Four Unique Nursing Jobs You Need to Consider
The nursing profession is unique in that a major career track change can be accomplished with merely an interview and on-the-job training. Nurses who are no longer interested in the grind of bedside nursing can go back to school for an advanced degree, but grueling study sessions are not the only way to move away from the bedside. There is a myriad of opportunities for nurses that have nothing to do with caring for patients in the hospital. Read on to learn about four opportunities for nurses who are considering a career change.
1. Radiology Nursing
Radiology nursing provides essential diagnostic and procedural services that every unit in the hospital or clinic will utilize in some way. In this department, staff perform CT scans, ultrasounds, MRI scans, and other imaging procedures. These procedures provide vital patient information and guide future care decisions. The emergency department uses radiology to rule out a serious brain bleed in the patient just brought in from a car accident. Orthopedics uses radiology to confirm the healing of a bone fracture. Oncology uses radiology to biopsy a suspicious mass to see if a patient’s cancer has returned.
Radiology nurses make all these services possible, and working in a radiology clinic will give you many opportunities to interact with both patients and other medical professionals. Nursing staff works closely with physicians, technologists, and those in other disciplines. They ensure patient comfort by administering sedation or calming medications prior to procedures. Best of all, radiology hours can be flexible, with some operating 24/7 and others running a clinic schedule. Regardless of your preference, you can find a situation that works for you.
2. Public Health Nursing
If you believe that healthcare professionals should focus on disease prevention and health promotion, explore a career in public health. Public health nursing is really the essence of healthcare: health promotion, population-based care, health surveillance, etc. Unfortunately, public health is given less attention because it doesn’t generate as much money as other forms of healthcare. However, this career field can be deeply satisfying. Public health professionals operate in a comfortable and safe working environment that generally provides services to underserved populations within the community.
Public health jobs are usually sponsored by a government entity. That means the pay is lower, but you’ll find many other advantages. Additional public-health nursing benefits include great hours (generally daytime, Monday through Friday), above-average benefits, and a less physically demanding job. If the chaotic environment of the hospital doesn’t appeal to you, a position as a public health nurse might be a great fit.
3. Dialysis
If you’d like to really get to know your patients, consider a career in dialysis. Often nurses feel they are moving patients through their unit as quickly as possible, and they miss out on the patient interaction that previously made nursing a trusted and respected profession. Working as a dialysis nurse allows you the unique opportunity to work with complex patients over long periods of time. Given the length of treatment and the consistency required, you will develop a rapport with patients and get to know them on a more personal basis.
As a dialysis nurse, you get to work with higher acuity patients but still spend more time at the bedside than other nursing jobs. Dialysis nursing offers work in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, so you can find hours that fit your life goals. If you want to develop relationships with those in great need and still have flexible hours, consider dialysis nursing.
4. Clinic Nursing
Clinic jobs provide competitive pay, good working conditions, favorable hours, and a great work-life balance. Nurses get one-on-one time with patients and still get to be heavily involved with the interdisciplinary team (doctors, NPs/PAs/support staff). Clinic nurses support physicians as well as connect with patients in person, over the phone, and now online. They get to perform assessments, educate and coach patients, and perform procedures. Clinic nurses often act as intermediary between patients and physician. When patients have questions, experience new symptoms, or need test results, the clinic nurse helps to address many of the patient’s needs. Transitions from the hospital to the clinic setting are a welcomed reprieve for many nurses looking for a better work-life balance and increased family time.
Think Outside the Box
Radiology, public health, dialysis, and clinic nursing are just four of many branches on the nursing career path. If you’re looking for a career change, whether you’ve been at the bedside for two years or twenty, look elsewhere in the nursing field to find a fulfilling career that does not involve caring for patients in a hospital. You’ll find that nursing truly does have diverse opportunities, including one that might be a perfect fit for you.
