Nursing speciality for someone that hates people

[Gogol]

You made it past the title! Congrats. That was a bit too direct.

So I want to go into nursing or medicine. I have no idea how it will be like but I've already completed pre-med pre reqs and spent some years after college working office jobs and It. My core motivations are wanting to interact with people and apply my technical skills/make a difference, and not be chained to a desk, also pay and the fact that nursing field is broad and I would be able to change specialties. Cons are that I don't like the hospital environment and I get stressed out easily, which leads me to hate people. (I've only shadowed someone several times and was not in the best place at the time) I admire that they make a difference but they look hella stressed out the whole time and I don't know if I can take it or if it worth it.

Any advice for someone in my position? Are there any jobs that would be suitable that would be in a relatively decent environment and have a combination of office and patient interaction time? Thanks!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm a case management RN who works from a home-based office and has minimal contact with others (coworkers, patients, etc.). However, I spent 10 years at the bedside in direct patient care before obtaining this position.

Therefore, I had to bide my time in the trenches before doing something more suited to my introverted personality.

[Get2theChoppa]

A less stressful RN position? Post partum, drug rehab, etc.

Then get into informatics? There's a significant number of hospital staff who lack computer skills.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

There is no specialty that is less stressful...at least in my experience.

Each has their own stressors-even in non-bedside positions such as chart reviews/informatics the deadlines and making sure the appropriate information was being captured can be stressful, at least it was for me, for example, although the plus side is that you pretty much work independently.

I also worked in LTC, Rehab, Private Duty Home Health and Home Health visits, been a supervisor, in Post-Acute, and now work in the ED. They each have their plus and minuses, as well as I have the ability to enjoy what I do, despite having to handle challenging personalities-I treat it like a business...and I learned how to do that by taking an opportunity to work as an Independent Contractor for a period of time-best career choice I made!

The person entering the specialty will have to decide what would be suitable as far as the stress level; in order to reach that goal of yours, be aware that those positions come with experience being engaged with people.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Research and clinical trials maybe? However, bedside experience is usually required for 2+ years prior to obtaining these positions.

[Gogol]

Research or Informatics is what I had as my end goal when I first started looking into nursing.

Is there a way to do this without bedside experience? I'm actually interested in Informatics and have worked in IT.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Research or Informatics is what I had as my end goal when I first started looking into it.

Is there a way to do this without bedside experience? I'm actually interested in Informatics and have worked in IT.

In research positions, especially specialized trials, you have to have a clinical background before taking that position; in informatics, you still have to have some clinical experience in order to have an idea with working in a clinical setting; one position that I looked at on Indeed stated "strong clinical experience" in an IT informatics position.

If you have an IT background and want to be around healthcare, if you don't want to put in the nursing time, you may have to apply to a hospital or facility and work in those areas that way...that is the only way you can circumvent the process as a sure thing...otherwise, you may have to bite the bullet and get that experience.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

The general rule is 2 years of bedside (may mean acute care, LTC, home health, clinic) experience in order to qualify for any of these positions.

You need clinical knowledge in order to be successful in these positions (research, informatics, case management, sales).

[Get2theChoppa]

Research or Informatics is what I had as my end goal when I first started looking into nursing.

Is there a way to do this without bedside experience? I'm actually interested in Informatics and have worked in IT.

Research? No, you need clinical experience to go into a full nursing research position. However, even as a new grad nurse, you can get involved in research for sure.

Informatics? I've never seen the point of needing nursing experience to become involved in nursing informatics. I've come across nurses/doctors who can barely type or figure out how to print a document. There are still facilities that use a paper system, like my bf's facility. I saw Cedar-Sinai post a position in December for an entry level informatics position that required only a bachelor's degree in ANY field. No experience or RN license required.

Still, it'd be best to just put up with clinical experience for a year or so, then get into IT, or administration. However, I should mention that my bf has a friend who got into the ED as a new grad, and he's starting up his own business in home health services with a focus on the Asian community. He can't wait to get out of the ED.

Perhaps you could do something similar if you have experience in IT, like try to work for the companies that develop health information technology?

There are jobs that don't seem to specifically require clinical nursing experience, usually it's like business administration, clinical healthcare, computer technology or science, or some other "closely related field." Example:

Specialist, Clinical Information Systems

Still, I have to ask, if you don't want to work with patients directly, why did you go into nursing?

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I don't recommend nursing for you. As I've said in a previous thread, I don't like when people come into nursing and don't want to touch a patient. Nursing is a patient centered career. No you can't just skip the "bad bedside" stuff. Please...you'll have to pay your dues wiping **** and getting cursed out like the rest of us first. Get your degree in IT and work at Google or Amazon

[Gogol]

Thank you! That was a lot of useful information :)

Still, I have to ask, if you don't want to work with patients directly, why did you go into nursing?

I sort of liked working with people at my last job and not be chained to a desk. Also my family has been in medicine so it's kind of the first place I look. My personality assessment says that I would be good at it. but I'm not sure I can handle 8 patients, multitudes of tasks, needy family members, lack of status, bullying, ****** hospital setting, and 12 hour shifts.

Perhaps I'm being overly negative, but these are my concerns.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

Perhaps you are looking toward healthcare as a career because that is what you have known growing up in your family. Maybe it is a comfort zone kind of thing?

My personal opinion is that I would not spend the time and money on a career that I had some serious doubts about. I really don't think nursing is what you, deep down, truly want to do.