Sometimes, nurses just need a change of air. Maybe you’ve given a few years or decades to the profession and feel like you’ve done enough. There are plenty of positions where you can use your skills and won’t have to deal with the stresses of dealing directly with patients.
There are also some people who would like to enter the field but are scared of some aspects of it. They might not feel like they have the disposition to deal with the type of trauma nurses often have to deal with. They should know that there is space for them in the field too. Here are some non-bedside nursing careers you could consider.
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Nurse Educator
Nurse education is a perfect field for a nurse that has plenty of years of experience and would like to give back. Nursing schools around the country are experiencing a shortage of teachers, and this could be the perfect opportunity to help. Not only that, but the teacher shortage is said to be the main reason why there is a shortage of nurses on the ground.
Before you decide to become a nurse educator, you have to make sure that you have the skills. You need to be great at communication, but also be great at public speaking. You need to be great at simplifying complex concepts and have the patience needed to help students no matter their level and how fast they learn.
If you have the skills needed, know that this is one of the best positions in the field in terms of convenience. You get to enjoy fixed schedules and your days will be much more predictable. Great for nurses who may be nearing the end of their careers and feel like they can’t handle heavy duties anymore.
Nurse Administrator
You could also look for an administrative job. This is a great option if you have great leadership and organization skills. You won’t have to deal with patients directly but still will have an active role in supervising key people on the ground and working as a liaison between different departments.
If you want to get a job as an administrator, you can get a master’s degree. But, if you want to increase your chances and be qualified for virtually any administrative position, you should consider getting a doctorate.
If you’re currently working and have obligations on top of it, you might be wondering how it would be possible to get a doctorate at the same time. The answer is online education.
You have BSN to DNP bridge programs that allow you to get your credentials in a fraction of the time from anywhere with an internet connection. This way, you’ll be able to follow your program on a schedule that works for you.
Nurse Blogger
Also, know that you can work in a related field that doesn’t necessarily have to do with care. One of the great ways that you can monetize your experience and expertise as a nurse is to work as a nurse blogger.
Nurse blogging is great if you have a natural love and talent for writing. You can write about virtually anything, but those who do better are those who specialize. Some may want to speak with senior nurses specifically, or to mothers. Some may want to speak to students or start a blog that discusses particular aspects of the field, like mental health, for instance.
While not everyone will be able to make it as a full-time blogger, it is still a nice side gig to have. You could monetize it by partnering with a nursing school search engine that will allow you to add their widget on your blog and get paid for referrals. You could also use Google ads, or become an affiliate.
You could then place links in your content and get a commission every time someone makes a purchase after following them. Make sure, however, that you understand the FTC’s rule regarding affiliate links in content first.
Forensic Nurse
As a forensic nurse, you will have to work with law enforcement to help understand cases better. You might also be asked to testify in court, so this is a very serious job.
You might have to look over evidence or medical records to spot irregularities. This could be helpful for malpractice cases, but also in insurance fraud cases. Forensic nurses play a very special role in the justice system and this is a chance to make a real difference without having to deal with patients.
Script Nurse
As a script nurse, your job will be to work with productions and verify if scenes or scripts are realistic. One of the things that makes nursing shows successful is their credibility, and a show that is approved by nurses will usually do very well.
Script nursing is a very exciting job and one that could get you closer to a job in the entertainment industry. However, this is not an easy field to get into and very few make a full-time living out of it. It often boils down to who you or your agent knows, and work is not regular. However, this is still worth trying if you have a lot of experience and want something interesting to add to your resume.
Nurse Health Coach
If you want to work on prevention instead of reactive care, then you should consider working as a nurse health coach. As one, you’ll be watching your clients’ whole lifestyle and see where they are making good and bad choices health-wise. You will need to look at their nutrition, their life habits, and their fitness levels and see where they need to improve. This is a great option if you like to directly affect people’s lives without providing care per se.
As you can see, there are tons of career options for nurses that won’t require being as involved with patients. We suggest that you look at them in detail and start looking at the requirements needed to enter these.
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