what can nurses do besides "nurse"?

pediatriclpn · Apr 21, 2005

Do you like the paperwork side of nursing? There are many insurance companies that look for nurses to handle casemanagement. There are still MD offices. School nursing? Pediatric home care nursing is where my heart is, and being and LPN I can only do so much that way, but being an RN with the right company you could rise thru the ranks. If you wanted to teach nurses how to be nurses they are desperate in some nursing schools for teachers, you could start helping with clinicals while taking whatever teaching courses you might need. I wish you best of luck, and hang in there. You didn't go thru all that work to drop out of nursing. I strongly believe we are in one of the most versatile careers there is. Oh, and pharmaceutical companies always want someone with a degree to sell meds, so if you are into sales, there is another way to go. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nurse Ratched, RN · Apr 21, 2005

Is it primarily the hospital and long-term care settings that you are wanting to avoid? Is it the politics/coworkers? Or are the patients driving you nuts regardless of the location? (Trying to get a better feels for what you're looking at.)

Candidnt · Apr 21, 2005

Right now, I'm kind of trying to avoid all of the above...I'm burning out in a big way. This current job has really taken it out of me. Maybe in a year or two I can go back, fresher, and I can get a (BETTER) critical care class and orientation than I got with this deal (my contract is up in January) and start over again...but right now, my feet are itching to get out. Even walmart (god help me) is starting to look good. I look at what has gone on with some of my former classmates and they're doing well; I look at my career trajectory since graduation, and even with years of LPN experience before the RN/BSN, my caree r trajectory seems to resemble that of a failed rocket. So right now, I don't know what I'm going to do.

KJRN79 · Apr 21, 2005

This year my son is a freshman in high school. His Health Sciences teacher is a nurse. She wanted "out" too. I think she did great with the curriculum, my son came home with all sorts of info.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2005

I have a friend who has her BSN and now teaches kindergarden and loves it. I am looking to getting the farm up and running myself. Tending goats and chickens sounds pretty good!

sbic56, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2005

Do you like to teach? Maybe a CNA instructor?

Or, maybe a nurse consultant? I know around here there are facilities such as boarding homes that are looking for a nurse to work in that capacity.

BeachNurse · Apr 22, 2005

What about clinical research? My patient contact is mimimal..I see outpatients for their study visits. Lots o' paperwork, though. Best of luck to you.

VILLA · Apr 22, 2005

Hello everyone;

is nursing that bad? I am getting ready to start my nursing program and am scared out of my wits by all the posting I've read. I have run various businesses before and am very independant. I am also a good team player when I work in a team environment. I have read lots of posting that send the vibe that nursing is not the place to be. Please someone respond with an opinion. I love the medical fiels and wanted to move into Nursing because it would allow me to help others? is this like a bad choice?

AKAKatydid · Apr 22, 2005

I'm looking to take a year or two away from clinical nursing. Back when I was an LPN I found options were far and few, so when I took time off then, I ended up in a convenience store (with a huge pay cut, might I add). After becoming an RN, having spent a year and a half in home health, then getting a crappy critical care class and working a lousy job (and now since I'm considered an experienced nurse, I can't get a class elsewhere), I'm ready to get out, at least for a little bit. What else can you do with a BSN? Any ideas?

If it's the clinical you are looking to get away from, have you looked into maybe advice nursing/ telephone triage?? Since you have experience, it sounds like you would be a great asset!

I honestly haven't looked into it, so I don't know how available those positions are, but I remember when I lived in California that Kaiser Permanente had a bunch of them.

lady_jezebel · Apr 22, 2005

I'm looking to take a year or two away from clinical nursing. Back when I was an LPN I found options were far and few, so when I took time off then, I ended up in a convenience store (with a huge pay cut, might I add). After becoming an RN, having spent a year and a half in home health, then getting a crappy critical care class and working a lousy job (and now since I'm considered an experienced nurse, I can't get a class elsewhere), I'm ready to get out, at least for a little bit. What else can you do with a BSN? Any ideas?

"Clinical trials coordinator", "Clinical data associate", "Clinical research associate".... Look in the technical/scientific section of your paper. If you live in a fairly large city, you may find positions like these @ pharmaceutical companies. They pay well & involve a lot of paperwork (no "nursing" work at all -- and you wear your own clothes, and sometimes travel throuhout the country). They love to hire nurses. If you can't find these in your paper, try calling local temporary agencies for these kinds of opportunities (they are often your "in" into certain jobs/companies).

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 22, 2005

Hello everyone;is nursing that bad? ?

On one hand ... this is a bulletin board where nurse come to vent ... where nurses with some sort of question or problem come to get suggestions ... etc. People without some sort of problem rarely post simply to say how happy the are. So, you have to understand that you are seeing a somewhat slanted view of the profession here. Take that into consideration.

On the other hand ... There are very real reasons for there being an international nursing shortage. Nursing is hard work and much of that work is not very glamorous or very much appreciated. As a predominantly female profession, it has generally been oppressed (and sometimes abused) by other professionals. And, to paraphrase another person who often posts here, "Nursing school doesn't cure you of your personality flaws." Nursing has its share of people who aren't so nice -- just like every other line of work.

Personally, I really like my current job and the people I work with. But that has not always been the case. My 28-year career has had it ups and downs -- just like it probably would have if I had chosen another profession.

Nursing can be a great profession if it is the type of work that you want to do and you have the strength, flexibility, etc. to make it work for you. However, it has it's share of problems and you need to be prepared to deal with such problems if you are going to make a success of it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

llg