Which nursing jobs are most creative? I'd love some ideas.

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Hi Everybody,

From time to time, an allnurses.com member will ask about "most stressful job," "best paying job," etc. Well, I am wondering if anybody will kindly weigh in on this...I am very independent and love to build things - I built a hot tub, fix my car, do plumbing and wiring in my house. Even back in nursing school, I'd constantly be thinking of innovative ways to do things, and quickly found out about the "right way, wrong way and the nursing way." Is there anybody here who feels that his or her job allows for creativity and autonomy? To be sure, one of the best things about nursing is there is no question about "making a difference" to other people. This is great, but I need something more. Any ideas? I know there will always be paperwork and having to answer to supervisors. But I'd like to explore ways in which I could use my "inner inventor." Thanks much!

Diahni

Specializes in Orthopedics.

Have you thought about nursing research?

Specializes in School Nursing.

I find school nursing to be a great creative outlet. On the creative-artsy side, I design and make bulletin boards for my office as well as posters, etc. I also create and implement teaching programs for students or staff, such as handwashing campaigns, teaching kids about germs, teaching the teachers about asthma or flu, or whatever. As far as hands-on creativity, I have found some unique solutions for fixing broken glasses...twist ties from bread wrappers work great!!!

Have you thought about nursing research?

nursing research sounds interesting - I'd bet I'd need a MSN for that?

Thanks!

Diahni

Many years ago, I read a nursing research study that looked at degrees of independence (not creativity, exactly, but kinda close) in different nursing specialties. It looked at all the usual nursing specialties and divided the typical daily practice into dependent and independent functions/tasks. "Dependent" functions were those we did because someone else told us to -- physicians' orders, protocols, hospital policies, etc. "Independent" functions were what we (used to?) call "nursing orders" -- things the nurse could do on her/his own, without anyone else's permission or direction.

The results of the study were that ICU nursing had the highest percentage of dependent functions (not really a big surprise), and psychiatric nursing had the highest percentage of independent functions. (I don't recall where other specialties fell on the continuum, just the two extremes.) So that's something to consider if you're looking for areas that allow for more creativity and independence in practice (full disclosure -- I've spent most of my career in psych :)).

You can be a camp nurse--some camps hire nurses year round. They have summer camp then switch to science camp for school districts for year round use. Pays well and includes room/board/utilities.

Creative-yep! Everyone comes to you for their problems. I even have a kit to repair/remove/rehook wires on braces. Glasses--can fix these too! Keys locked in the van? Come to me for a coat hanger! Good at arts and crafts? Yep! We do them in the infirmary! Camper fell 30 ft off ropes course? Yep! Handled that one too!

You could start getting your feet wet by voluntering to do QA data collection and then letting people know that you are interested in exploring opportunities in research at your facility. The most important qualifications are usually a strong work ethic and unfailing honesty in reporting. If you wanted to do research at a university, an MSN and/or PhD might be a requirement - at the hospital level, I have not seen an educational requirement.

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I'm a psych RN. I work in a RTC (long term kids who live there approx 1 yr so you really get to know them, go to school, etc We have all boys ages 12-17) and I feel the staff gets to be creative and have fun with the kids. One RN did a garden with them one summer, one of our techs helps teach them basic car care (change tire, etc), they go on outings (zoo, park, etc), we have cookouts, etc.. They build things in RT, have groups and discuss things, etc. So there certainly are those types of opportunities. Obviously every unit is different, depends on the population of patients, ages, etc.

I really like it!

Of course things happen (broken noses, holds and IM zyprexa) but my unit for the most pert is pretty calm for a rtc psych unit.

Specializes in Global Health Informatics, MNCH.

I second nursing research. Though I think you'll need a PhD rather than an MSN. Right now I'm working on a web-based video game to help adolescents with diabetes understand how to use and trouble shoot their insulin pumps. Lots of room for creativity in research.

Liv

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

Have you looked into nursing infomatics?

Specializes in trauma, ortho, burns, plastic surgery.

In one of my 1001 carriers I worked with deaf kids and mental delay ones, is a pleasure to educate them and a chalange in the same time.

Did you try to add "an addictive" song to the images for diabet education, each step (image) with a part of the song.

I teached literature on deaf chids using this technique, images draw on black table, each image for each section of the story and clapping hands, or feet...."the Snow white brushed the floor..."swiiimp, swiiiimp, swiimp" plus the image of this section .... you put togheter the helpers for memory, images and sounds...perfect!

Research is great....!!!

Wound treatments nurse is great also! (LVN jobs also) Clinical assesment nurse is awesome also, unfortunately hard to find a full time job like. NP in psychiatry...cognitive behavior therapy, addiction therapies, all psych therapies are AWESOME.......few jobs....master required.....QA.... well.... who let us there...lol????

I am an RN working at a university based school of nursing. I run the simulation lab using mannequins to simulate various procedures, moulage, and review of skills on an individual basis. Our mannequins are mid level having breath, heart and bowel sounds which all run the gamit from normal to abnormal. I have a lot of fun teaching students what I know and creating problems for them to use their problem solving skills.

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