Written by: Vida Shahriar, J.D., R.H.N. | www.simplyvida.ca
CSNN equips students with a strong understanding of the interconnections of the human body. In doing so, CSNN emphasizes that everyone is biochemically unique and therefore requires tailored recommendations and guidance to achieve their health goals and improve their general well-being.
CSNN aims to provide students with the knowledge, academic support, and resources to become competent to provide recommendations to clients beyond nutrition. Specifically, CSNN focuses on the interconnectivity of the body and combines an education rooted in mind, body, spirit, and nutrition that results in a proactive and holistic approach to one’s well-being.
CSNN Curriculum
The curriculum at CSNN is rigorous and provides students with an online or in person opportunity for classes without jeopardizing the quality and experience of learning. All CSNN courses strive to provide education beyond a foundational understanding of the human body and its needs. Beyond courses, CSNN provides practicals, live case studies, group discussions, projects, and oral presentations that all allow students to practice and improve their critical thinking, communication, teamwork, organizational, and written skills that all serve to support their academic growth in this field.
One of the key requirements to complete a minimum of 50 practical hours is to focus on specific case studies of real-life client health concerns. The practicals provide students with a safe environment to learn, question, and implement specific protocols to help rebalance body systems that are contributing to the client’s main health concerns. As well, students are exposed to the process of conducting follow-up appointments with clients and navigating the progress of different body systems during the implementation of specific protocols. All practicals are led by qualified holistic professionals and are held to high standards so that students obtain current, reliable, and practical information.
The 10 case studies students are required to complete incorporates real-life people with real-life health concerns. Students are to evaluate, manage, and understand each health concern and be able to implement a nutritional and lifestyle plan to target those concerns. The case studies are conducted under the supervision and support of their teachers. Students are provided with intake forms meticulously designed to support them in the process of examining the individuals’ internal and external factors contributing to their main health concerns. Students are trained to be able to provide nutritional, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations that are practical and science driven. As well, students can provide recommendations to other healthcare practitioners that may be better suited and trained to support clients in the process of achieving their health goals.
CSNN values the education, experience, and support that each healthcare practitioner can provide to each individual. Particularly, CSNN strongly believes that individuals can all benefit from the multitude of healthcare practitioners as each practitioner can provide a unique approach and guidance that can target specific needs and concerns of clients. CSNN encourages its graduates to be open-minded to refer clients to other healthcare practitioners where appropriate based on the strictly enforced code of ethics that all students and graduates are required to adhere to.
CSNN Academic Support
The CSNN academic team is comprised of professional and qualified healthcare practitioners including Registered Holistic Nutritionists (RHN) and Naturopathic Doctors (ND). The level of experience, one-on-one support, training, and knowledge of the academic team is unmatched. The teachers provide a safe space for students to ask questions, further understand foundational concepts, and to practice and implement learned concepts to real-life situations. This opportunity allows students to become exposed to client concerns early on, learn ways to mitigate further issues, and learn from their peers through group discussions. Furthermore, the team of teachers closely work with students to prepare them to understand client needs, learn interviewing techniques, identify imbalances of body systems, tailor nutritional and lifestyle recommendations for clients, and help clients feel heard in sharing their health journey and concerns.
As a result, graduates from CSNN have a strong sense of confidence to start working in the field early on given their foundational knowledge, experience, and ability to navigate circumstances that are out of their scope of training. CSNN ensures to equip graduates with on-going support and require them to keep up to date on scientific studies and health related topics to better serve their clients.
CSNN Scope of Practice
CSNN clearly stipulates the type of work in which graduates are permitted to engage in with clients in the healthcare field. The purpose of the scope of practice is to ensure that graduates are monitored to comply with their level of expertise. As a result, this clearly sets RHNs apart from other healthcare practitioners as RHNs have a designated scope of practice that is rooted in their training. Beyond supporting individual clients achieve their health goals and improve their general well-being, graduates engage in empowering and educating clients and the public regarding their health and ways to advocate for their health. Further, graduates strive to help clients understand the interconnections of their mind, body, spirit, and nutritional intake while working to unlock the root issue of their unwanted health concerns without the use of medications or any invasive procedures.
For the full scope of practice please visit: https://csnn.ca/careers/scope-and-code/
CSNN Code of Ethics
CSNN adheres to a strict code of ethics that is presented to students in depth and with a strong degree of compliance. The code of ethics clearly outlines the scope of work and corresponding principles and values that all graduates must adhere to.
Specifically, graduates are required to respect the tastes, morals, and social values of each client in customizing recommendations. This highlights the ability for clients to feel heard, respected, and see results given the practicality of recommendations that is aligned with their values and preferences. Moreover, graduates are required to be non-judgmental towards the life values and experiences of clients. This allows clients to share their story with the practitioner with greater ease so that tailored recommendations can be provided while showcasing the bodily imbalances beyond nutrition. Further, graduates are only permitted to provide professional services in the areas they have competence and training in which prevents the overlap of practitioners working towards the same issue(s) presented by clients. In addition to this, graduates are not entitled, trained, or permitted to diagnose any disease or medical condition as this is out of their scope of practice. Evidently, the code of ethics sets high standards for graduates to follow which strongly establishes confidence and trust in their field of work and allows them to harness their skills in their area of expertise and to share that with clients to improve their health.
For the full code of ethics please visit: https://csnn.ca/program/ahn/practitioner-code-of-ethics/
Conclusion
It is without a doubt that the knowledge, skills, techniques, and experience of our graduates is invaluable to anyone who is seeking to improve their health. The graduates are provided with on- going support and resources to supplement their knowledge and expertise in the field in working with clients. We are grateful to have a specialized knowledge in the field of nutrition and the interconnectivity of the body to be able to identify body systems that out of balance, create customized protocols to address imbalances, and to further support clients in achieving their health goals and improving their general well-being.