When many people think of a nurse, they most likely picture someone wearing scrubs and working directly with patients in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. But there are nursing careers that don’t focus on providing direct patient care, but still greatly impact the health outcomes of communities.
If you’re a brand new nurse, a few years of clinical experience can be great training ground in gaining valuable first-hand knowledge of the issues, challenges, and best practices that nurses can only learn in the field. But keep in mind that there are many rewarding careers outside of clinical settings.
Here are a few careers to consider to take your nursing career beyond the bedside.
Leadership Roles
Nurses in leadership roles perform a wide variety of duties and need many skills beyond providing patient care. Positions in nursing leadership include nurse manager, health care administrator, or care manager. These roles are more administrative and require strong leadership, financial and strategic planning skills.
Nurses working in leadership positions manage nurses, create budgets for their departments, and develop, plan, and implement programs and procedures for improved patient outcomes.
If working in a leadership role interests you, be sure to develop your leadership skills early. Get involved with nursing associations and seek out leadership roles whenever you can. And be sure to look for opportunities to mentor other nurses. If you’re still in school, look for leadership opportunities within your student nursing association.
If you’re serious about a career in nurse leadership, consider earning an MS in Nursing Leadership degree.
Nurse Educator
If you are interested in one day teaching the next generation of nurses, consider a career as a nurse educator.
Nurse educators teach nursing to college students and practicing nurses in academic and/or health care facilities.
Nurse educators develop curriculum and must have a high level of nursing experience and expertise. You will be required to hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, be an RN, and complete a graduate-level nurse educator program to succeed in this specialty.
Health Policy
If you have a passion for advocating for legislative change, a career in health policy may be for you. Health policy nurses work on a variety of public health issues such as tobacco control or care for the aging.
According to DiscoverNursing.com, health policy nurses work to create an overall healthier society through advocacy, research, and analysis. They work in health service research firms, legislative offices, health care provider associations, or hold elective office.
In order to succeed in health policy, you’ll first need to obtain a master’s degree in nursing and complete a 10-week health policy program. You’ll also need strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
Gain experience by getting involved in nurse advocacy as a volunteer. The American Nurses Association is a great resource to get started in advocacy work.
Nurse Recruiter
Transitioning from direct patient care to nurse recruiting can be a fast-paced and exciting career for nurses who are interested in the human resources side of health care.
In a nutshell, nurse recruiters screen, interview, and recommend candidates for open positions in the health care industry. Recruiters also provide career guidance to candidates, negotiate job offers and stay up-to-date on the latest job search trends.
Nurse recruiters possess strong communication and sales skills. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in nursing, as well as a strong clinical background to gain entry into this field.
Thinking about career options beyond patient care can open up many opportunities for nurses and may just be the perfect fit for you.
Many nurses consider entering into a public service or government position after graduation in hopes of qualifying for a student loan forgiveness program.
It sounds great, right? Work for 10 years in the public sector and your student loan balance will disappear. It does sound great, but recent news that the Department of Education (DOE) is calling the approval letters of the Public Service Loan Forgivness (PSLF) program “invalid” have many borrowers concerned.
Launched in 2007, the PSLF program agreed to forgive student loan debt for borrowers who worked for 10 years in qualifying public-sector jobs, made 120 timely loan payments, and submitted an annual employment certification form. Many professionals, including nurses, entered the program with hopes that their years of public service would result in their student loan debt being wiped out.
This fall, borrowers who entered the PSLF program in 2007 are scheduled to have their loans forgiven. But the DOE sent notices last year that many workers were no longer eligible and that previous letters of acceptance were no longer binding. The American Bar Association responded with a lawsuit against the DOE, and many of the nearly half a million borrowers in the program are left in confusion over the status of their loans.
PSLF isn’t the only student loan forgiveness program out there for nurses. If you are thinking about entering a loan forgiveness program, here are some important factors to consider.
Make Sure You Know the Rules
Many borrowers in the PSLF program are facing challenges with ensuring they are following the program’s guidelines over 10 years. For example, borrowers who received letters that their promise letters may be invalid thought they were in good standing with the program, were working for qualifying organizations, and were making income-based repayments based on the program’s guidelines.
It’s important to keep on top of any repayment programs you may enter and watch for changes in the requirements. However, this isn’t a sure-fire guarantee of repayment as the borrowers in the PSLF program are currently experiencing uncertainty.
Limited Earning Potential
Many of the borrowers currently in the PSLF program have worked for lower incomes in public service jobs for nearly 10 years, greatly limiting their earning potential. Before you enter a public service nursing position for the sole purpose of loan forgiveness, do the math to make sure it will actually pay off in the long run. For instance, if you could make a much higher salary and increase your repayments over 10 years, is it worth it to limit your salary/career prospects for a decade?
Be sure to evaluate the time commitment required in the program to ensure it’s not keeping you in debt longer than necessary.
It Could Slow Down Debt Reduction
Many nurses are able to repay student loans on their own by cutting expenses and avoiding lifestyle inflation. If you could get yourself out of student debt in a few years, why wait 10 years?
Research the Program’s Track Record
Despite the controversy surrounding the PSLF program, there are programs out there with good track records. It’s a good idea to look for programs with strong histories and examples of nurses who have had their loans paid off.
For example, programs like NURSE Corps, which awards scholarships and loan repayment to nurses, nursing students and nurse faculty, have long track records of student loan forgiveness.
NURSE Corps pays for 60% of unpaid nursing education debt over two years, with an option to extend to a third year for an additional 25% of the original balance. Program participants are required to “work for a minimum of two years in one of the thousands of Critical Shortage Facilities across the country, including hospitals, clinics, and other facilities experiencing a critical shortage of nurses.”
Since 2007, 8,321 nurses have successfully completed the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program.
In addition to the NURSE Corps program, the National Health Service Corps offers a loan repayment program that funds nursing awards to primary care nurses. Since its inception, 4,655 nurses have successfully completed the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Evaluate Your Career Goals and Passion
In conclusion, many nurses are passionate about working in the public sector and would happily choose to work for clinics and non-profits with strong missions to help underserved communities – whether it came with the promise of loan forgiveness or not.
But for others, it wouldn’t be a first choice and they should use caution when making career and financial decisions within a loan forgiveness program.
Student loan forgiveness programs can be complicated to understand and something that nurses should thoroughly research before committing to them.
If you decide to participate in a loan forgiveness program, be sure you are complying with the rules by evaluating your status on a regular basis and keeping up with the latest news about the program to make certain it’s still a viable repayment option.
So you’ve decided to search for a new job. Maybe you’re looking for higher pay, more advancement opportunities or a better work environment. There are many reasons why nurses desire to make a job switch.
The job search can often feel like a daunting task. You need to prepare your resume and cover letter, network in the field, and prep for interviews with potential employers.
While it’s important to spend time polishing your resume and practicing your interview skills, don’t skimp on an important part of any job search – company research.
Researching a potential employer means more than just reading their job post and employee benefits summary. Many jobs sound great on paper. But it’s wise to make sure the company is a good fit for your career goals and work style. The job post may sound like your dream job; however, it’s important to make sure the organization you’ll be working for is also your dream employer and an organization where you can grow your nursing career.
Another key benefit for researching a company is that it helps you prepare for job interviews. Many HR managers will ask candidates directly what they know about the organization and why they want to work there. Answering these questions with “I want to impact patient health outcomes” isn’t enough to impress a recruiter. You want to be armed with good company research so you aren’t thrown off by these questions.
Here are a few key areas to consider when researching potential employers.
Culture Fit
The culture of an organization includes size, policies, atmosphere, brand, and goals. Start by exploring the company website and social media profiles. Does the company’s online presence feel conservative? Or does it feel innovative and fun? Some organizations have an HR section on their website where they post employee policy handbooks and benefits information. Read through these to get an idea of their attendance policy, time-off allowances, and fringe benefits. It can be difficult to assess the culture online, but it’s a great starting point.
Management Style
You’ll want to ask questions about the organization’s management style during your interview. Find out who you will report to and ask them how they describe their management style. Does the manager talk in terms of helping nurses succeed and advance? Listen carefully to the manager’s answers, because this person may be your manager if you get the job.
Employee Reviews
You can find more than product reviews online these days. Employees are reviewing their employers on websites like Glassdoor.com.
Another great resource is LinkedIn. Use it to search for current and past employees and connect with them to get their feedback on what it’s like to work for the company you’re considering. It’s worth it to do some digging and get insight from actual employees. This is inside information you aren’t likely to get from the HR manager during your interview.
Advancement Opportunities
Avoid stalling your career growth by using LinkedIn to find out if the company likes to promote employees from within. Ask your contacts about advancement opportunities. Read profiles of current employees to see if they have held a series of advancing positions while working there. If you land an interview, ask for examples of employees who have been promoted from the position you’re interviewing for.
If you’re a new nurse with dreams of advancing your career and education, you’ll want to be in a culture that promotes its talent from within.
Also be sure to research the health of the company. If it’s a hospital, is it growing? Are they keeping up with cutting-edge technology and offering the best patient care in the area? These are signs that you can grow your career right along with the organization’s growth.
By making company research a key part of your job search strategy, you are more likely to land in a job that will be a great fit for years to come.
If you have student loan debt as a recent nursing school graduate or if you’ve been in the field for years and have been paying the minimum payments on your loan, it’s a good idea to consider ramping up your payments.
You may have to sacrifice your lifestyle for a while to pay off your loans fast, but it will be worth it. Freeing up the monthly payment will allow you to use those funds for other goals such as saving up to start an advanced degree program or put you in a more stable financial position for large purchases such as buying a house.
Below are some practical steps you can take that will make a huge dent in your student loan.
Avoid Lifestyle Inflation
Once you graduate from nursing school and enter the repayment period on your loan, avoid lifestyle inflation. Instead, continue to live like you’re still in college. While it’s tempting to increase your lifestyle after you start making a full-time nursing income by getting a nicer home and new car, avoiding these lifestyle upgrades and instead focusing on paying off your loans will set you up for long-term financial success.
Cut Expenses
If you have been in the workforce a while, try cutting skimming the fat from your budget and redirecting those funds towards your loan repayment. Budget items for cable TV, cell phone plans, the latest tech gadget and eating out are all great categories to look at squeezing extra money from each month.
Work Overtime
Nurses work in a field where there is often a shortage of qualified professionals to fill the needs of patients. If overtime is offered by your employer, take it with the goal of using the extra money to pay off your loans. If no overtime is available, consider taking a second job until your loan is paid off.
Stay Focused
Paying off a student loan is often a longer-term goal, so it’s important to stay motivated and focused. Have a target date in mind for when you’ll pay off your loan and set some exciting life goals that you can begin working on after they’re paid. Try using an online debt calculator such as Unbury.me to create an optimized debt repayment plan to help minimize interest and keep you motivated throughout the process.
If you follow these tips, you will cut down the repayment period of your loan substantially. Just by delaying some lifestyle upgrades or cutting back your discretionary expenses for a few years, you’ll set yourself up for financial success for the rest of your career.
Advancing your education isn’t a prescription for debt. Here’s how to earn that degree without interest.
One out of 10 Americans has student loan debt. That debt is steadily on the rise, with projections putting the total at $1 trillion this year, according to numbers compiled by Consolidated Credit. That number may seem unfathomable to many, but how big is your slice of that debt pie? Do you view student loans as the only way to fund your nursing education?
If you answered yes, it’s understandable why you may feel that loans just come with the territory of higher education. After all, tuition is at an all-time high—with no signs of slowing down. According to The College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges, average in-state tuition and fees are $8,893 for public four-year and $3,264 for public two-year institutions. To put those numbers into perspective, the average yearly tuition at a four-year school in the 1980s was $3,449.
If you dream of becoming a nurse or if you are already a nurse and wish to earn an advanced degree (or two), know that you don’t have to contribute to those startling national student debt totals. Take the time to become financially savvy and seek out the right opportunities, and you could come out with substantially less student loan debt than your fellow classmates.
One of the first steps before making decisions about funding your education is to step back and thoroughly research your options. Look at the type of degree you are considering and make sure there is a high enough demand in the job market and job growth projections for that specialty. Also, look at salary averages for your chosen degree/career plan.
“Very few people can afford to pay for college out-of-pocket,” says Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, author of The One Week Budget: Learn to Create Your Money Management System in 7 Days or Less! “But student loans are avoidable if you plan carefully. Student loan debt in itself is not bad. The problem is that most people chose student loan debt as their first option and it really should be their last.”
Aliche stresses that getting an education is an investment. “What you put in should give you more money back in return, and if it doesn’t then you have made a gross error,” she warns. “If you invest $150,000 and only make $40,000 coming out, that’s a mistake. It doesn’t make sense. For example, if a doctor invests $100,000— that’s OK because they’re probably going to make over $100,000.”
Shannon McNay, community outreach and customer support manager at ReadyForZero, an online debt elimination tool, agrees. “Crunching the numbers is the absolute best way a nurse can decide if he or she should pursue an advanced degree,” she says. “What are the projected earnings for the position a higher degree will get you? Compare the price of the schools you’d go to and see which one you’d pick. If the tuition is equal to one year of the pay, it could be a worthwhile opportunity.”
The college or university you select can instantly drive up or reduce the cost of your education. “People will say ‘go to the best college you can.’ I disagree. I say go to the college that offers you the most money,” argues Aliche. “If you go to this amazing college and they offer you no money [scholarships], and you come out owing hundreds of thousands of dollars, no one cares that you went to Princeton and you don’t have a job. If you work really hard and do internships, you can compensate for not going to a school with a big name. But you can’t compensate for owing $100,000 in debt. And then you’re going to be stuck with a job that you hate because you have to pay off the student loan debt.”
The Importance of a Nursing Education
The Institute of Medicine’s 2010 report The Future of Nursing reported that the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is the new starting point to get hired as a registered nurse. In fact, according to the findings, nurses with a BSN will increase from 50% to 80% by 2020.
There’s no denying that the higher you go in your nursing education, the higher you can go in your nursing career and earning potential. With our ever-changing health care landscape that is a result of the Affordable Care Act, advanced practice nurses (e.g., nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse-midwives) are often primary care providers. Those roles require a master’s or doctorate degree. They also require a large investment of time and money.
Paying for Your Education
Before you sign on the dotted line for that student loan, it’s wise to explore other options for paying for your degree. For starters, look into scholarship opportunities—you may find easy money waiting for someone like you to claim it.
Aliche says that most students never apply for any scholarships. “It’s smart to explore scholarships as many programs offer them but have no applicants, making the competition low,” she explains. “There are a lot of people who say ‘I don’t want to apply’ or ‘I won’t get it.’ Apply, since you may be the only one. There may be three scholarships and three people applied; so by default, you win.”
Another alternative to student loans is to work while you’re in school and pay as you go. Many students can’t go to college full-time and literally work their way through evening and weekend programs. Accelerated master’s programs can be good options for parents who need to maintain employment while working on their degree.
“I think employment during your college/advanced degree experience is a good way to pay for—or at least offset—the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses,” says John Heath, an attorney with Lexington Law, a credit repair firm. “Further, there are employers that will pay for college/advanced degree courses as long as the course fits their respective business model and you meet the criteria expected by the employer.”
If you have exhausted all other options for paying for your education, it’s time to look into student loans to help fill the gaps. But it’s vital that students fully understand the various types of loans and the terms and conditions.
As a general rule of thumb, Aliche advises students to steer clear of private loans because of interest fluctuation. She says federal loans are the best choice because they offer a fixed interest rate and less risk overall.
“With private loans, if you get sick or even if you pass away, you may still owe because, usually with a private loan, you have to get a co-signer—making that person equally responsible for the loan,” explains Aliche. “If you pass away, that person may still have to pay. But with a federal loan, if you pass away or become disabled, your student loan is forgiven. If you can no longer perform those tasks or face financial hardship, you can apply for forbearance, which means they allow you not to pay [on the loan] for six months to a year until you get back on your feet. Private loans do not offer that option. That’s why I tell people, if you’re going to get a loan, try not to get private loans because, when it comes to repaying it, there are very strict guidelines that are not there for federal loans.”
Loan Repayment Programs
Because skilled nurses are in high demand, especially in urban and rural areas, there are programs through the government, nonprofits, and employers offering loan forgiveness to nurses who are willing to work in underserved areas for a specified amount of time.
The US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration offers the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (http://nhsc.hrsa.gov) for professional registered nurses working in a critical shortage facility. Those accepted receive 60% of their total qualifying nursing education loan balance for two years of service.
National Health Service Corps alumna Tamara Bumpus, MSN, NP-C, a nurse based in Toledo, Ohio, took advantage of the loan repayment program and has already completed her two-year commitment.
“I work for the Neighborhood Health Association, which serves the homeless, and the other office I work at serves the underserved— people with low-to-no insurance,” says Bumpus. “I always heard that there’s money out there. I researched and found that the National Health Service Corps was available, and I applied for it. It seemed like a difficult process at first, but it was more of a waiting game—waiting to see if you were going to be approved or not for the loan reimbursement—and I was approved the first time I applied. There’s nothing better than getting money back after you’ve taken out student loans. I wanted to be a nurse practitioner, and it was so helpful to have that burden removed. If I had known about the scholarships, I would have done that also.”
Smart Budgeting for Repayment
If you already have existing student loans or plan to get one in the future, it’s smart to plan early for how you will repay the debt. Aliche says an old-fashioned budget is the best place to start.
“Include everything from your rent to getting your hair done,” Aliche says. “Before you can pay a loan back, you need to know how much you can afford. So if you add up your money list and your life costs you $2,500 per month and you make $4,000, you will know how much you can afford to make in payments.”
Aliche says that only you can know how much you can truly afford to pay each month— not your lender.
“No one should tell you how much your payment should be, you should tell them,” she argues. “You can say, ‘Honestly, I did my budget and, with my bills, I don’t have $300 per month . I have $150 that I can guarantee.’ It’s a different conversation when you say that. ‘I have a budget and you want me to promise you $300, but you’re not going to get that.’ That’s the kind of conversation that you want to have. You can definitely try to negotiate your monthly payment. It may take you talking to five people on the phone or a week of calling. I know someone whose monthly payment was $900 and she got it down to $400 per month. You can e-mail them a copy of your budget so they can see that you don’t have things like cable. Most people are not having that conversation with their lender, so that’s why it’s easier for someone to say yes to you.”
Another good strategy for those still in school is to make payments now, not after graduation.
“Calculate a small amount of money to pay each month so you can get a head start,” McNay suggests. “You may also want to dedicate some monthly savings to building an emergency fund. If you end up finding a higher-paying job out of state, you’ll want some startup money to get you there. Don’t lose out on opportunities just because you’re not financially ready for them. School is a great time to save.”
McNay says nursing students should stay mindful of what’s available to them after graduation. “If you’re really struggling, the [federal government’s] Income-Based Repayment Program [https://studentaid.ed.gov] can be an absolute lifesaver— yet so few people know about it,” she says. “Stay up-to-date on changes in legislation that can benefit your finances—these changes aren’t just for current students.”
By educating yourself on the various options for funding your education, you can avoid the many pitfalls that land so many students in mountains of debt. Careful planning will allow you to begin to build the life you dream of after you graduate, whether that’s traveling the world or buying a home. The less student loan debt you have, the faster you can finance your other dreams.
Student Loan Do’s and Don’ts
There is so much information out there about student loans. Keep these expert tips in mind to keep your loans in check.
Do Face Your Debt
“If you don’t already know who you owe or how much you owe, drop everything and find out right now. Ignoring the student loans will not make them go away. This website will help you figure it out: www.nslds.ed.gov.” —Shannon McNay, community outreach and customer support manager, ReadyForZero
Do Be Careful When Consolidating
“Do not refinance a federal loan to a private company. All of the protection you get with a federal loan, you will not get it if you refinance with a private company. With a federal loan you can consolidate. So if you have 10 federal loans, they will take the average interest and give you one payment.” —Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche
Do Shop Around
“Pick your top five schools and talk to each of them about the real cost of your degree. Financial aid packages vary greatly, so let the schools make you an offer.” —Matt Kelly, founder, Momentum: Personal Finance Coaching
Don’t Waste Refund Checks
“If you get back $2,000, some people think that’s free money. No, that’s money that you owe. If you don’t need that money, send it back. That will lower how much you owe when you get out of school.” —Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche
Don’t Overborrow
“It’s a mistake to take a large amount (more than needed) of student loans to maintain the lifestyle you were accustomed to at your parents’ house. It is better to live like a student while you are a student than to live like a student after you have graduated because of your large student loan payment.” —John Heath, attorney at Lexington Law
Denene Brox is a freelance writer based in Kansas City, Kansas.
