Program Information

Program Length of Time

The Health Coach training is a 4-month program consisting of live online lectures held in the evenings on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

REQUEST FOR INFO

health coach in a consultationCertificate of Completion

Students will earn the Delgado Certificate of Completion once they successful complete the on-line coursework components of Health Coach Training Program.  Additional requirements include: 

  • A score of 70% or higher on the Delgado mandatory on-line health coach final exam
  • Successful score of Pass on the mandatory Health Coaching Capstone Project

National Board Certification

Delgado's Health Coach training is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).

NBHWC Logo

Eligibility to seek national certification as a Health Coach requires successful completion of all Delgado requirements.  Other requirements that the applicant MUST meet include:

  • An Associate Degree or a minimum of 60 credit hours on a college transcript. https://nbhwc.org/hwc-certifying-examination-application/ It is important that students who desire to take the exam be prepared to provide verification of this information. For students who lack this requirement, Delgado’s Allied Health Division does have credit hour courses that can help students meet these requirements.

This national examination is a joint project between the NBHWC and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Please see the NBHWC website for details on the qualification requirements to take the exam leading to the designation of a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. https://www.nbme.org/pdf/hwc/HWCCE_boi.pdf

Health Coach Training Curriculum

The Health Coach Training Program consist of 100 total contact hours as shown below. The curriculum is delivered fully online to accommodate working students. The live lectures are 3-nights per week. The typical sessions are designed to teach and practice coaching skills development and practical skills evaluation sessions and interactive Health and Wellness training. Descriptions of the specific courses is highlighted below.

Course Title

Contact Hours

Description

Fundamentals of Health Coaching

60

This course is designed to provide students with the foundational practical skills for the application of the appropriate structure and processes of health coaching. Fundamental techniques and concepts such as mindfulness, motivational interviewing, establishing effective coach-client partnerships, assessing client readiness, trust and rapport, and ethical and professional considerations in coaching are taught. Students learn to develop skills to work independently with clients or to become members of health care teams as behavior change specialist with the ability to empower patients to identify health goals and associated plans for self-management of their chronic conditions or other issues that influence health.

Fundamentals of Heath Coaching Lab

25

The laboratory is used as a training venue to develop and measure student coaching competencies and the    application of practical skills in health coaching. The lab format is designed for students to participate in groups of three with rotating roles of coach, client, and observer as they practice the application of coaching techniques taught in the Fundamental of Health    Coaching course. Teams receive feedback from faculty during the lab for assessment of their performance to    recognize strengths or gaps needing improvement.

Foundations in Health & Wellness

15

Students are taught about the concept of physical and emotional wellness and well-being and the pathology, risk factors (biological, social, and behavioral), disease warning symptoms, and prevention recommendations of prevalent chronic illnesses. Considerable focus is given to the availability of current national resources on evidence-based information detailing health and wellness methods of prevention, health promotion, healthy lifestyles changes, self-improvement, and treatment. Students learn how to appropriately integrate this knowledge into the coaching process for purposes of referrals to medical professionals and for empowering clients/patients in their goal-setting, planning and self- management of their conditions in addition to monitoring their efforts for successes, barriers, and setbacks.

 

100

Total Contact Hours

 

Extra-Curricular Courses

Supplemental courses will be included for students without a degree or professional license. The classes include general health related classes, public health and Literacy Skills and Reading Comprehension.

Tuition

The cost of the training for students with a degree and/or a professional license is $1000 plus the cost of textbooks.

Where Do Health Coaches Work?

Health coaches are employed at hospitals, community health centers, public health organizations, health insurance companies, nursing homes, nonprofit agencies, or are self-employed entrepreneurs. In clinical settings, health coaches work as a member of a patient’s healthcare team. Other employment opportunities exist in insurance companies, nursing facilities, nonprofit agencies, workplace wellness organizations or as self-employed entrepreneurs. 

For more information or to register for the training, contact the Program Director Nicholas Ward at ntward@dcc.edu or (504) 671-6838.

Health Coach

health coach in a consultation
Health Coach students learned about team-based care in LSU HSC's Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice