Functional Medicine Lab Testing for Nurses: Is Test Don't Guess the Best Approach?

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

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