Non-traditional nursing paths, advice?

[coldnclammy]

To get right to the point, I am burned out and have been for years. I have been a nurse for 7 years doing mainly med/surg and tele positions. I am currently a traveler on a medical floor. I have worked the hardest I have ever worked as a nurse and in seven years I have not used any sick time. I am worried that I have waited to long to get into something different within the profession because I wouldn't mind leaving it all together to pursue other goals outside of nursing. I have done a minute amount of work in ED, ICU and stepdown. I mention that b/c I have no interest in specializing in those areas, I feel they are still to close to what I am doing now. Which brings me to why I am posting. Before leaving the profession to wait tables (I wish I were joking), what are some non traditional options in nursing that you may know about that I might be able to possibly pursue? I am not concerned about taking a paycut. I like the education role but can't stand managment. Nutrition interests me. I might be able to tolerate working in an office but that might be way to routine from what I've heard. I would be willing to check out OR and cath lab, and recently heard information about RN health coaches. Anyone have ANY advice for me? Any information regarding the aforementioned positions?

Close to desperate.

[JourneyRN]

I do not have the amount of experience that you do, but I have had the amount of desperation to leave before and so I had looked into the following: case management, working for insurance companies, clinical instruction positions, other types of nurse education jobs (like diabetes educator, health education positions at hospitals), tutoring nursing students (you would be an awesome resource with your experience), school nursing (I have done a lot of substitute school nursing, it's my dream job, it's nothing like hospital nursing), clinic jobs, dial-a-nurse. Also, I've worked at a weight loss clinic before and it wasn't that bad... doesn't really challenge your nursing skills but it does give you a break from the intense pace of floor nursing. Anyway, maybe some of my suggestions are viable options for you. Saying a prayer that you find peace and happiness with your profession. Oh, and maybe you should use some of that sick time while you're at it... you certainly deserve it!

[lily1289]

What about doing Home Health? You can be a Home Care Nurse and since you're on the road most of the time, there's no chance of being bored plus you get to spend ample time with each patient. If you don't like that, you can be a Field Visiting Nurse wherein all you do is go to people's houses and do mainly assessments or sometimes their job is to determine if the patients are eligible for long term home health care program. Whatever you decide, best of luck to you! :)