1. Investigate opportunities in information technology (IT) and informatics.
If you want to avoid high-stress occupations in patient care while yet having a significant influence on healthcare delivery, consider a career in information technology. As technology continues to reshape the healthcare system, nursing IT employment are becoming more crucial.
Nurse informatics experts, for example, serve as a "technology liaison" for hospital employees while also doing some nursing functions. They may be engaged in the design and testing of new information solutions, as well as the implementation of new procedures to enhance patient care.
A career in nursing informatics also provides a variety of professional paths with several prospects for progression. Informatics professionals often move to positions such as nurse manager or Chief Nursing Informatics Officer.
Enroll in an online health information management bachelor's degree program to further your studies in health informatics (HIM). Classes are intended to prepare you for positions such as medical records technician, patient information coordinator, HIM consultant, HIM director, or other management responsibilities in health information.
2. Train to be a nurse educator.
Teaching is one of the finest occupations for nurses who like assisting others but wish to transition away from full-time patient care. You've already gained significant expertise in the field, and you could be interested in teaching the future generation of nurses.
A competent nurse educator has the following characteristics:
A high level of education and a solid intellectual foundation
Extensive clinical experience
Outstanding communication abilities
a burning desire to make a difference
willingness to share their knowledge with others
If this describes you, a job as a nurse educator might be ideal. You may work as a clinical staff development educator or as a professor or faculty member in a university or college. In most circumstances, a master's degree in nursing (MSN) is required to qualify for a career as a nurse educator.
For registered nurses wishing to further their careers, Herzing University offers a variety of nursing education programs. You may be able to transfer existing college credit into a nursing school program, reducing both the time and expense of completion.
Herzing offers nurse education programs such as BSN to Nurse Educator, RN/ADN to Nurse Educator, and MSN to Nurse Educator (Post Master's Certificate).
3. Pursue a position of leadership.
You may position yourself for employment in nursing leadership, management, or administration if you have a bachelor's degree and many years of experience. Among the possible occupations are:
Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Nursing Director Nurse Manager
Healthcare Administrator Nurse Administrator
You won't have to quit your current job to rise to one of these positions. Nurses with advanced knowledge and skills are in great demand as healthcare companies contend with an increasing patient population and a scarcity of competent healthcare personnel.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health care managers is predicted to expand 32% from 2020 to 2030, substantially faster than the average for all professions in the United States. In 2020, their average annual wage was $118,800 ($57.12 per hour).
A leadership and administration MSN program will not only help you advance your career, but it will also give you with the management and organizational understanding you need to excel in a leadership job. If you're considering a career in business leadership outside of healthcare, you may want to look into a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
4. Look for non-bedside nursing positions.
A standard career as a registered nurse entails working in a clinical setting. However, certain jobs may enable you to give nursing care and training remotely, such as:
Nurse in Telemedicine
Case manager for nurses
Legal nurse expert
Nurse informatics expert
Nurse Case Manager
Nurse investigator
A work-from-home career or position in telehealth nursing may be an option for self-motivated persons with outstanding communication skills and a solid experience in a specialist field of nursing.
5. Work for an insurance firm
Insurance businesses may benefit greatly from the services of nurses. Insurance firms need maximal openness regarding healthcare procedures and expenses in order to effectively assess risk and establish rates. Nurses are crucial in gathering data, appropriately evaluating it, and knowing how to act on it.
An insurance company nurse may do clinical research, audits, or medical billing and coding. Health Coach Consultant and Quality Management Nurse Consultant are two possible professional titles. Many roles will be in a conventional office environment, and others may allow for remote work, making this a good opportunity for nurses searching for a non-clinical career.
6. Think about a job in medicines.
Nurses with substantial knowledge in a certain speciality are a valuable asset to pharmaceutical corporations. A pediatric nurse, for example, might play an important part in the advancement of pediatric medicine as a consultant, researcher, or instructor.
Given their medical knowledge and great communication abilities, working as a pharmaceutical sales representative may be a seamless career transfer for a nurse.
7. Investigate your alternative patient care choices.
If none of these possibilities appeal to you, you may want to reconsider what is causing you to have questions about your future as an RN. There are many different sorts of registered nurses, each with their own function in patient care, and you may find less stress in another option.
For example, if working as a trauma nurse becomes too demanding, being a school nurse or clinic nurse may be just what you need.
Keep the following associated nursing specializations in mind as you weigh your options:
Traveling nurse
Do you like traveling? As a travel nurse, you'll work in a variety of settings all throughout the country—or the globe! It's an unusual nursing scenario, but it's highly gratifying.
Flight attendant.
Flight nurses help to care for patients who are being flown to the hospital. It may be a stressful work, and patient care is critical, but it is a unique form of nursing that you may be interested in.
Home health care nurse Home health nurses give one-on-one treatment to patients in their homes rather than in a hospital setting. They may care for senior patients suffering from long-term diseases, as well as those recuperating from an accident or surgery.
Nursing in mental health.
You'll still work closely with many patients, but not in a conventional hospital bedside capacity. You might train to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and offer comprehensive treatment to patients of all ages.
The school nurse. You will collaborate with students and parents to organize medical care.
In a school, take caution.
It's a gratifying job that's ideal for nurses who like dealing with children.
Nurse specializing in forensics. As a forensic nurse, you will care for crime victims while also collecting medical evidence and delivering expert testimony that may be used in court.