Amazing Careers For Nurses Who Want To Leave The Bedside

Nursing is a fulfilling career, but not all nurses are meant to stay doing direct patient care. There are many options for nurses who want to leave the bedside and pursue alternative paths within the medical field.

‘’I am no longer interested in being a Bedside nurse. Is there anything else I can do?’’

This is the most common question often asked by bedside nurses. A change of career can be a good thing if you have been a bedside nurse for a long time. You can even find Remote RN Work if that resonates with you more. From legal nurse consultants to school nurse, these five rewarding careers offer diverse opportunities for nurses looking to expand their skills and explore new horizons.

1. Nursing Informatics

Nursing informatics is the combination of nursing science and information technology that enhances nursing practice and administration. It focuses on the use of data, knowledge, and information for decision making in healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes. These healthcare professionals develop systems to manage patient records, track workflow processes, and analyze trends in patient care.

As Health Informatics Nurse Specialists are in high demand, they can expect an incredibly rewarding salary for their work. On average, these specialists earn a yearly income of $95,390. With such lucrative wages available in the market today, it’s no surprise why this profession continues to be highly sought after by many employers.

Salaries range from $83,990 to $108,290 according to Salary.com database.

2. Forensic Nurse

A forensic nurse is a registered nurse (RN) with specific training in the legal system and forensics. Ultimately, these nurses provide care to victims of violence, abuse, accidents, and assault while helping law enforcement agencies investigate these incidents.

Salary Structure:

On average, a forensic nurse can make around $70,000 per year.

Task and Duties:

Requirements for a Forensic Nurse:

3. Legal Nurse Consultants (LNCs)

Legal nurse consultants are experts that assist lawyers as professional medical witnesses in medical controversies like medical litigation, workers’ security, or personal injury. They provide medical knowledge to law firms on medical cases. This is one of the best options for nurses who want to leave the bedside.

   Task and Duties:

·      Serving as a professional witness in court

·      Make informed decisions about medical cases

·      Examining and evaluating medical records

·      Provide legal counsel on issues involving health care, such as those involving medical malpractice

·      Educate legal professionals about nursing standards of care

   Salary Structure:

In the United States, a Legal Nurse Consultant’s annual total compensation is predicted to be $103,672 with an average salary of $98,587.

Requirements for LNC Degree:

·      Get a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Degree

·      Qualify for NCLEX-RN Certification Examination

·      Obtaining the LNC Certification

4. Nurse Writer

Nurse Writers communicate with the patients to get information, gather data, and fight for patients in need. A nurse writer records nursing-related publications, articles, and history books such medical content is then published on social media or online forums. You can work full time or as a freelancer. This one can be pretty flexible.

 Task and Duties:

·      Keeping records of the patient’s condition

·      Producing reports and articles

·      Content revision before publication

·      Creating scripts and nursing materials

·      Publishing medical journals

·      Handling Nursing Sites on social media

Salary Structure:

The average annual salary for a professional nurse writer in the US as of December 8, 2022, is $87,172. If you need a quick pay estimator, that comes out to about $41.91 per hour.

Requirements for a Nurse Writer:

·      Get a Registered Nurse (RN) Degree

·      Qualify for NCLEX-RN Certification Examination

·      Practice as an RN

·      Get certification in medical writing

5. Nurse Health Coach

A Nurse Health Coach is a professionally trained person who assists patients in managing their health. Consequently, in collaboration with patients, nurse health coaches develop strategies and deliver useful healthcare information to patients so they can achieve their own health goals.

A majority of them are independent contractors who operate in private practice. Some surveys indicate that nurse coaches can make as much money as nurses who work in hospitals.

Salary Structure:

The average annual salary for a nurse health coach in the US is $64,484. So, in case you need a quick pay estimator, that comes out to about $31.00 per hour. This amounts to $5,373 per month or $1,240 each week.

Task and Duties:

A Nurse health coach has the following roles;

·      Assists and guides the patients

·      Motivates patients to develop a positive attitude

·      Identifies the patient’s health problems and hazards

·      Provides courses or group coaching

·      Creates coaching and care strategies for each patient

6. School Nurse

Finally, nurses who want to leave the bedside but still interested some form of direct patient care will be interested in this. School nurses together with other professionals collaborate to safeguard children, support local safeguarding strategies, and ensure that the child’s perspective is taken into account. They offer a range of services aimed at promoting health, happiness, and endurance for kids and teenagers.

Salary Structure:

According to Salary.com,  school nurses make an average of $52,546 a year.

 According to ZipRecruiter, school nurses in the United States make an average pay of $60,739 per year, or $29 per hour, as of January 2020.

Task and Duties:

·      Promote a variety of health-related initiatives

·      Administering vaccination campaigns for students

·      Identify risk-taking behaviors through health assessments 

·      Assist families with problems like parenting

·      Maintaining equipment and pharmaceutical supplies.

·      Spread awareness about teenage violence

Requirements for School Nurse:

·      Get RN Degree

·      Practice as RN in Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)

·      Complete a police check and dealing with children

If you decide to ditch the bedside, there are other job options available. Fortunately, the good news is that you gained important job skills at the bedside.

Apply your extensive clinical knowledge and critical thinking abilities that you have developed as a bedside nurse to your new journey.