From experience, has anyone had a relatively low stress nursing job ?

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 6, 2012

the lowest stress area for me was in post-partum. Most all the patients are healthy and just need fluids, pain management and education. Then, just when you think it is calm---someone will go into DIC. Moral: hospital nursing is stressful. Period.

monkeybug · Nov 6, 2012

I'm in a reasonably low-stress job at the moment in public health. I do home visits with low income moms and babies. It's not easy, but it's very rewarding, and that helps level it all out. I just left a labor unit that was the worst environment I've ever worked in. We dealt with understaffing, high acuity, and zero support from management. Here, I'm in charge of my time and my schedule. Even on busy days, I have a sense of accomplishment. I look forward to Mondays and I am excited to come to work every day. There is stress, but the support I have from management and my autonomy make it worthwhile and totally manageable. I think that's the important thing, no matter how hard a job is, it's better if you have a supportive environment and some control.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Nov 6, 2012

I agree with a low-stress job being postpartum. The patients are for the most part healthy with very few (or no) comorbidities. You do a lot of teaching in postpartum, or sometimes none at all if your patients already have children ("been there, done that" kind of thing). You don't really give any medications aside from IV fluids and PRN medications. Where I work the postpartum unit is also a med-surg unit that takes female patients with gynecological or GI problems, but even the medications given to those patients are few compared to other floors. I have floated to this unit a couple of times and I request to have the gynecological or surgical patients because I do not come from an OB background...really I just medicate for pain or nausea, give them IV fluids and some IV antibiotics. It is definitely a change of pace when I float there compared to my home unit...I work in progressive care and the stress level can be quite high.

You could also work in a clinic. My PCP is a nurse practitioner working in an Army medical home...and of course the nurses working with her all know I'm a nurse and they told me the stress of working in a clinic is much lower compared to other nursing disciplines.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2012

After 7 years bouncing around bedside, LTC, Public Health and ambulatory clinics, I'm finally settled in and comfy in a beige cubicle doing case management. I call post discharge patients all day and check on 'em. I document on an EMR by clicking boxes & filling in blanks. Occasionally I make referrals or call PCPs. It's 9-5, M-F, salaried, good managers and I'm pretty much on my own. Super low stress and I love it.

Worst stress was a packed ambulatory sliding fee clinic, heavily impacted, understaffed and horribly managed. People always say to burnt out shift nurses "oh find a clinic job!" And I want to run between them screaming "noooo! Don't!"

bubblejet50 · Nov 6, 2012

I work in a low stress nursing job. I work in a group home for medically unstable developmentally disabled clients. I have 6 clients. I used to work in a nursing home so I find this low stress. Its trying on the patience but there is a lot of down time which i would say is the downside of low stress nursing. Its nice because im not constantly fretting about what needs dobe, when im going to get to this, has so and so had a shower.

beeker · Nov 6, 2012

After 7 years bouncing around bedside, LTC, Public Health and ambulatory clinics, I'm finally settled in and comfy in a beige cubicle doing case management. I call post discharge patients all day and check on 'em. I document on an EMR by clicking boxes & filling in blanks. Occasionally I make referrals or call PCPs. It's 9-5, M-F, salaried, good managers and I'm pretty much on my own. Super low stress and I love it.
Worst stress was a packed ambulatory sliding fee clinic, heavily impacted, understaffed and horribly managed. People always say to burnt out shift nurses "oh find a clinic job!" And I want to run between them screaming "noooo! Don't!"

Are you hiring? Count me in! How do I get this kind of job?

mclennan, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2012

Get 5+ years experience, a BSN and ANCC board certification in Case Management! You'lll find jobs like this popping up everywhere....it's gonna be a big thing for insurance companies, HMOs and hospitals looking to save $.

studentnurse9806 · Nov 6, 2012

Get 5+ years experience, a BSN and ANCC board certification in Case Management! You'lll find jobs like this popping up everywhere....it's gonna be a big thing for insurance companies, HMOs and hospitals looking to save $.

Does it matter what kind of experience? Do i need hospital experience or just any nursing experience?

mclennan, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2012

A little bit of bedside/inpatient, some Public Health and anything in an ambulatory environment where you follow patients with long term chronic conditions or help them with other aspects of their care besides just physical/medical. Case management is a lot like Social Work. Pull some volunteer time following a discharge planner around a hospital or get a home visiting/Public Health nurse gig - check to see if your state offers the PHN license, that was a big deal to my employer when I got hired here.

studentnurse9806 · Nov 7, 2012

A little bit of bedside/inpatient, some Public Health and anything in an ambulatory environment where you follow patients with long term chronic conditions or help them with other aspects of their care besides just physical/medical. Case management is a lot like Social Work. Pull some volunteer time following a discharge planner around a hospital or get a home visiting/Public Health nurse gig - check to see if your state offers the PHN license, that was a big deal to my employer when I got hired here.

Thank you for your response! sounds like something i would be interested in the future. I am still a student but it is good to know what type of jobs are out there.

rnto? · Nov 7, 2012

I am a director of nursing in LTC, it is very low stress. Ha ha! Obviously don't recommend management if you're looking for low stress. I've heard that case management is getting more and more pressure to cut costs, etc. I think that is still one of the lower stress positions, relatively speaking. Also, working for an insurance company being the nurse line contact doesn't seem bad.