In this expert interview on the Functional Nurse Academy Podcast, Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP, sits down with renowned cardiologist, internist, and epidemiologist Dr. Peter McCullough, MD, MPH, for an in-depth conversation about COVID-19, long COVID, COVID vaccine injury, spike protein, immune health, early treatment, and the important role functional nurses can play in helping patients navigate these complex health concerns.
Dr. McCullough has published extensively in the medical literature and has testified before the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, European Parliament, and numerous state legislatures on public health policy.
In this episode, Dr. McCullough discusses what he believes healthcare professionals need to understand about the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection and COVID vaccination, including his clinical approach to assessing spike protein exposure and supporting patients experiencing persistent symptoms.
What Dr. McCullough Wants Functional Nurses to Know
Dr. McCullough has a specific message for functional nurses: there is an important role for nurses in prevention, education, assessment, and helping patients navigate their health after COVID-19.
1. Take a Thorough COVID and Vaccination History
Dr. McCullough recommends that functional nurses ask clients whether they have had COVID-19, when they had it, whether the illness was severe enough to require hospitalization, whether they experienced persistent symptoms afterward, and whether they received COVID vaccines.
He emphasizes the importance of looking at the entire history rather than treating COVID infection and vaccination as irrelevant past events.
Melissa also explains why Functional Nurse Academy encourages nurses to include COVID infection and vaccination history as part of a comprehensive functional health assessment.
2. Educate Clients About Respiratory Illness Prevention
A major portion of the interview focuses on what Dr. McCullough calls oral and nasal hygiene.
He discusses nasal sprays, gargles, xylitol-based products, saline and other approaches that he incorporates into his respiratory illness prevention strategy. He explains why he believes consistent oral and nasal hygiene can play an important role in reducing respiratory viral illness.
Dr. McCullough specifically tells functional nurses that educating clients about these strategies could provide an important service to both patients and the broader medical community.
3. Understand the McCullough Protocol
Dr. McCullough discusses the development of the McCullough Protocol, his multidrug approach to early COVID-19 treatment that was originally published during the pandemic.
He walks listeners through his approach to prevention and early intervention, including oral and nasal hygiene, nutritional support, nutraceuticals, and medical treatment for appropriate patients.
Because prescription treatment and disease management must remain within the practitioner's legal scope of practice, functional nurses should use this information for education and collaboration with appropriately licensed treating providers.
4. Don't Ignore Long COVID and Persistent Symptoms
Dr. McCullough discusses patients who never fully recovered following COVID infection and explains his theory regarding the role of persistent spike protein in long COVID.
He also discusses his approach to evaluating patients who report persistent symptoms following COVID vaccination.
Rather than ignoring these histories because they may be controversial, the conversation encourages functional medicine practitioners to consider them as part of a comprehensive health history.
5. Understand Spike Protein and COVID Antibody Testing
One of the most detailed portions of the interview focuses on spike protein antibodies.
Dr. McCullough discusses commercially available COVID antibody testing and how he uses antibody measurements as an indirect marker when evaluating certain patients.
He also explains how he interprets different antibody levels in his clinical practice and why he believes functional nurses working with clients experiencing long COVID or post-vaccination symptoms should understand this area of testing.
6. Learn About Dr. McCullough's Spike Protein Detoxification Approach
Dr. McCullough explains his approach to what he calls spike protein detoxification.
He discusses nattokinase, bromelain, curcumin, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), sauna therapy, nutrition, and other supportive strategies he uses or considers with certain patients.
He also shares clinical examples from his practice, including a college student who developed myocarditis following COVID vaccination and a professional hockey player who experienced a major blood clot. Dr. McCullough describes the treatments these patients received and their subsequent recoveries.
The Role of Functional Nurses
One of the most important themes throughout this interview is the potential role of functional nurses in preventive healthcare.
Functional nurses often have something the conventional healthcare system struggles to provide: time to educate patients, investigate health histories, identify modifiable lifestyle factors, coach patients through sustainable changes, and collaborate with treating providers.
Dr. McCullough specifically tells functional nurses that educating patients about preventive strategies could be a meaningful contribution to healthcare.
For RNs and LPN/LVNs, this does not mean independently diagnosing or treating COVID-19, vaccine injury, long COVID, or another medical condition outside their legal scope of practice.
It means doing what nurses have always done: educating, advocating, assessing within scope, identifying concerns, helping patients understand available information, and collaborating with the healthcare team.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
In this expert interview with Dr. Peter McCullough, you'll hear discussion about:
COVID-19 and long COVID
COVID vaccine injury
Spike protein and persistent symptoms
COVID spike antibody testing
The McCullough Protocol
Early COVID-19 treatment
Oral and nasal hygiene
Immune system support
Vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and quercetin
Nattokinase and bromelain
NAC and glutathione support
Sauna therapy and sweating
Spike protein detoxification
Myocarditis and blood clots
Functional medicine and COVID recovery
The role of functional nurses in prevention and patient education
The Wellness Company and medical emergency preparedness
About Dr. Peter McCullough
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Functional Nurse
What is a functional nurse?
A functional nurse is a licensed nurse who applies the principles of functional medicine to educate and empower clients by helping them identify and address potential root causes of health concerns. Functional nurses focus on nutrition, lifestyle, sleep, stress management, environmental influences, and other evidence-informed approaches while practicing within their nursing scope of practice.
What is the difference between a functional practice owned by a NP and RN or LPN?
Nurse practitioners may operate a medical practice where permitted by state law. Depending on their state's regulations, NPs may diagnose medical conditions, order and interpret laboratory testing, prescribe medications, and provide medical treatment.
RNs and LPNs can own and operate independent wellness-focused functional nursing practices. Rather than diagnosing or treating medical conditions, they educate and empower clients through personalized wellness plans, nutrition and lifestyle education, health coaching, specialty laboratory education and on going support.
How Do Non-Advanced Practice Functional Nurses Utilize Laboratory Testing?
RNs and LPNs can access both conventional and specialty laboratory testing through partnerships with functional medicine laboratories. These partnerships allow nurses to order testing through a physician network at affordable wholesale pricing, while practicing within their professional scope.
While nurse practitioners (NPs) may have the authority to diagnose medical conditions and independently order laboratory testing depending on their state laws, non-advanced practice nurses use laboratory data to educate clients about potential patterns of dysfunction. Laboratory findings can also help guide personalized wellness recommendations and support collaboration with the client's healthcare team to optimize health outcomes.
Please note: Certain states, including New Jersey (NJ) and Rhode Island (RI), have restrictions on laboratory ordering through some functional medicine laboratory networks.
While nurse practitioners (NPs) may have the authority to diagnose medical conditions and independently order laboratory testing depending on their state laws, non-advanced practice nurses use laboratory data to educate clients about potential patterns of dysfunction. Laboratory findings can also help guide personalized wellness recommendations and support collaboration with the client's healthcare team to optimize health outcomes.
Please note: Certain states, including New Jersey (NJ) and Rhode Island (RI), have restrictions on laboratory ordering through some functional medicine laboratory networks.
Does Functional Nurse Academy provide continuing education for nurses?
Functional Nurse Academy is an approved provider of continuing nursing education. Graduates receive 90 nursing contact hours, approved for LPNs, RNs, and NPs.
The program combines comprehensive functional medicine education with practical application, case studies, and business mentorship, giving nurses the knowledge, tools, and confidence to launch and grow their own functional wellness businesses.
Can I become board certified after completing Functional Nurse Academy?
Yes! Functional Nurse Academy graduates are eligible for the following practitioner level board certifications through American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (AANWP)
- Functional Medicine Nurse Specialist | BC-FMNS
- Functional Medicine Practitioner | BC-FMP
- Functional Wellness Professional | BC-FWP
- Christian Wellness Practitioner | BC-CWP (for students completing our optional Christian content)
Below are the coaching credentials that our graduates qualify for through the American Association of Natural Wellness Coaches (AANWC)
- Functional Nurse Health Coach | BC-FNHC
- Functional Health Coach | BC-FHC
This program has been peer-reviewed and is endorsed by The American Holistic Nurses Association
CEs earned from the Functional Nurse Academy meet CE eligibility requirements for the following American Holistic Nurses Association board certification titles:
- HN-BC® (Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- HNB-BC® (Holistic Nurse Baccalaureate Board Certified)
- AHN-BC® (Advanced Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- APHN-BC® (Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse Board Certified)
- NC-BC® (Nurse Coach Board Certified)
What is included in enrollment?
Functional Nurse Academy is the leading and most comprehensive functional nursing program on the market for LPN, RN and NP. Enrollment includes the following:
- 90 Nursing Contact Hours of functional nursing education
- Multiple Board Certification Pathways in functional medicine and holistic nursing
- Functional Nurse Toolkit with business resources and practice-building tools
- Social Media & Marketing Kit with 9 months of content, brochures, and business card templates
- 40+ Advanced Trainings covering functional medicine and business strategy (available in FNA monthly mentorship library)
- Six Months of FNA’s Monthly Mentorship Program FREE, including live educational trainings and 60 minutes of live Q&A each month, all hosted by FNA Founder Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP, plus case studies and full access to the mentorship library.
Functional Nurse Academy is the nation’s leading and most comprehensive functional nursing education program for LPNs, RNs, and NPs
Founded in 2022 by Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP.
We are Dual Accredited, Peer Reviewed and Endorsed
American Holistic Nurses Association Endorsed and Peer Reviewed
Institute for Functional Medicine Interprofessional Partner
Approved Provider of Continuing Nursing Education. Approved for 90 Nursing CEs
Accredited for multiple board certification titles through AANWP, AANWC & AHNCC
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Ready to take the next step?
I’m so happy you’re interested in functional nursing! I’d love to connect with you at my next live informational + Q&A webinar, where you’ll learn all about functional nursing, how nurses across the country are launching their own functional wellness businesses, and how you can get started.
You’ll also have the opportunity to meet me live and get all of your questions answered!
Just click below to save your seat! I hope to see you there!
-Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP Founder & CEO, Functional Nurse Academy
You’ll also have the opportunity to meet me live and get all of your questions answered!
Just click below to save your seat! I hope to see you there!
-Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP Founder & CEO, Functional Nurse Academy
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Functional Nurse Academy is the nation’s leading and most comprehensive functional nursing program for LPNs, RNs, and nurse practitioners. Founded in 2022 by Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN, BC-FMP.
