for Functional Nursing Practice including IFN's Functional Nursing Program™ (Functional Nursing education, membership, and programs for RNs & NPs):

https://fxnursing.com 

This episode is sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing (IFN): Functional Medicine, Reimagined for Nurses.

If you're enjoying the Functional Nurse Podcast™, subscribe and share it with a nurse friend.  

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Sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing™ (IFN)

Learn more: https://www.fxnursing.com

Watch the Functional Nursing Program™ info session: https://learn.fxnursing.com/InfoSession

Explore our Functional Nursing Membership™: https://learn.fxnursing.com/the-functional-nursing-membership 

Listen to the Functional Nursing Podcast™: https://www.fxnursing.com/podcast

Trying to figure out your next step in functional medicine as an RN or NP?

This episode breaks down exactly how nurses can navigate functional medicine education, certification options, and career pathways—so you can confidently choose the right training and build a sustainable functional nursing practice.

You’ll learn the major differences between programs designed for nurses vs. general wellness learners, what to know about IFM & IFMCP certification, how to evaluate credibility, and how to choose the best next course for your goals. We also cover how functional medicine fits into real-world nursing workflows—from primary care to integrative clinics to independent practice.

• How to choose your next functional medicine course as an RN or NP

This conversation is perfect for RNs, NPs, holistic nurses, nurse coaches, integrative practitioners, and any clinician exploring functional medicine education.

Sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing — Learn more at www.fxnursing.com

What happens when a burned-out hospital RN discovers root cause care?

In this episode of The Functional Nurse Podcast, Brigitte Sager, DNP, IFMCP, interviews Lauren Briggs, RN, board certified nurse coach, about her transition from traditional hospital nursing to private practice using functional medicine and nurse coaching.

Lauren shares how gut health, hormone balance, and timeline mapping transformed not only her patients’ chronic migraines and digestive issues — but her own career path.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How extended intake visits and functional timeline mapping reveal root causes

Why gut dysfunction and hormone imbalance contribute to chronic migraines

Why functional nurses move beyond “Band-Aid medicine” toward systems-based healing

How nurse coaching bridges knowledge and sustainable lifestyle change

What it takes to build confidence in private practice as an RN

How entrepreneurship can restore purpose after healthcare burnout

This conversation is ideal for:

 Nurses experiencing burnout

If you’re ready to rethink both healing and your nursing career, this episode offers practical insight and inspiration.

Explore functional nursing education at: www.fxnursing.com

Lauren Briggs, RN, BSN, HWNC-BC, NC-BC

Practice: Practical Medicine

Functional medicine lab testing can be a powerful clinical tool, but when used too early or too often, it can also increase cost, delay care, and create unnecessary anxiety for patients. So how do nurses decide when testing truly adds value and when it’s better to focus on foundations first?

In this episode, Brigitte Sager, DNP, IFMCP, CNE breaks down the popular “test, don’t guess” philosophy through a practical, nurse-centered lens. She reviews common functional medicine labs, and shares which tests she finds most useful in real-world practice, and which she often skips.

You’ll learn how functional medicine nurses can ethically and confidently use test results to support root-cause healing without over-testing or over-relying on labs. This episode provides a clear decision-making framework to help you determine whether a test will actually change the plan of care or if fundamentals like sleep, stress regulation, nutrition, and lifestyle interventions should come first.

Whether you’re a functional nurse or nurse practitioner, this conversation will help you use labs more strategically, responsibly, and effectively- and in your scope of practice.

Learn more about IFN's programs for RNs and NPs at https://www.fxnursing.com/learn

Sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing (IFN)

In this episode, we explore how nurses can use functional medicine, holistic nursing, and nurse coaching to support women in midlife while also building meaningful, sustainable nursing practices.

Brigitte is joined by Nicole Vienneau, MSN, RN, NC-BC, a leading nurse coach known for creating powerful group experiences—from healing circles to coaching programs that help nurses reconnect with purpose, reduce burnout, and guide women through the physical and emotional changes of midlife.

You’ll hear big-picture insights on how nurses can blend functional medicine with holistic modalities, build community-based programs, and support midlife women through evidence-informed lifestyle and wellness strategies.

• How functional medicine and holistic nursing intersect in real practice

This conversation is ideal for holistic nurses, functional medicine nurses, nurse coaches, and any clinician passionate about midlife women’s health, community care, and integrative practice.

In today's episode, Brigitte Sager, DNP, explores one of the most essential aspects of functional medicine: evaluating and understanding patient readiness and motivation for change. Learn how to assess where patients are on the readiness spectrum, adapt your approach, and use coaching techniques to guide them toward lasting lifestyle transformations.

Brigitte also shares real-life examples from her own practice, along with strategies for talking to friends and family who may not be ready to hear functional medicine advice. Whether you're a functional nurse, nurse practitioner, or nurse coach, this episode will give you practical tools to navigate patient motivation and help them move forward on their health journeys.

Key Takeaways:

The Trans Theoretical Model: A breakdown of the stages of change and how to apply them in patient care.

How to evaluate patient readiness for change in functional medicine and holistic nursing.

Practical strategies for working with clients and patients not yet ready for lifestyle changes.

Tools for tracking progress and motivating patients to achieve long-term health improvements.

This video is not sponsored. Subscribe, like, and share if you find it helpful!

Hosted by Brigitte Sager, NP, a functional medicine nurse practitioner, nurse coach, and an Functional Nurse educator.

Consider sharing this podcast with other nurses on your social media platforms, in a text, or listen together on this page or share this link to the website and podcast.

Be well!

What happens when a bedside RN experiences firsthand what it feels like to be dismissed in conventional healthcare, and then discovers functional medicine?

In this episode of The Functional Nurse Podcast, Brigitte Sager interviews Ashley Braaten, BSN RN, who shares how functional medicine transformed her personal health, her family’s well-being, and the way she practices nursing today.

Ashley opens up about her postpartum health challenges, including sleep disruption, hormone imbalance, stress, and gut health issues, and how a root-cause functional approach helped her heal when traditional care fell short. She also shares powerful real-life examples of applying functional medicine principles to her young daughter’s constipation and respiratory symptoms, illustrating how upstream, lifestyle-based care can change outcomes early.

The conversation also explores what it’s like to return to hospital nursing after functional medicine training—from the frustration of noticing poor nutrition and limited lifestyle education, to the empowerment of offering patients practical, hope-filled guidance they often aren’t receiving elsewhere.

This episode includes an important scope-of-practice discussion, highlighting how registered nurses can ethically and effectively create meaningful change through education, awareness, and lifestyle support—without prescribing or diagnosing.

Whether you’re a bedside nurse, functional nurse, or nurse coach exploring a more holistic path, this episode offers inspiration, validation, and clarity for what’s possible within the RN role.

Learn more about the Institute for Functional Nursing's programs for nurses at https://www.fxnursing.com/learn

In this episode, Brigitte Sager, DNP, tackles a concept many of us struggle with—perfection. As healthcare professionals, the pressure to be perfect in both our personal lives and careers can be overwhelming. Brigitte shares her personal journey with letting go of perfectionism in practicing functional medicine and encourages nurses to embrace progress over perfection. From balancing healthy choices with real-life realities to setting realistic self-care goals, this episode is a candid reminder that we're all on a wellness continuum, and that’s okay.

Key Topics:

The myth of perfection in healthcare and functional medicine.

Navigating real-life challenges while practicing functional medicine.

Balancing the ideal with the realistic in personal health choices.

How nurses can support patients and themselves by focusing on progress, not perfection.

Hosted by Brigitte Sager, DNP, a functional medicine nurse practitioner, nurse coach, and an RN and NP FM educator.

Consider sharing this podcast with other nurses on your social media platforms, in a text, or listen together on this page or share this link to the website and podcast.

Be well!

Sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing. Learn more about our programs at fxnursing.com

Lab work is a cornerstone of functional medicine, but many patients are told their results are “normal” even when symptoms persist. In this episode, Brigitte Sager explains how functional medicine interprets labs differently by looking for optimal ranges and early patterns that can reveal insulin resistance, inflammation, thyroid conversion issues, and more before a diagnosis is made. She also clarifies what’s within an RN’s scope of practice when reviewing labs, and shares practical options for helping clients access testing through prior labs, provider collaboration, and lab-ordering platforms.

Why “normal” labs may still be suboptimal in functional medicine

Early signs of insulin resistance and inflammation that often go unnoticed

Thyroid testing basics: TSH vs a more complete functional view

RN scope of practice: educating on labs vs diagnosing

When testing helps and when lifestyle-first care is enough

Practical ways nurses can support clients in accessing lab work ethically

To explore safe and effective ways for nurses to use labs in their practice, consider reading THIS ARTICLE Brigitte wrote on the topic.