There are lots of people who would like to become nurses and help those working on the frontline. Unfortunately, many of them have trouble with some of the aspects of nursing work. Not everyone has the disposition to deal with tragedy or things like blood and gruesome injuries. You also have working nurses who are tired of dealing with those things daily.
Whatever your case may be, you should know that there is still a place for you in the field. There are many positions in healthcare with great demand that don’t require you to deal with constant tragedy or bodily fluids. Some positions don’t even require that you enter into direct contact with patients. Let’s take a look at a few nursing jobs that don’t involve bedside work.
School Nurse
As a school nurse, you might have to deal with some injuries from time to time, but they’ll rarely be as severe as what you’d come across on a hospital floor. The only issue with working as a school nurse is that you’ll need to have significant clinical experience first. You might be lucky enough to find a non-beside job straight out of nursing school, but chances are you’ll need to get at least some experience on the floor before you can start applying.
It is still a career choice that you should start looking into as it has tons of benefits. School nurses enjoy steady schedules, which is a rarity in the nursing field. There’s also the possibility of working at your children’s school or having your children go to the school where you work. This will make managing your professional and family life much easier.
Healthcare Consultant
Healthcare consulting is a great option if you have good analytical skills and are a great problem solver. It is also a good choice if you’re coming in from a field like management or business. If that’s your case, all you require is a bachelor’s in nursing and you’ll have everything needed to help healthcare institutions become more efficient and profitable without compromising the quality of care. The best thing in all of this is that you could get your bachelor’s in as little as a year if you already have a degree in another field.
Schools like Baylor University Online have accelerated BSN programs specifically for professionals who come from fields outside of nursing. These programs are usually highly rated and accredited, so you’ll get the same level of recognition as anyone else. You’ll also be able to fit your studies around your current schedule and get your credentials while still earning a living.
You should also know that you can become a consultant in a specific area. You could become a legal nurse consultant, for instance. These people can either work independently or get hired by a legal firm. As a legal nurse consultant, you will be asked to examine the facts of various legal cases, such as malpractice or insurance fraud cases, for instance. You may be asked to look over documents and search for evidence or spot irregularities in certain procedures. Legal nurse consultants play a very important role in the judicial system and this could be a great way to help curb crime using what you know as a nurse.
Nursing Instructor
If you’ve been in the business for a while and feel like you’ve given the field everything you have, you could consider pursuing a second career as a nursing instructor. The atmosphere will be nothing like working the floor and you’ll be working in a much calmer environment. This is a good option if you’re a great communicator and have a love for teaching. This can be a very fulfilling position as well.
Some nursing instructors have lifelong relationships with some of the nurses they helped to form and oversee their career progression. There’s also a massive faculty shortage at the moment, which is the main reason for the nursing shortages we’re seeing all around the country. This could be your chance to help the healthcare industry where it needs it the most.
You should also know that you can start independently and offer specialized training. Some nurses earn a living teaching CPR to professionals. This could be in fields like security or law enforcement, for example, or any industry that requires CPR certification.
Some nursing instructors give courses to businesses that want their employees to integrate life-saving skills. There are many opportunities in this field, and if you are ready to do the work necessary, you could earn good money without having to deal with the stresses of a regular nursing job.
Health Informatics Nurse
As a health informatics nurse, you will be responsible for implementing and maintaining technology platforms and solutions and facilitate the work of nurses and physicians around you. You will need to know things like EHR systems inside and out and might be asked to gather specific data to improve the quality of care or reach specific objectives. To get this job, you will most likely need to get a health informatics degree after a bachelor’s degree. This is also a good option if you already have an IT background.
Nurse Writer
If you’re the creative type and have a way with words, you could also work as a nurse writer. You could write content for hospitals or medical websites, write informational brochures, or publish content for medical journals. Another option would be to write your own blog. There are many subjects and angles you could take and ways that you could monetize your site. Some bloggers form partnerships with suppliers and companies that are involved in healthcare. Others gather leads for nursing schools by using a school search form or make money by joining ad networks. Blogging offers so many possibilities. This could be a good way to give your career a new direction if you’ve spent many years working the floor and feel like you’re due for a change.
These are all options you could consider if you want to enter the nursing field but don’t want to be directly involved with patients. They’re also good options if you are a nurse looking for a change of speed. Don’t feel bad for shunning bedside care as the nursing field needs help at every level.
