Nontraditional Nursing Jobs?

[piggypop]

I'm a new grad (I graduated last May) and I worked on a hospital floor for a mere three months before leaving because I was so overwhelmed with that type of environment that I just couldn't do it. Plus my health was majorly deteriorating, so while I'm heartbroken I had to leave at least I'm eating and sleeping again. c:

But after working at the hospital, I don't think it's just acute care I don't dig, but bedside nursing in general I don't really like. I'd say I'm a rather boring personality type who likes something a little more "relaxed," if possible--in part because I tend to be a very anxious person. I also feel like I need something a little slower paced, as I'm generally not a confident person and need more assistance to kind of coax me into my career. (I felt like at the hospital, it was being thrown on the floor and I was trying to keep up with everything and it was just overload.) And to be sickly honest, I even enjoyed doing research papers and paperwork in general, so some type of boring job involving paperwork or phone calls would be something I'd apply for.

What kind of non-traditional jobs are there out in the world that I've probably overlooked/never heard of that I could look into? I've contemplated doctor's offices, but I realize that RNs aren't hired as often. Where do I even start looking for these types of jobs? (e.g., if I wanted to work for an insurance company for filing claims, how the heck do I even find one to apply to? Where do I find jobs not often heard of that would fit my style?)

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Ask the nurse line at insurance co.?

[tinks599]

Nursing is only as limited as your imagination. Straight administration is stressful, I'll tell you that and I know from firsthand experience. I have almost 20 years experience and most of it is in allied Health Care. You may need to look at an environment that helps you focus on individual patients or something with a slower pace. The legal field has lots of detailed work, but things aren't anywhere near as hectic. Personally, it doesn't suit me at all. You may want to look at research. It is pretty methodical but you have to be thorough. My mother in law is a very accomplished and now retired Oncology nurse. She liked Oncology because outpatient infusion doesn't come with too many fires. This is predictable work but requires competent nurses. Part of the issue is you need to determine what suits you and what you do well. Go from there.

[missnurse01, MSN, RN]

what did you hope to do as a nurse when going through school? Does thinking of that help direct where you would like to work?

I would look through craigslist and in the newspapers. Have you looked at being a research nurse? We have a lot of research in the area I live in and they recruit people every now and then.

good luck!

I think you need to look into yourself and see why it is that you want to be a nurse, or what type of care you would like to provide.

Have you also thought about plastic surgery? Or outpt GI lab?

[piggypop]

@tinks599 - I have heard about going into research, and may be something I look into. But I can't imagine that's something offered to a graduate nurse. Outpatient oncology sounds interesting, actually. I think at this time outpatient may be more my pace, depending (which is why I was looking into doctor's offices).

@missnurse 01 - When I became a nurse, it was because I wanted to help people, but also because I had a huge interest in the medical field. But I guess it was a little different than I expected, to be honest! The more I learned about bedside nursing, the less appealing it became. Not that I never do it, but that's just not what I like to do.

As I said above, research nursing would be something I'd like to do. I'd never admit how much I liked writing research papers, hahaha. (Aside from the stress of due dates, length, etc.) Or even a plastic surgery place sounds pretty interesting.

I know there's so many other options to explore, but I just feel like I don't know where to start looking, especially as basically a graduate with minimal experience. I really don't want to go back to bedside nursing after my experience at the hospital.

[missnurse01, MSN, RN]

like I said you will have to look look look-craigslist all the time I see stuff for outpt places and plastics. newspapers. Some out pt centers are really owned by the hosp so keep looking at diff hosp web sites to see if any of their outpt places high through them. Or look for outpt surg or research places in google for your area and just call them to ask where they post their job openings.

[ivyleaf]

I would consider psych or community based work w the mental health or developmentally disabled

[lmburton]

Try long term care .. that way it will bulid your confidence

[Lpnkerry]

How about hospice care

[rnmama999]

I am an Aesthetic RN and loving it! My dream is to open up my own Med Spa or Plastic Surgery office :-)

[limaRN, BSN, RN]

How about IT nursing? Are you good with computers?