nursing career without touching people

[confusedstudent2011]

I am about to graduate with my BSN and I absolutely do not want to be a nurse that has patient contact. My second semester of nursing school I had an exposure at clinical and I have since been diagnosed with PTSD and OCD. I have been taking medication and I am currently going to therapy but I am absolutely terrified of anything relating touching people of any nursing tasks. I was wondering what I can do with my degree that would not entail touching people (preferably office work) with no experience. Thank you so much

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Hi, there. I hope that your day is progressing well.

Unfortunately, the office-type nursing jobs that involve absolutely no patient contact will almost universally require several years of hands-on patient care in a bedside nursing position. Most, if not all, nursing 'desk jobs' require that you do your time in the trenches and provide care to patients for a few years at the very least.

In addition, your chances of finding a nursing job with no hands-on patient contact are very slim in this crappy economic climate. In fact, finding a nursing job with plenty of patient contact is elusive for many newly graduated nurses in this sluggish economy. I wish you the best of luck in your quest for career development.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

You can work admin or for a pharmaceutical company. Telephone nursing. However, these positions are usually reserved for nurses who have at least 2 years of bedside care first. It will probably be very challenging for you to find a job if you expect minimal to no contact with people.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

It's like working in a bank and refusing to touch money.

I don't understand why you continued in the nursing field.

To answer your question, there are management jobs, but most require some nursing experience. Coding?

Good luck to you.

[Caffeine_IV]

I'm sorry for your traumatic experience but it will be hard to get that type of job with 0 experience even as a BSN nurse.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Have you done OK with your clinicals? I have to think that you have because you likely couldn't graduate from nursing school without performing a minimum of patient care.

Is it simply a matter of slowly increasing your exposure to patient care/contact? (and I don't say simply in an effort to minimize the issue - only to try to narrow down the issue) Does it seem possible to you to work your way into acceptable patient care/patient contact as long as you can accomplish that at a slower rate?

[betterlatethennever]

What is the world coming too. New nurses coming out of school and don't want to touch a patient? I hope this is a joke

[A&OxNone, MSN, RN]

This isn't serious, is it?

How did you make it through the rest of school?

Get a different career. My sister works in finance. She doesn't touch people

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Like others stated, to get into a job that does not required touching people takes a few years of bedside experience. Good luck and keep us posted.

New grads are having trouble with jobs, can't imagine looking for one with such high standards.

[79Tango]

You could always try telephonic nursing, although that would require speaking into a head-set...(which someone else may have already touched).

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I'm wondering why you stayed in the nursing program knowing you didn't want to have pt contact. Like the others have stated, I don't know of any management (desk) type jobs a nurse could have w/o the 1-2 years of bedside experience. Wishing you well.

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

maybe you can try psych nursing for a little while? while i cant guarantee you wont touch someone.. there's generally a lot less bodily fluids and infectious diseases going on... im not sure what kind of exposure you had, so i dont know if thats out of the question, but like others said, your chances are slim to none with getting a nursing job and not touching people at all.. maybe try a doctors office as well? you touch people but not to the extent of working as a floor nurse in a hospital.. good luck, hope you find what youre looking for.