Top 5 Least Stressful Nursing Jobs

• Every job carries some stressful aspects, but many nurses find significant stress relief when switching to the following nursing positions.
• Transitioning to one of our recommended least stressful nursing jobs can be a temporary change of pace, to give you much needed time to recharge for long-haul dedication to a high-stress, but beloved, nursing role.

Are you a nurse who is burned–out and over-stressed in your current role?

Are you thinking of ways to transition into a calmer and less demanding position? Let’s take a look at what nurses across the country find to be the top 5 least stressful nursing jobs out there! 

5. Telehealth or Nursing Informatics

Due to the pandemic and our ever-evolving, technology-based world, telehealth has become extremely popular. This job involves providing high quality care to patients over the phone, email, or video conference.

Often, this job allows you to work from home with very flexible hours. Most patients have routine health questions or follow up concerns on long-term issues such as diabetes and hypertension. This could be an ideal position for you if you are looking for a non-emergent atmosphere and flexible work hours.

4. Nursing Educator

There are many different types of nursing educator roles, but in general, nursing educators train aspiring nurses. Some work at hospital institutions to provide in-service training programs or preceptorship programs, while other nurse educators work for academic institutions to train nursing students.

This role is a great option for a less stressful environment, and usually involves regular business day hours – the coveted 9:00-5:00 workday. However, nursing educator job positions often require advanced degrees and extensive clinical experience. This may be a great option for those who are deep into their clinical careers.

3. Academic Writer

If you are wanting to get away from the bedside and patient care altogether, nurse writing may be the perfect fit for you.

Some nurses become bloggers, focused on hot topics and trends in the nursing industry, while others write for academic institutions or for educational companies. Within this branch-off field of nursing, you can make your own hours and write on your own time, without the stress of direct patient care.

2. Nurse Coaching

If promoting and encouraging others’ health sounds easier than treating those with chronic health conditions, this could be a good option for you. A nursing health coach is someone who works with a patient to promote their overall health and well being, through individualized and tailored wellness plans.

Some nurses choose to become formal health coaches, which require a special certification, while others choose to work in an industrial-occupational setting within a large company. Within this position, you can make your own hours if you have your own health coach company, otherwise, it is typically a 9-5:00 workday. 

1. Resort, Cruise, or Flight Nurse

Hotel resorts, cruise ships, and some airlines require healthcare staff to tend to their guests and travelers. This kind of role would be in a clinic setting, treating minor injuries and most likely involve limited to no emergent situations.

You may be required to tend to mild injuries, provide basic first aid, administer vaccines, and refer patients out. This is an alluring opportunity in the nursing field if you have the freedom and flexibility of travel and are wanting a laid-back work environment.

As Americans, it seems like we are constantly rushing, and we have so many stressors in life.

Many people would say their job is one, if not the biggest, source of anxiety and dread.

This is especially true for many healthcare workers who have been working non-stop over the past year.

Many of us chose nursing as a career to help others, to challenge ourselves, and impact people’s lives in a positive way.

But oftentimes with those positives comes a lot of stress. Stress from the long hours, stress from being understaffed and overworked, stress from home, and stress from finances. The list can go on and on.  

If the stress has overshadowed the positives of your job and the reasons why you chose the profession to begin with, it may be time for a change of pace.

Why continue to bog yourself down with stress from your current position when you have the power to change it?

The choice is yours, so make it!  However, you don’t want to go from one high–stress role to another high-stress role.

So, it’s time to ask, “What are the least stressful nursing jobs out there, and do they really exist?” 

It’s important to remember that every job may have some stressful aspects, however, these low-stress nursing career options can be a break from a high-stress environment such as an ED, or Cardiac ICU. 

I have compiled this guide of the top 5 least stressful nursing jobs to help guide your job search.

Whatever your choice may be, try to remember to slow down, enjoy what you do, and remember why you got into the profession of nursing in the first place.

Maybe it’s time to step away from the role that has given you miles of experience and move into a less stressful position while still doing something that you love.

Remember, switching gears doesn’t have to be a permanent decision!

A temporary change of pace can give you much needed time to recharge for long-haul dedication to your high-stress, but beloved, nursing role. 

Read More