BSN, RN, IBCLC
Are you ready for a change from bedside nursing but unsure what options you have? We’ve got a great list of ideas of non-bedside nursing jobs that perhaps include a better balance and lifestyle one might be in search of!
You worked hard for your nursing license, so here are some ideas if you want to try out a different area of nursing.
These are seven non bedside nursing jobs to consider!
This is a great option especially if you have school aged kids and like working with school aged patients. School nurses usually get more time off during the summer and get to be off most holidays and weekends!
Interesting fact about school nursing: did you know school nursing in the US was established in 1902?
According to this book, Fast Facts for the School Nurse: What You Need to Know, Lillian Wald, head nurse of the Henry Street Settlement in New York, appointed Lina Rogers as the nation’s first school nurse in 1902.
Lina Rogers provided nursing care to the students at school and in some cases included follow up visits to teach their parents how to care for the child or how to decrease the risk factors for different diseases while also teaching them about hygiene. Lilian Wald set the goal to decrease absenteeism after the state of New York was mandating school for children. That first year absenteeism decreased by 90%. Twenty-five more nurses were then hired and paid by the New York City Board of Education.
If you like technology this is a great area to dive into. Being a nurse who understands both areas (technological and medical) is certainly an asset.
A nurse informaticist is an expert at the intersection between technology and nursing.
You can choose to work for a big healthcare system, a healthcare software company, an insurance company, a pharmaceutical company and/or smaller startups.
Becoming a super user for the charting or monitoring system at your current job might be a way to get your foot in the door.
Here are the 6 of the Highest Paying Informatics Nurse Jobs.
Have you heard about it? It seems like since the pandemic started, remote jobs have drawn a lot more interest. Avoiding long commutes especially during inclement weather, sounds appealing to many.
Many nurses burnt out by the demands of bedside nursing are turning to opportunities to work from home.
Most insurance companies have positions that require an RN license. If you want to learn more about it you can check out The Remote Nurse website. They offer tips to keep in mind, they list jobs, and have tips for your resume as well.
Have you noticed how lately most insurance companies offer a nurse line? Most of these companies are looking for nurses to fill those roles. Some doctors’ offices also have openings for triage nurses. As a triage nurse you can find many opportunities to work from home.
However, it will require adjusting to being home, by your desk and being on the phone for long periods of time. Being a triage nurse allows you to provide support to families at very stressful times if they need to go seek further care.
This area is so extensive because there are so many different specialties. Doctors’ offices, freestanding ORs, infusion centers (including dialysis centers) etc. You get the perks of working in an outpatient setting. Days have a set start and end when the clinic or office opens and closes. You get to be off on weekends and holidays.
At dialysis centers and some doctors’ offices, patients tend to be regulars so you get to be there for them during challenging times and in some cases you really get to know them. Some centers nurses work 9hr days so they only work 4 days instead of 5.
Many nurses love teaching as this is such a big part of being a nurse.
If that’s the case for you this is an area worth checking out. This position usually allows you to be off on weekends and holidays as well. And can come with perks of a similar salary as a bedside nurse if you are working in a hospital.
You can choose to work in a hospital, at a nursing school, with nursing students during clinicals, providing teaching for medical device companies, there are many options.
Some companies also have remote opportunities.
When you have experience in a healthcare setting you learn how to read a chart and you know what to look for. Companies that need data abstraction and/or do auditing, need nurses who understand what they are looking for/at.
If you would like to look into this, many insurance companies and local hospitals often have positions available.
There is a yearly seasonal opportunity called HEDIS data abstraction that many nurses have started.
The Remote Nurse website describes HEDIS as: “HEDIS stands for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set and it is a tool used every year by the majority of health plans to measure quality of care.
There are a plethora of quality measures in the areas of childhood immunizations, cancer screenings, diabetes care, hypertension control, behavioral health monitoring, and much more. Because of the wide variety of specialty areas, HEDIS Abstraction has something to offer for almost any nurse!”
Of course as a nurse there are many more areas you can move into. If you feel you need a break from bedside, I hope we gave you plenty ideas of non bedside nursing jobs to look into!
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