Non-clinical nursing - What is out there?

[Sarah27]

[color=#888888]

i was three years into nursing school when i knew that clinical nursing was not for me. now, i have been out of school a year and my only job has been at a holistic health clinic doing mostly medical assistant type work. i really enjoyed parts of it, mostly what they practiced, but the rest was just the typical stress and b.s. that comes with working other women and in a health care environment so i quit for my own sanity. now, i can't find any other work here doing holistic care and until i move to california next year i don't have many options. i refuse to do hospital nursing as it goes against my morals and i don't like the negative environment. so, my question is what types of non-clinical nursing jobs are out there that don't require much more college. i am already swimming in student loans and don't want to add much more to that. but i would really like to be able to use my degree and do something i love everyday. any advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

Some of the above comments just reinforce the principal that the OP was describing about working with a female dominated field!

[happy2learn]

Some of the above comments just reinforce the principal that the OP was describing about working with a female dominated field!

That's true.

Although some of the stories I hear from my hubby make me think that male dominated doesn't mean better. Yelling with foul language, backstabbing, and lying.

I wonder if the "female" side of men comes out when they are all together....

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

I went to nursing school because I wanted to help people. Just because I have a different value system does not mean I should be shunned from nursing and using my skills. There have to be jobs out there for people like me. And yes, I have considered other lines of work.

One of those things I bet where, if you could go back in time and have a discussion with yourself.....................things would be different.

There are lots of ways to "help" people other than nursing. I'm just beside myself that you went into study for the exact field/science that you have moral issues with. Thats just plain odd.

[Sarah27]

eriksoln - Well, the fact is I did what I did for a reason and yes, now I wish I would have done it differently but that doesn't really matter at this point. I just need to move on and do something different. And I didn't have moral issue with nursing before I got into it more and experienced what I did, especially in my clinical rounds. By then I was pretty far in and wanted to finish. So, no I didn't have issue with the field going into it, that wouldn't even make sense.

[happy2learn]

I just have to say, the homeless clinic thing that missjennmb mentioned, sounds amazing.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

eriksoln - Well, the fact is I did what I did for a reason and yes, now I wish I would have done it differently but that doesn't really matter at this point. I just need to move on and do something different. And I didn't have moral issue with nursing before I got into it more and experienced what I did, especially in my clinical rounds. By then I was pretty far in and wanted to finish. So, no I didn't have issue with the field going into it, that wouldn't even make sense.

Ah, OK. Gottcha. So you were pretty far into nursing before you realized it did not jive with your personal values. But at that point, it was too far to go back. That does make more sense.

I would also suggest maybe something that lets you get your foot in the door with your degree that has nothing to do with medical but lets you "help people".

I used to be in a Tae Kwon Do class that had a woman's group for rape prevention/defense. Had a few female students from the battered female shelter.

Being a staff member at a place like that or a children's group home is helping, and you wouldn't be confronted with Western medicine. I know a couple nurses who work in youth homes part time as a second job. One of them was offered the Home Manger position after only six months.

[Sarah27]

eriksoln - Thank you for the suggestions, I like the idea of helping with a rape prevention/self defense class. I am definitely looking into all ares of suggestion and do realize I may or may not be putting my degree to alot of use in the future. But I do know now that there are so many ways of "helping" people other than nursing, which back when I started school I was just so focused on nursing being the only way.

[happy2learn]

You may want to look at this forum as well:

Holistic Nursing Forum - Nursing for Nurses

[MissIt]

My accupuncturist was a labor and delivery nurse. Maybe something like that or massage?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I have a friend that is a new grad who got a job with a pharmaceutical company. Another nurse friend got tired of bedside nursing after 8 years and works for a pacemaker company (sales). Also, there is health promotion. But I think most of those jobs require, or at least, ideally want you to have some clinical experience.

Are you willing to re-consider hospitals/bedside nursing at all? Especially with this economy as a new grad, we have to take what we get. After a year or two, then it's easier to move on. Otherwise, the options may be limited.

[MissIt]

You know what might be a good fit for you re: bedside nursing? Hospice! Your job would basically be comforting patients and families. You could use a lot of your holistic medicine interests as well as complementary therapies, music, etc. etc. You would still need some nursing skills-- pain meds, positioning, assessment skills, etc. But it would be totally different from typical hospital floor nursing.

[nursel56]

QUOTE=happy2learn;4432221]Thank you for attempting to clarify. I actually wanted to edit a bunch of that out because it was too long, but I came back to the computer too late, oh well.

I decided to fork over the $$$ for a Premium Membership just so I could have unlimited powers of editing! Oh yes and because I support allnurses as a wonderful resource for the the nursing community that is over 434,620 strong!