A running list of low abuse specialties

Cherybaby · Jun 10, 2009

Don't know about the other things that you listed, but I can tell you that you will run into narcotics in outpatient surgery. Wouldn't recommend that one. Lots of injectable narcotics on hand.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 10, 2009

I work in nephrology and know of several nurses in recovery that work in dialysis.

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2009

School nursing may not be low risk. Some kids are on narcotics and lots are on ADHD meds with potential for abuse. Since there is generally one nurse in a school, the potential for abuse is high if there happens to be a kid in the school you are assigned to with high risk meds. If you can manage to get assigned to a school without those meds, the risk is low. However, new students enroll all the time and you never know what their medical needs might be.

I recently read about a school nurse arrested for diverting a child's ADHD meds. Very sad for everyone involved.

exnursie · Jun 10, 2009

blood bank, discharge planning, utilization review, admissions, positions with organ donation, any job at insurance companys, this includes ALL insurance, Not just health insurance , research, staff education, IV team, wound management, MDS, cardiac rehab, offices that don't commonly prescribe narcs ( ie dermatology, infectoius disease, cardiac, podiatry, peds, ,,,

Also look into IT positions, and also recruiter, and CM with DME companies.

There are so many opportunities that don't involve clinical work and are definitely safer and healthier jobs for any nurse, but especially good for nurses in recovery

moonmaid50, ASN, BSN, MSN · Jun 13, 2009

Case Management is good one

featherzRN, MSN · Jun 13, 2009

I work in research and have zero access to anything close to a narcotic, not even ibuprofen unless I bring it with me. :)

shopgirl44 · Jun 13, 2009

Thanks everyone for the recommendations.....how would one go about finding a job in "research"? Thanks sooo much everyone for all your concern

MizChelleRN · Jun 14, 2009

I just wanted to THANK YOU for this thread. My own career is on hold for a LONG while yet, but a list like this helps me think about where I might end up. Ya know, for those of us whose future is a humongous question mark. I keep flashing onto dialysis too, which might now be too bad a fit for me specifically; I worked on med surg with a renal and diabetes focus. (we did PD on the floor and had a seperate HD unit but were trained to use/access the lines,etc.) But I guess my other ideas were IV team and office nursing.

There are nurses who work in my treatment center, I've been considering helping other people (esp nurses) in my same predicament, but I'm not clear on what they actually do there; run the UAs, an RN did our orientation to the center (I start tomorrow, long story) so I'll watch and see their role in that.

I thought I might've like the position that the man held that met with me from the board of nursing following my termination. He showed me so much compassion and he really made an impact on my life. I'm pretty sure he'll have that position locked up for awhile though.

How about urgent care? I'm leaning towards LOTS of access, but I don't know, I didn't think IVs etc were started so much?

Yeah, I'd like to know how to get into research too! Will continue to watch this thread!

Cherybaby · Jun 17, 2009

Try this link...

https://allnurses.com/research-nursing/

You may find it helpful! :)

Good luck!

anonymurse · Jun 17, 2009

Become a factory rep for wound vacs, pacers, whatever.

MizChelleRN · Jun 18, 2009

How could I forget Diabetic education?

But that would open the door to tons of educators, lactation consultant, nurse educator, patient advocate.