There are many fields and locations where nurses work, including roles that go beyond traditional settings and bedside. If you’re looking to change your career, here are 10 nursing jobs that you may have not considered.
Sports Medicine Nurse
Sports Medicine is a subspecialty of orthopedic medicine that involves treating injuries and traumas caused during athletic activity. These injuries range from minor to very serious, and sports medicine nurses are needed to help assess injuries, work with doctors on treatment plans, and educate the patients.
As a sports medicine nurse, there is a lot of flexibility in terms of where to base your career. Some typical employment options include college athletic departments, orthopedic clinics, and wellness centers in office or community environments. A sports medicine career could be devoted to working with youth, high school, college, and professional athletes. The work could be part or full-time with only one team or even different teams.
An ultimate reward of the job lies in a patient completing their treatment and being back to normal, or even in better shape than when they first started their rehab. According to Tony Omlor, Clinical Manager at Grant Medical Center’s Fitness and Health Center, “When you go home from work after experiencing something like [a patient’s full recovery], you’re walking 10 feet off the ground.”
Flight Nurse
As a flight nurse, your primary goal is to provide hospital-level care to critical patients in medical transport helicopters and airplanes before they arrive at a hospital. These are often life and death situations.
The responsibilities of a flight nurse include anything that a nurse would have to do in an Emergency Room. Additionally, flight nurses perform daily checks of the aircraft and medical equipment on board, clean the medical area every day, and check expiration dates on medication. Flight nurses even go through flight simulation training to prepare for the job.
Flight nurses must keep a calm and composed demeanor. Due to the limited amount of space for supplies, there are fewer resources available for use in treatment. Keeping a clear head in a critical situation will give the patient the best chance for survival.
Freelance Academic Nurse Writer
At any point during their nursing career, nurses have the option to become a freelance academic nurse writer. Typically, nurse writers will write to contribute to educational materials, articles, books, and even TV or movie scripts.
This career path is independence-driven. Some common writing themes include nursing theories, stories, lessons from personal experiences, and advice on specific situations.
Cannabis Nurse
As the use of medical cannabis continues to grow, a new nursing role has emerged with it. According to the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA), cannabis nursing is defined as care that incorporates the knowledge of the safe use of herbal cannabis products, the legal complexities associated with the use of herbal cannabis products, and intricate knowledge on the endocannabinoid system, which includes the group of cannabinoid receptors located in the brain and throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems.
The increased demand and public necessity for medical marijuana have led to its legalization in 33 states. The main difference between treatment with CBD and THC is the psychotropic feeling that is characteristic of THC. The cannabis nurse will need to deeply understand the ailments of the patient to determine which treatment would have the best results.
Disney Nurse
Even the happiest place on earth can be home to someone in need of medical consultation. Working as a nurse at Disney means being available to be dispatched to any of the Disney parks, resorts, or even parking lots. Qualifications to become a Disney nurse include at least 5 years of RN experience, CPR/AED certification, and of course, having a patient and friendly demeanor to work with guests. Typical patient care at a Disney park consists of basic first aid as well as treatment within urgent care clinics.
Cheryl Talamantes, BSN, has worked as a Disney nurse for 17 years now. She said about the diversity of the job, “We are fortunate to meet guests from all over the country and the world, and there are situations where we are working through language barriers as well as cultural traditions when it comes to medicine.” She added, “You could find yourself climbing down into a submarine or up the stairs to a treehouse. We work around entertainment like parades and support four half marathons a year. So, our nurses need to have strong assessment skills and be comfortable in the first responder role and working with all age groups.”
Aesthetic Nurse
Aesthetic nurses are cosmetic practitioners who administer injections of botulinum toxins, known mostly under their brand-name of Botox®, and other dermal fillers to assist patients with wrinkles, droopy skin, and accentuation of natural features. The job can also include other non-surgical procedures like laser hair removal, micro-needling, and certain types of body contouring.
The MedSpa field is the perfect fit for nurses with interest in dermatology who want to help people feel confident and looking their best. Another alluring component of this career path is that, according to the American MedSpa Association, nurse practitioners can run their own businesses in many states. This is great news for those who want more control over their schedules and salaries in a lucrative and consistently growing field of practice.
Required Education: A BSN is required for this role, but if you want to run your own business – and your state allows for it – you’ll want to pursue a nurse practitioner track.
Nutrition Support Specialist
Nutrition support professionals work as a team to provide patients with enteral and parenteral nutrition when their bodies cannot adequately absorb nutrients, vitamins, and electrolytes on their own. Support teams can be made up of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, and pharmacists. According to the Mayo Clinic, patients may need this level of nutritional care due to a range of bowel diseases and dysfunctions. Cancer patients are also often recipients of this life-sustaining treatment.
Nurses on nutrition support teams take on the responsibilities of directing care assigned and supervised by physicians. This includes monitoring feeding tubes and intravenous access points as well as educating patients and their caregivers. Some patients have home parenteral care for extended periods – some can require nutrition support for years – wherein their quality of life is similar to that of a person receiving dialysis.
Making sure these patients and their families understand the parenteral support they’re receiving is vital in helping them adopt the “new normal” they are living. If you are interested in becoming a nutrition support specialist, clinical nutritional knowledge, and a knack for bedside manner will help you go far.
Required Education: An associate’s degree is required for this role. For more information about the field of clinical nutrition, the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition is a great resource.
RN Medical Device Educators
If you’re the kind of person who likes varied tasks in their day to day routine, medical device educator opportunities like this one might be up your alley. The job generally pays a six-figure salary for the technological assessment and installation of new medical devices, educating hospital staff, planning and implementing safety operations plans, and maintenance follow-ups. Nurses make great medical device educators due to their experience in treating patients and knowledge of care management.
The nature of the job requires travel, administrative tasks, and communication with health professionals, government regulation committees, and medical device developers. Being comfortable with new technology is a plus, as is having management or leadership experience. Be aware you may need a flair for sales, and public speaking could also be required in this arena.
Required Education: Most employers require a BSN, but a specialized MSN would best suit you for this leadership role in cutting edge medical technology and development.
Insurance RN Case Manager
Insurance companies hire RN case managers because of their diligence and ability to inform insured parties about their medical conditions and treatment options. In these heavily administrative positions, nurses are working as liaisons between many branches of patient care to protect and educate the insured they serve.
RN case managers also ensure that patients are receiving all they need to restore them to full health after an operation or injury. They provide follow-up phone check-ins for those recently discharged from hospitals and advise families & caregivers about resources that will benefit their loved ones. At the same time, these case managers are communicating with adjusters, providers, and facilities to make sure their insured patients are getting everything they need and not what they don’t.
Aspen RN to BSN Alumni Lorrie Morris found a new rewarding path as an Insurance RN case manager and provided us with this day-to-day breakdown of her lifestyle and job responsibilities. Spoiler alert: one of the best parts about this job is that it can be done from the comfort of your own home!
Required Education: A BSN is required for this position.
Parish Nurse
If caring for the mind, body, and spirit are all connected for you, consider parish nursing, or faith-based nursing as it is sometimes called, for a religious organization you’re involved with. Parish nurses have knowledge of medical treatments as well as the spiritual beliefs and practices of their patients.
Each religion has different acceptable practices, particularly when dealing with decisions of life and death, so knowing your patients’ spiritual wishes can help you advocate for their appropriate care. Faith nurses can also provide palliative care for patients with incurable diseases.
In less dire moments, parish nurses can organize wellness activities, provide comfort during uneasy times, visit congregants in nursing homes and hospitals, and give trusted recommendations for local health providers. For a better idea of responsibilities, this job opportunity with Franciscan Health lists various ways parish nurses support their communities. Pay may be lower than full-time hospital RN work, but overall job satisfaction may outweigh the dollar for spiritually focused RNs. `
Required Education: An associate’s degree is required, but a BSN is a growing preference along with a minimum of two years experience.