Trying to switch specialties

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Specializes in OR.

I really need some advice. I was an OR Nurse for 14+ years since I had gotten out of nursing school. Now, with cervical stenosis, I had to have a 3 level cervical fusion which resulted in left sided weakness and I cannot return to patient care.

I am trying to find a job on the business side of nursing before my Long Term Disability runs out in September. I am an MSN, MSHA nurse. I have applied for Case Management, Utilization Review, Care Coordinator positions but they all require experience or certification that I do not have.

Are there any jobs somebody like me can apply for that dont require all that? I am having a rough time because OR is the only thing I have ever done. Now that has been taken away from me, and I am at a loss as to where to go next.

Any suggestions would be great! Thanks so much.

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Specializes in OR.

I have also tried faculty positions, but they require clinical instruction and patient care. I signed up for Telephonic Case Management, but I can only get satellite internet where I live and they want me to have DSL or Cable. I am trying for clinics and other positions but I am not finding anything that even pays remotely what I was making. I know I am going to have to take a pay cut of some sort, but I cannot find anything.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks, Susan

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Assistant management?

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Specializes in OR.

It is a thought if I can find the right genre of nursing,,,,,,,,,,,Thanks

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Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.

Staff developement, Nursing informatics, health care administration, teaching. Can you become a NP?

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Specializes in OR.

Silverbat, Thanks for the suggestions. I could go on to NP school, however I just finished 2 Masters degrees so I am done with school for a while. These are in Nursing and Health Care Admin,,,,,,,,I have tried to do education but because of my left sided weakness cannot do any kind of patient care. When you teach nursing students, you usually have to take them to clinical too which I cannot do.

As for Administrative positions, they tell me since I have no management experience, it will be hard for me to get that type of position. I am really at wits end. I have done OR all my life and now having to switch, against my will, into another genre of nursing is not as easy as it seems. They all want experience and certifications which I do not have.

I think my only option may be to start at the entry level and move up the ladder again which really sucks, but I gotta find a job.......I realize it will not pay me as much as I was making in the OR and I am going to take a financial hit, but it doesn't look like I have any other choices. It really sucks but that is what will probably happen.

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Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.

There are compaines for Nursing homes that help with someone becoming an Licensed Nursing Home administrator. LNHA just need at least a 4 year degree in a related(To administration) field. They train you and pay you for up to a year, then provide you with a job when you successfully complete the AIT (administrator in training ) Program. Might be worth looking into. Some companies have nation-wide facilities so you have a wide variety of places to go..I'm thinking Hawaii!! LOL

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Specializes in OR.

Silverbat, Thanks so much,

I will definitely look into it.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I appreciate the suggestion,,,,,,,,,,,,,Susan

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