For some people, there comes a point in their medical career when they are looking for a new challenge outside of bedside care. Bedside care involves direct care of patients, such as starting IVs, giving medication, taking vital signs, and assisting with personal care. Although direct patient care can have its rewards, there is nothing wrong with moving into something new.
If you are a registered nurse, you’re in luck. There are several options for nurses who want to transition away from direct patient care. In addition to different responsibilities, non-clinical nursing jobs may mean no overnight shifts, higher salaries, and new rewards. Consider a few options listed below.
Case Management
Although they do not provide direct patient care, nurses who are case managers play a vital role in their patients’ well-being. Case managers coordinate services and resources to meet a patient’s healthcare needs. In the process, they collaborate with doctors, social workers, and various other professionals to ensure the patient receives the most efficient care. Nurse case managers provide patients with a resource person with whom they can check in and get the information they need from community health services to insurance regulations.
Nurse case managers work in hospitals, but there are also opportunities in additional settings: nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, and insurance companies.
Optional certification in nursing case management is available from professional organizations, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Commission for Case Management Certification. Certification requirements vary, but usually include a certain number of hours of experience in case management.
In addition to being a registered nurse, case managers usually have at least a bachelor’s in nursing degree. Because case manager jobs are often desirable, there is often a great deal of competition to land a job. Nurses with several years of patient care experience, along with an advanced degree, may have an advantage getting hired.
Pharmaceutical or Medical Device Sales
If you are looking for something completely different from caring for patients in a hospital but still want to utilize your nursing knowledge, medical device or pharmaceutical sales is an option.
Medical devices and pharmaceuticals can be complex to understand. A representative without medical knowledge may have a difficult time explaining the intricacies of these products. Nurses are often hired because of their clinical experience and knowledge.
Nurses who work in medical device or pharmaceutical sales may be involved in several aspects of promoting and selling products. Medical devices may include surgical, imaging or laboratory products, and durable medical equipment. Responsibilities may include speaking with potential and established customers, attending trade shows, and training and educating staff on products.
Different pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices may have different requirements for nurses who want to transition into sales. For example, some companies may require nurses to have a bachelor’s degree and experience in a certain area of nursing. Although sales experience is desirable, it may not be required.
Education
Teaching other nurses and health care professionals can offer a new challenge for nurses who want to move away from patient care. Registered nurses are hired to work in academic settings, such as colleges, universities, and technical schools. They may also be employed in health care settings, such as hospitals. Most nurse educators have several years of nursing experience and at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Nurses who teach in universities and colleges teach nursing students and prepare them for effective practice. Nurse educators serve as faculty members and develop lesson plans, teach classes, and supervise nursing students during their clinical rotations at hospitals.
In health care settings, such as hospitals, nurses may develop educational programs for staff including doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare workers. For instance, nurse educators may teach classes, such as advanced cardiac life support and EKG interpretation.
Nursing Jobs at HospitalRecruiting.com (clinical & non-clinical): https://www.hospitalrecruiting.com/jobs/Nursing-Jobs/.
References
American Nurses Credentialing Center. Nurse Case Management. http://www.nursecredentialing.org/nursingcasemanagement Accessed March 2015.
Jacksonville University. Non Clinical Nursing Jobs. http://www.jacksonvilleu.com/resources/career/non-clinical-nursing-jobs/#.VR3ZpWf9nIU Accessed March 2015.
