How to Become a Nutrition Nurse

Nursing allows you to specialize in many different areas. Nutrition nurses are highly skilled communicators with expertise in nutrition support, making them a valuable asset to the medical profession and their patients.

Explore how to become a nutrition nurse, including school requirements and the necessary credentials.

Nutrition nurses are registered nurses (RNs) with specialized nutrition training. While it’s not a formal designation, nutrition nurses — or nurse nutritionists — can work in a variety of fields where nutrition is a factor in managing diseases or chronic health conditions.

Nutrition nurses can span practice areas, including geriatrics, cancer care, schools, public health departments, research institutions, weight management institutions, and home health care.

Specifically, a nutrition nurse often has expertise in overall nutritional support and how nutrition can affect specific medical conditions.

A certification from the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification (NBNSC) or the American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC) is required to pursue this work in some states or healthcare organizations.

Even if your state or employer does not require certification, most employers prefer it. Certification can offer opportunities in:

Nutrition nurses may utilize nutritional therapies, such as supplements, tube feedings, intravenous feedings, or a combination. Their recommendations help support patients affected by diseases that impact eating, digestion, and absorption of nutrients.

Nutrition nurses have excellent communication, time management, and interpersonal skills. Becoming a nutrition nurse begins with an RN credential. Before certification, you may complete an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN).

Specific requirements for nutrition nurses may vary depending on your state. Certification demonstrates you have attained the necessary skills, but it is not required for practice.

Your state nursing board can answer questions about specific license requirements. Although nutrition nurses spend most of their time educating patients or prescribing treatment, most employers require RNs to be certified in basic life support (BLS) or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).

The time commitment to become a nutrition nurse depends on your current nursing education, experience, and background. Certification demonstrates credibility to your clients and future employers. While an ADN is the minimum degree required and the shortest path, BSN-prepared nurses have more job opportunities.

Nutrition nursing encompasses a variety of nursing positions that provide dietary interventions to address health and wellness. The traditional ADN or BSN pathway is the optimal starting point for nurses who want to direct their careers toward nutrition and dietary interventions.

While nutrition nurses can work with populations requiring nutritional support, they cannot call themselves dietitians or represent themselves as practicing dietetics. Most states license dietitians separately from nurses.

There are two important credentials that can help you on your journey to becoming a nutrition nurse. The first is a state license conferred by your state board of nursing. The second is the certification as a nurse with special expertise in nutrition.

An active RN license is required to practice as a nurse. Many states require a specific number of continuing education (CE) hours for licensure renewal. Most states require you to renew your nursing license every two years.

Some states and organizations require certification to practice as a nutrition nurse, and most employers prefer certified nutrition nurses. The most recognized and accepted certifications are from the NBNSC or AANC.

These certifications allow you to pursue roles in online consulting, workshops, corporate wellness, and collaboration with healthcare professionals. Both certifications are open to licensed healthcare professionals, such as physicians, nurses, and physician assistants.

The NBNSC is an independent board established in 1984. You must renew the credential every five years by retaking the examination. It is the most widely accepted and recognized certification nationally and internationally. The Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) identifies nurses as qualified nutrition support providers.

Candidates certified by AANC must be a member of the organization. Certified Nutritional Consultants (CNC) must complete a series of tests to demonstrate proficiency in General and Applied Nutrition and Practice Management.

The average annual nurse nutritionist salary in the U.S. is $54,140, according to ZipRecrutier. The salary can range from $32,500-$90,000, depending on geographical location, work setting, work experience, and certification.

After certification, nurses can also specialize in wound care, public health, geriatrics, or prenatal care. Nutrition nurses may also extend their services to become certified as nurse coaches.

Nutrition nurses can practice in long-term geriatric care, where reimbursement is typically based on patient outcomes. Nutritionists oversee the general and specific needs of the residents to reduce the incidence of malnutrition, which in turn helps reduce the incidence of skin breakdown and poor health.

Nutrition nurses can work in outpatient wellness programs as general nutrition coaches or for specific medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Public and private schools and communities may hire nutrition nurses to provide health coaching and preventive education and create guidelines that promote wellness within the organization and community.

Page last reviewed on June 5, 2024