nursing career without touching people

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I'm sorry, but there is no way. Even office nurses have to touch people.

I hope you do recover and maybe someday you can complete school and become a nurse. For now, though, I would seek a job perhaps involving internet or telephone communications only. Some sort of bank work, perhaps?

Biffbradford · Sep 7, 2011

Sorry for your experience. Perhaps you can change majors to radiology tech or some such where, at the worst, you'd have to help them into a certain position rather than sticking tubes in places where tubes normally don't belong. Some of your credits would transfer over.

:hrnsmlys:

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

What sort of exposure did you get? Was it blood to someone HIV+ or Hep C? What happened that caused PTSD?

Guest717236 · Sep 7, 2011

What sort of exposure did you get? Was it blood to someone HIV+ or Hep C? What happened that caused PTSD?

I think the fact the OP identified she is PTSD is sufficient, along with her statement that she prefers a nursing career without touching people....

The details belong to her and her treatment team. Not any of us...

amymina · Sep 7, 2011

It would still involve some patient contact, but perhaps a position in a doctors office where u have contact, but it is a different environment may be better? My friend was hired right from school to an office as a teaching nurse in a cardiologist office teaching patients about their cardiac conditions and how to deal with them and change their lifestyles. She got this with no experience and loves it. She didn't have a experience that caused her to have predict, but she didn't like to hospital environment. Maybe take some time after graduation to focus less on school and more on what has affected u before going out and getting a job if u can. Good luck!

One Flew Over · Sep 7, 2011

You could potentially be a screener, I'm not sure whether those jobs prefer you to have nursing experience though. You basically only have to work with charts and social workers from what I understand.

Jenni811, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I'm thinking you need another career choice if it is that big of a deal.

Even if you went into administration, (office work) you would need prior experience on the floor, and you would still have patient contact on occasion.

It just isn't gonna work.

What would you tell an elementary school teacher that hopes to find a teaching job but does not wish to have contact with Children?

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

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.

True- less chance of contact- but some also spit, bite, go bonkers and have to be manually restrained until the nice white jacket shows up, etc.... Psych "juices" are more likely to fly at you than be in a nice pile or puddle somewhere :eek:

Nurses are expected to touch people- even if only to get a job that will minimize it.

Maybe a drug rep? But I can't imagine them wanting NO bedside experience.

Before the traumatic situation, how did you do? Is there any chance of going through some sort of desensitization process w/therapy so that it's not an issue- even if you don't handle patients? It's got to be a major pain just having the thoughts/feelings Not sure if the therapy you mentioned is aimed at that - and it's none of my business :) just a thought )

Sun_danc3rRN · Sep 7, 2011

I can only imagine how hard it would be to be a nurse without touching anyone. What about furthering your career at this point to your Masters degree, such as in Nursing Informatics? You might be able to stay on the computer side of it. I don't foresee a time when computers and Nursing will ever be separate from each other. Good luck with it all.

CCL RN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I can only imagine how hard it would be to be a nurse without touching anyone. What about furthering your career at this point to your Masters degree, such as in Nursing Informatics? You might be able to stay on the computer side of it. I don't foresee a time when computers and Nursing will ever be separate from each other. Good luck with it all.

Now that's a good idea...

Jenni811, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I can only imagine how hard it would be to be a nurse without touching anyone. What about furthering your career at this point to your Masters degree, such as in Nursing Informatics? You might be able to stay on the computer side of it. I don't foresee a time when computers and Nursing will ever be separate from each other. Good luck with it all.

Sounds like a good idea, but what school would take someone with NO experience??

nursing research maybe, but even then you need a masters degree minimum and to get into masters programs (majority of them anyway) you need a couple years experience.

Isabelle49 · Sep 7, 2011

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

What school of nursing allowed you to complete clinicals without touching people?