If you are tired of working directly with patients, there are non-clinical nursing jobs you can pursue.
When you consider the number of open jobs that are seeking non-clinical nurses, it is easy to understand that you have many options beyond working in a hospital or outpatient clinic.
Here are seven options to think about as you search for the right career:
1. Nursing Manager and Administrator
While studying to be a nurse, you may dream about managerial or administrative roles. These types of positions are considered leadership roles and usually require experience and education.
As a nursing manager or administrator, you would be in charge of overseeing other nurses in a facility.
Since nursing is a specialized profession, managers and administrators who understand the role are essential. Most facilities consider the best person to supervise other nurses to be a nurse.
As a manager or administrator, you may hire and fire other nurses. You may also be in charge of scheduling, budgeting, leading meetings, and dealing with complaints.
2. Legal Nurse Consultant
As a legal nurse consultant, you will work with lawyers and other people involved in lawsuits. Understanding malpractice and other elements of the law is essential for this position.
A legal nurse consultant uses medical knowledge and experience to testify in cases.
You may work with attorneys to help them understand medical procedures, treatments, and other data. You may have to examine patient charts or medical histories to see if abuse or malpractice occurred.
Legal nurse consultants may also work with insurance companies, government agencies, or other organizations.
3. Nurse Educator
As a nurse educator, you will be responsible for teaching the next generation of nurses. This role usually requires higher education such as a master’s degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Having a strong understanding of both clinical and theoretical coursework is necessary for this position. Often, you will work in nursing schools and teaching hospitals.
Nurse educators often develop curriculums, teach classes, and mentor students. Although some nurse educators focus solely on teaching, others split their time between clinical and non-clinical work.
However, splitting your time can be stressful.
4. Public Health Nurse
A public health nurse works in the community to help others. You may work with nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies, or other groups in local areas.
You usually focus on educating people about health risks, problems, and concerns.
Sometimes this position comes with loan forgiveness and other benefits in addition to a salary.
However, being in the public eye is not easy and requires both leadership and communication skills. You must be comfortable meeting a variety of people and listening to them.
5. Chief Nursing Officer
A Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is considered one of the highest positions in nursing management. As a CNO, you are responsible for speaking for a facility’s entire nursing staff and coordinating operations.
The CNO has to set the right guidelines for other nurses to follow and make sure staff are happy at the same time.
This top management position is necessary for many organizations, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and other systems.
As a CNO, you simply do not have time for any type of clinical work and must focus on management.
6. Clinical Nurse Researcher
Many research centers need nurses, and this is a non-clinical role that is in demand. As a clinical nurse researcher, you will use your experience to help the medical community in a different way.
You may analyze experiments and data or apply for research grants. You may work closely with other researchers in a laboratory to design experiments and carry them out. This may include enrolling patients in studies and writing about results.
Typically, this role requires graduate education. You may need a master’s degree or doctorate to work in research. You will be seen as a scientist more than a nurse while being required to study healthcare.
7. Forensic Nurse
A forensic nurse has special training and education to help patients who are victims of violence. Sometimes, these patients may have long-term health problems due to the violence. You may have to testify in court or provide consultation services.
It is possible to specialize within this field and focus on specific areas such as domestic violence or elderly abuse. Some nurses work in multiple areas.
Jobs are usually available in hospitals, community programs, coroner’s offices, and other areas.
Pursuing Non-Clinical Work
The decision to pursue non-clinical work should not be taken lightly. By switching to non-clinical work, you may no longer interact with patients daily or with other medical staff.
You may be in a management position that requires multiple meetings, budgeting plans, and operational strategies. You may not see a patient at all.
There are many career paths you can explore as a nurse. Non-clinical work is one of them and has many benefits.
