Unique Nursing Jobs Beyond the Bedside
Are you a nurse tired of the bedside grind, but would still love being a nurse? Are you worried that if you leave the bedside you won’t be fulfilled as a nurse?
If so, then consider a unique nursing job that is beyond the bedside that still fulfills you.
There is life beyond the bedside and really unique opportunities you can take advantage of as a nurse.
Here are 5 unique jobs you can pursue if you need a break from the bedside:
Infusion Therapy: An infusion therapy nurse can work in a hospital, clinic or home setting. Infusion therapy nurses deliver critical intravenous medications to patients in a comfortable setting. Infusions can include anything from chemo to standard IVF’s for dehydration. If a patient is not home bound, an infusion suite can be quite comfortable housing recliners, Wi-Fi, cable TV and private room settings.
Nurse consultant for an architectural firm: A nurse in an architectural firm? Sounds odd doesn’t it? Architects are realizing the value of having a nurse on the team when designing healthcare facilities. Nurses know first hand of where the nurse’s station needs to be within a unit and how a patient room needs to flow in order for a nurse to get their job done. If you enjoy designing and making workflows easier consider becoming a consultant for healthcare design.
Nurse Epidemiologist: If you like research and have an interest in infectious diseases then try a hand at becoming a nurse epidemiologist. Nurse epidemiologists can work for the CDC or local hospitals tracking disease trends. This position can be especially exciting in the fact that you may have to travel to study disease trends in different areas of the world. Nurse epidemiologists also do a great deal of teaching to physicians, fellow nurses, hospital staff and the public about disease prevention and control.
Cruise Ship nurse: Cruise ship nursing is a job that comes with a few perks. If you like autonomy mixed in with ER and critical care, then chances are you’ll like being a cruise ship nurse. Medical teams on ships can be slim with only 1 physician to 2 nurses per crew so nurses have to be able to handle any challenge that comes up. Illnesses ranging from MI’s, strokes, broken bones, and generalized seasickness can be the par for a normal day on the ship. Nurses in this position usually work on contract for a few months at a time.
Informatics: This position is more geared to the nurse that is computer or tech savvy, but still wants to put their nursing background to use. Informatics nurses help design the interface on the electronic health records (EHR) nurse’s use. A nursing background is key for this position because who knows best what a nurse needs to have access to or chart on other than another nurse?
In addition to working as a FNP, Nachole Johnson is a freelance copywriter and an author with her first book, You’re a Nurse and Want to Start Your Own Business? The Complete Guide, available on Amazon. Visit her ReNursing blog at www.renursing.com for more ideas on how to reinvent your career