5 Types of Nursing Careers You Never Considered

[Brian]

Registered nurses are, without a doubt, in some of the highest demand nationwide. As the need for professionals to fill these open positions continues to grow, there are a LOT of specialties that warrant some consideration. All of them demand a particular aptitude or stamina...and some of them aren't what you'd expect. Here's a snapshot of a few you might not have thought about before.

1. EMERGENCY ROOMS

The Emergency Nurses Association says ER departments are in a great deal of need; some facilities are dealing with such a shortage of ER nurses, they're now willing to hire brand new nurses and train them on the job.

But, as you might expect, the ER is not for everyone. ER nursing is a dynamic, unpredictable job, and nurses must be able to care for patients of all ages and in all conditions. Emergency room nurses must be able to multi-task and keep their composure even in the face of trauma.

2. PROCESS NURSING

Health care is constantly evolving, and many facilities are now looking to process improvement nurses on staff to help create care strategies. RNs with the right amount of experience should keep an eye out for process nursing positions; these roles are meant for helping hospitals and clinics generate new ideas, and troubleshoot problems, in the patient care experience.

3. QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality assurance nursing is another high-demand category, and nurses are needed to oversee medical and legal practices in all types of facilities. This is a particularly specialized position; QA nurses must have a strong grip on laws governing Medicare and Medicaid reporting, patient record keeping and privacy practices. This position intersects with process nursing; hospitals and clinics want nurses who can conduct studies about improvement plans, educate colleagues, and make sure all employees are following all the necessary procedures.

4. MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

Nurses interested in behavioral health fields can find plenty of opportunities in a variety of mental health care positions. Psychiatric nurses wear many hats, depending on what kind of facility they're working in. RNs in this field assist children and adolescents with emotional issues, substance abusers, and those suffering from a variety of mental illnesses. Those with more advanced degrees can make psychiatric health diagnoses.

5. TRAVEL NURSING

Considering we're talking about in-demand specialties, it should come as no surprise that travel nurses - those who fill in at facilities experiencing shortages - is on this list. For the RN who doesn't mind a little time away from home, they can become independent contractors or sign on with a travel nursing agency. When the term of employment ends - anywhere from three months to a year - travel nurses then head to another facility, frequently in a different state. Different specialties and facilities do require certain educational qualifications and experience levels.

This is only a snapshot of the many types of opportunities available to nurses. If you're seeking other opportunities, keep in mind - allnurses is a vibrant community of professionals who can keep you informed in real-time what's going on in the field.

More Nursing Career Options... [video=youtube_share;7WBi2-etBoI]

[deleern]

we have a terrible time finding nurses in Mental Heath. now they want to expand from a 10 bed unit to 25...I can not foresee this being easy to staff.

[RavenNicci]

I was unable to land the coveted med/surg job as a new grad with an ADN back in 09' so I ended up in psych. Try searching for jobs in residential treatment centers. I know Universal Health Services has plenty of them throughout the country. Alot of them care for children with mental illnesses. I did that for a year, then acute psych for 6 months (left because management increased staffing ratios which created a dangerous environment). I have been working with NGRI (not guilty by reason of insanity)pts for the Commonwealth of Virginia for 3 years now and enjoy the work but it can become mundame(which allowed me plenty of time to obtain my BSN). However, I often times feel more like a babysitter than a BSN degreed nurse. I am currently studying med-surg in hopes of finally being able to land my first med-surg job almost 5 years later. I feel that others look at psych nurses as not being "real nurses" and would like to make myself more marketable.

[RavenNicci]

I agree. I have worked in mental health for almost 5 years and we have always needed more nurses. Voluntary overtime is plentiful but there has been many instances when you are mandated to stay because there is no relief.

[chillnurse, BSN, RN, NP]

It's all locational. People try to generalize America as a whole when describing the need for jobs. This is fallacy. Some areas have a shortage and others do not. Just like nobody needs electrical engineers where I live but I am sure the multimillion dollar company in a said city needs a few.

I agree reed there isn't much mobility with nursing unless you go back to school or work for a large new era hospital. Where I love nurses are a dime a dozen so good luck lol

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

I started in the ER right out of nursing school. Over half of my cohorts wanted to be in the ER, it seems to be a popular choice for new nurses. A year and a half later and we are horribly short staffed. NO ONE in the hospital wants to transfer to ER, we've had three open positions for a few months with no applicants. I can't blame them, in 5 months we have lost 7 nurses, over the past year we have lost roughly 14 and they are just now posting THREE positions. It's unsafe and stressful. We always have a slew of new nurses applying for jobs at the end of each semester but we need experienced RNs and we aren't getting them.

[amygarside]

Travel nursing is an exciting job. You get to new places and know new people.

[AmaruAgent]

Amen!