Alyssa
One of the things that drew me to nursing is that there are so many different directions this career path can take you. Nursing is not just limited to the bedside! Here are some career alternatives if you want to pursue a nursing career outside of the typical hospital bedside role.
Do you have a Bachelor’s degree? Check out these paths.
Case Management. This one requires some bedside career experience, as case managers need the wisdom of what care is necessary for certain patients. They are responsible for coordinating care for patients when they are discharged from the hospital, and collaborating with insurance companies to justify why certain care measures were implemented.
Legal Nurse Consultant. Are you interested in combining your interest in healthcare and the legal process? Legal nurse consultants work with attorneys to evaluate health information. They provide their expertise about these medical issues to help with legal cases.
Flight Nurse. Perform nursing care...in the sky! Flight nurses deliver care to patients being transported via aircraft. These patients tend to be very unstable and emergent, so these nurses are very well trained and knowledgeable in critical care.
School Nurse. The school nurse likes working with kids, and serves as the healthcare professional for health issues for students while they are at school. However, one of the biggest roles of the school nurse is health education. School nurses also coordinate with families and the greater community to manage health concerns.
Cruise Ship Nurse. Do you want to see the world, while providing nursing care? Cruise lines hire nurses for health issues that may occur on the ship. Nurses who speak multiple languages may be very marketable for this role.
Forensic Nurse. Forensic nursing is very unique, in that they provide care to victims of violence. The cases they may be involved in include sexual assault, domestic violence, abuse, disasters, and death investigations. They also consult and testify in criminal proceedings.
Want to continue with your education? Consider these options.
Nurse Educator. Nurse educators can work in the hospital setting to make sure competencies are being met. They can also work in an academic setting for a nursing school. If you are interested in making an impact by teaching future nurses, this is the path for you.
Nurse Midwife. A nurse midwife specializes in women’s reproductive health and childbirth. They are present for births and also provide education and primary care focused in reproductive health.
Nurse Practitioner. As probably one of the most well known ways to continue a nursing career beyond the bedside, nurse practitioners are becoming very coveted in the health care world. They are independent practitioners, meaning they do not need to work under a physician and can prescribe medications and have their own practices. There are many specializations including family practice, adult gerontological, pediatric, psychiatric, community health, and more.
Clinical Nurse Specialist. Clinical nurse specialists have an area of clinical expertise, and improve healthcare through evidence based practice. Some specialties include diabetes management, home health, child/adolescent mental health, wound care, and so much more.
Research Nurse. Nurse researchers work towards making evidence based research available in order to improve the quality of nursing care. Most nurses who pursue research obtain a Ph.D.
Management. Take your leadership skills to nursing practice, and become a nurse manager. Nurse managers supervise staff, collaborate with both upper and lower levels of the organization, and make management and budget decisions. Being an effective leader that works and communicates well with people, can problem solve, and deal with conflict is important in this role.
Informatics. Nursing informatics works a lot with the charting systems and computer aspects of nursing. Documentation is one of the most important parts of the job, because if you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen, so having competent informaticists who continue to develop and maintain the technology necessary for the job is essential.
With so many options on what you can do with this degree, you will never be bored! The list could go on and on. Whatever path you choose, make sure you are happy and feel fulfilled with your work.
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