Thinking outside the box.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2009

:(Dont tease. That actually was my very first choice for an occupation when I was like............oh.........13.

I got in trouble for calling a pay phone number (a 1-900 one, back when they werent all dirty things) that told clean jokes. I wanted to interview the guy for a paper we had to do in school. Guy on the other end stopped reading the prepared jokes to me and was like "fine, its your dime". Actually, it was my parents dime. Interviewed him for 45 minutes. Did my paper, got a B though.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2009

I'm sorry you feel that way. You sound tired/BO. Your OP gives the impression you want to get away entirely from clinical/bedside nursing but that's where most of the jobs are, as I'm sure you know. Positions that aren't clinical/bedside generally require at least a BSN and some clinical experience as well (which you obviously have). What kind of nursing do you really want to do?

Dont have the BSN though. Part of the reason I went into travel nursing too is that my DON was NOT cooperating with the fact that I was going back to school. I wanted to work weekends and only select weekdays, but they said heck to the no to that. Thats another story though. So, in the end, I did not get the BSN.

Eh, if alls I'm ever going to do is M/S, yes, I want completely out of nursing. Heck, I'll add to that............if I have to wait more than a couple months to get out of M/S, I would rather be out of nursing.

I'll take a pay cut to do it.

Bugaloo · Mar 8, 2009

How about standup comedy?

I was thinking the same thing! You guys are cracking me up! :chuckle

lamazeteacher · Mar 8, 2009

I'm out of the box more than I'm in it, so I've found interesting newspaper ads, one in 1964 that said "Nurse with OB clinic experience" and a phone number. I called it, and became the "Director of Nursing" at a maternity home in Los Angeles for 4 years, until birth control pills caught on........ It still looks good on my resume (without the years it happened, mentioned).

Then another ad caught my eye for a "nurse reasearch assistant" in 1968, and I was on the trail with a study of "Doctor-Patient Communication" for a few years.

Moving to San Francisco, another ad for an "Inservice Coordinator" in 1969

interested me, and I applied, based on having given many a talk for Inservice folks about "Unwed mothers" and "Doctor-Patient Communication". I had to keep visiting the Nursing Director frequently after the initial interview, for that one, as she really didn't "believe in it". When I met the administrator there, he, being Swiss was excited that I could speak French (the hospital was the very first HMO facility for a group of people meeting the requirement that they had French ancestors).

Now I'm on "Career Builder" on the internet, still looking for a job (not interested

in continuing retirement - that's too into the box/envelope) that will appreciate my experience and skills/capabilities.

What I'd really love to do, is work with the HHD government department

for universal healthcare that people can accept, after convincing them that alltogether more taxpayer dollars go to uninsured people than would go for that system (not "socialized medicine"as people call the Canadian programs, which I know well, having been there at the inception of them).

RNperdiem, RN · Mar 8, 2009

I met a former nurse who switched to selling medical supplies.

His job involved a lot of demonstrations and inservices relating to the products he sold.

amarilla, RN · Mar 8, 2009

What about jobs in pre-certification or case management with an insurance company?

Your experience in M/S could get you in the door without any previous insurance experience.

Best,

Southern

*ac* · Mar 9, 2009

Case management jobs want 5 years of experience.

loricatus · Mar 9, 2009

How about nursing informatics? Since you travel, you are probably proficient in a few programs. Is training users in one of those programs an option?

flightnurse2b, LPN · Mar 9, 2009

how about cruise ship nursing?? that looks like it would be alot of fun!! you could be a nurse for carnival or something.

dishes, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2009

*AC* I would like to know how to find ANY of these non-bedside jobs?

One nurse worked in ICU until she wanted a change, one day while doing a patient's dressing she noted the company name and address on the dressing package. That night whe went home and wrote the company a letter, explained that as a nurse she ahd been using the company's products for years and thought the products were good. She asked the company if they could use a nurse in sales... they hired her within weeks.

If you are interested in sales you can look at the names of the companys that manufacure the products and drugs you give to patients Check the companys' websites for job postings and human resources contacts, also check for the contact information of the sales rep in your area, phone the sales rep tell them you use the product and are interested in knowing more about sales.

Attend nursing and medical conferences and check out the sponsor's display booths, ask the reps for their business cards. if the business card identifies them as a nurse, ask them how they got started in sales. This type of networking can lead to job offers. The same principles can be applied for any non-bedside position you are interested in.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2009

I've actually considered nursing infomatics. Might take some schooling though. Didnt know there were cruise ship nurses. Hmmmm................

April, RN, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2009

I'm glad you started this thread because I've been having the same thoughts. I don't work in M/S, but I'm getting tired of bedside nursing for the same reasons you are. I've been thinking about Same Day surgery a lot lately, but I've heard that they want ICU experience which I don't have.

I'm concerned that if I were to leave bedside nursing after only 2-3 years of experience, it might be hard getting back into bedside nursing down the road if/when I need a new challenge again.