There is strong demand for alternatives to pharmaceuticals for a variety of common illnesses due to concerns of safety, efficacy, and a desire for more “natural” products. Despite this growing interest, “conventional” healthcare providers may have little to no knowledge about herbal medicines, which is further compounded by the sometimes misleading information in the media and on the internet. This course provides the necessary background for providers to begin to incorporate herbal medicines into their practice, particularly in regards to their therapeutic properties, efficacy (or lack thereof), and safety concerns, including quality control and potential adverse effects.
Continuing Education Credit
This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards. Retain the certificate of completion from for this course to complete records that may be required to document continuing education activities. This course is eligible for 16 contact hours of continuing education.
This course is part of the Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization
Herbal Medicine
Offered By
About this Course
What you will learn
Discuss the role of herbal medicines in healthcare overall as well as your potential role.
Discuss overall botanical actions and methods for creating botanical preparations.
Assess patients, including potential for herb-drug interactions and other potential contraindications and considerations for special populations.
Educate patients on quality control and safety issues.
Skills you will gain
herbal preparationsintegrative caresymptom managementbotanical safetyevidence-based practice
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
13 hours to complete
Herbal Medicines in Healthcare
14 videos (Total 92 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes
14 videos
What is Herbal Medicine and How is it Used?7m
Are Dietary Supplements and Natural Medicines also Botanicals?4m
How are Botanicals Different than Pharmaceuticals?8m
Case Study: Sophia, 266m
Who’s Using Botanical Medicines?10m
Your Role as a Healthcare Provider9m
Case Study: Enrique, 5810m
Botanical Laws and Regulations in the U.S.3m
DSHEA 1, 2, & 44m
DSHEA 36m
DSHEA Criticisms and Responses4m
Challenges in Botanical Medicine Research6m
Evaluating and Selecting Research Sources6m
5 readings
Comparing Pharmaceuticals and Botanicals5m
Assess, Educate, Advise Model5m
DSHEA Quick Facts5m
Checklist for Evaluating a Research Study10m
Week 1 References1m
2 practice exercises
Botanical Basics10m
Analyzing Supplement Labels10m
Week
23 hours to complete
Using Botanicals Safely
5 videos (Total 32 min), 6 readings, 4 quizzes
5 videos
How Do Botanicals Interact with Pharmaceuticals?6m
Special Patient Populations6m
Third-Party Testing of Botanicals5m
Shopping for Botanicals7m
6 readings
A Closer Look at Contaminants and Adulterants15m
Your Role as a Healthcare Provider10m
Common Botanicals That May Cause Herb-Drug Interactions5m
Risks for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients5m
Third-Party Testing Organizations10m
Safety Guidelines for Purchasing Botanicals5m
4 practice exercises
Herb-Drug Interactions6m
Recommending Botanicals to Special Populations6m
Third-Party Testing Organizations Web Review25m
A Day at the Clinic20m
Week
32 hours to complete
How Do Botanical Medicines Work?
9 videos (Total 44 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes
9 videos
Botanical Actions for Pain and Stress5m
Botanical Actions for Gastrointestinal and Upper Respiratory Ailments6m
Botanical Actions that Support the Immune and Nervous Systems5m
What are Botanical Preparations?5m
Water-Based Preparations4m
Other Preparation Types5m
DIY Herbal Infusion2m
DIY Herbal Macerate3m
3 readings
Botanical Actions Reference Sheet15m
Botanical Preparations Reference Sheet10m
Make Your Own Herbal Infusions and Macerates5m
2 practice exercises
Types of Botanical Preparations10m
Botanical Actions and Preparations Workshop10m
Week
44 hours to complete
Botanical Medicines for Mental Wellbeing, Women's Health, and Musculoskeletal Pain
3 videos (Total 11 min), 12 readings, 3 quizzes
3 videos
Peppermint Essential Oil for Headaches3m
Assessing, Educating, and Advising Patients1m
12 readings
Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing15m
Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing Reference Sheet15m
Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing Research Guide15m
Botanicals for Women’s Health15m
Botanicals for Women’s Health Reference Sheet15m
Botanicals for Women’s Health Research Guide15m
Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain10m
Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain Reference Sheet10m
Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain Research Guide10m
Botanicals for Migraine Headaches5m
Botanicals for Migraine Headaches Reference Sheet5m
Botanicals for Migraine Headaches Research Guide5m
3 practice exercises
Explore the Evidence Base40m
Use Patient-Friendly Language20m
Latisha, Maria, and George20m
Instructor
Amy Taylor, MD
Assistant ProfessorEarl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
About University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
About the Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization
If you want to help your patients or clients manage conditions or symptoms such as pain and anxiety, this specialization will provide the knowledge and skills needed. In these five courses, you will explore integrative therapies, including herbal medicine, guided imagery, aromatherapy, and mindfulness. For each therapy studied, you will gain skills to: Assess if a therapy is appropriate, Educate patients or clients about benefit and risk, Administer or advise on use, and Evaluate if the therapy was useful (our AEAE approach).
By the end of this specialization, you will be familiar with application methods, mechanisms of action, and the research evidence for specific therapies, as well as safety and quality considerations. In short, you will be ready to partner with patients on developing a plan of integrative care that fits their needs and preferences. Note that while the primary focus is on working with patients or clients, the information is also immediately applicable to your own health and wellbeing
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
Can I get CE credit for this course?
This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards. Retain the certificate of completion from for this course to complete records that may be required to document continuing education activities. This course is eligible for 15 contact hours of continuing education.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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