RNentrepreneur

You need to be as specific an you can about what you would sell, what the specific benefits would be to your potential customers, what would they be willing to pay for your training, and where would you find your target market? Starting part time is an excellent idea! It is important to be abel to survive and pay your bills as you are starting your business. Being despairate for business is not attractive.

I think the assumption is that without being able to bill insurance payors a nurse entrepreneur would have an uphill struggle. In the current economic climate a nurse entrepreneur would have a very steep uphill battle. A well thought out business plan is critical.

If you think the waits to get into nursing school are insane then plan to be a nursing instructor. There are not enough nurses interested in and with enough education to be instructors. You can help the nursing shortage by committing yourself to becoming a nurse instructor.

Let's brainstorm what types of self employment someone with a background in accounting and nursing could start. Of course, one would want to determine the need and ability for people to pay before starting such a business. How about the following: medical bill review (find errors in billing for individuals) medical bill review and coordination for individuals (help them sort through EOBs and invoices to determine what needs to be paid or not paid), or contract with medical equipment or supplies companies to do their billing. Can anyone think of other self employment options? Small business is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy.

Have any of you thought about starting your own busienss as a nurse entrepreneur? There are options to corporate America.

It is my understanding that you must be a certified agency to bill Medicare for skilled nursing visits. Nurse practitioners can obtain a provider number and bill Medicare. However, I do not think that an RN can obtain a provider number. To bill for skilled nursing visits you will need to set up a home care company and get that company certified by Medicare.

To find information on becoming a Medicare certified agency you can go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/06_HHAs.asp. You will find some of the information you will need such as some of the forms you will need to complete, who must be on your board, some of the policies and procedures you will need to have in place and information covering other aspects of certification and compliance.

I don't think there is a clear definition of a nurse coach. I would think this could be a nurse who coaches other nurses. A nurse coach could also be someone who does lifestyle coaching, wellness coaching, nutrition coaching, or a variety of other specialties that a nurse might have. LeaRae

There are many ways to be independent in your nursing career. Here are just a few titles that nurses have choosen to pursue: cosmetic nurse specialists, nurse acupuncturists, nurse attorneys, nurse care managers, nurse case managers, independent contract nurses, nurse coaches, nurse consultants, nurse counselor, nurse educators, nurse disease managers, nurse expert witnesses, nurse life care planners, nurse medical bill auditors, nurse medical coders, nurse medical researchers, nurse midwives, nurse paralegals, nurse patient advocates, nurse qualified rehabilitation consultants, nurse rehabilitation consultants, nurse risk managers, nurse speakers, nurse specialists, nurse trainers, nurse wound care specialists, nurse writers, nurses in alternative medicine, community health nurses, forensic nurses, immunization nurses, legal nurse consultants (LNC), psychiatric nurses, sexual assault nurses, sports nutrition nurses, geriatric care managers, nurse health advocates, nurse death investigators, utilization review nurses, and nurse wellness coaches This list does not exhaust all the possibilities but it should give you a place to start with your research.

I think you may actually be wondering about a factoring service. A payroll service determines how much tax you need to withhold from paychecks and files your monthly, quarterly and yearly tax submissions. A payroll company sends your taxes to your state and federal government for you. They focus on the payroll and withholding tax part of your business so you can focus on the business of your business. A factoring company is a company that provides your business money for your receivables so that you have cash available to pay your employees. You may want to look into both a payroll company and a factoring company if you will need cash sooner rather than later. LeaRae

If you dislike doing a lot of paperwork be sure to ask about this during your interview. Perhaps some of the previous responders could also comment on the paperwork involved in DCP. I think there is also a great deal of paperwork in this position. As an onsite case manager following up with patients once they are discharged I obtain a great deal of paperwork from the DCP.

If you are too nervous to go out on your own try being an intrapreneur first. Intrapreneuring involves starting a division or product line within your current work environment. You won't benefit as much monetarily as if you were a nurse entrepreneur but you won't have the risk either. Think of something you would like to develop, create a business plan, and sell it to your current administration. I did several intrapreneuring ventures before going out on my own. As someone with an entrepreneural spirit before I even knew it I was always anxious to create something. I created a return to work program for an employer, a medical case management division for a work comp case management company, and an auto case management division within a work comp case management company. These were great ways to develop my skills before going out on my own. If you don't feel you are ready for entrepreneuring consider intrapreneuring.

Offer a complimentary coaching session to people you know. At the end of the coaching session ask them if they found it to be beneficial and if they would like to contract for further coaching.

You generally need 3 - 5 years of experience. The best experience for these types of positions depends on the position you are most interested in seeking. Typically the best areas in which to get experience are in critial care, rehabilitation, and home health care for the positions that are most typically available.

It would be a long commute. However, have you considered working in a state facility? Many years ago I worked in what is now the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center. It was a great working experience.