What roles you can do with your nursing degree

Going into nursing is a noble career change. Not only is it a respected role that many people hold in high regard, but it is one that can significantly benefit communities - not only your own but also those in most need. So, it is no wonder that there are plenty of would-be nurses who sign up to undertake a nursing degree every year. Additionally, technological advances have certainly had a huge effect on the traditional education system. With online education and online transcript generators, it might seem like the value of a degree has taken a hit. However, for those who are genuinely committed to learning and gaining knowledge in nursing or other health-related specialties, there is still inherent worth attached to their studies. Not only does completing such courses equip students with certain skills for any prospected job roles, but acquiring those specialized certifications often lays a strong foundation of understanding that helps promote an even greater appreciation of the subject.

Dedicating several years of your life to studying for a nursing degree is quite a commitment, and you might wonder what your career choices will be once you get to graduation. Will you be limited to just working in a hospital, taking care of patients at their bedside?

Having a nursing degree opens up a significant number of opportunities for you within the healthcare field so, if you’re looking to take on an alternative role in the field or you want to future-proof your career, there are plenty of options available to you. These are some of the roles you may be interested in as you become a nurse - either soon after graduation, once you’ve enjoyed further study, or if you want to make a change on your career path.

Nurse case manager

Your main duty as a case manager will be to help develop a care plan for patients and have a hand in determining where a patient needs to be placed if they require further treatment. So, this may mean you will help to coordinate a patient’s placement within facilities offering hospice care, rehabilitation, mental health care or social services, for example. You may also admit and discharge people from the hospital. You will need to have an excellent knowledge of different insurance plans and what they cover, too, so you can make sure patients get the most affordable care possible.

If you decide to become a case manager, then you will spend less time with patients and more with fellow nurses, physicians, plus other personnel working in your hospital. Those in this role will usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing, plus will have spent at least two years providing direct patient care and being a licensed registered nurse.

Public health nurse

Instead of caring for patients, public health nurses are responsible for educating the public on health issues. You will most likely work for a healthcare provider or government agency if you elect to work in this type of role.

Your goal as a public health nurse will be to help people lead healthier lives, and you will be working with communities, schools, families, and other public groups. You will build advocacy plans, identify groups who are at risk and have a hand in developing awareness programs so different groups can learn about a range of health issues - both physical and mental.

You will need a bachelor’s degree and pass the licensing exam for registered nurses to be a public health nurse. You may also want to get training in different areas - including health administration and health policy.

Policy advisor

If you decide to further your nursing education and get a doctorate degree, then you can influence and inform decisions on healthcare policy as a think-tank member and article writer. You could work on behalf of international organizations that will guide health intervention policy within developing nations or provide information to politicians from work for special interest groups. Nurses in such roles might also determine coverage for services through working with insurance companies, using your DNP nursing leadership skills acquired from your doctorate degree.

Nursing teacher

If you’re thinking of going into teaching the nurses of the future, then many colleges and universities prefer faculty members to hold doctoral degrees. This is important if you are interested in training advanced practice nurses: those entering these roles now require master’s degrees and may need doctorate degrees in the future. You should have a degree that at least matches the one your students want to attain.

Legal nurse consultant

If you enjoy learning about the laws and regulations that govern healthcare, then you may wish to consider becoming a legal nurse consultant. In this role, you will analyze and evaluate facts and testimonies from court cases. This may include work on regulatory compliance, personal injury cases or medical malpractice. You will need to review facts from a suit, then offer your professional opinion on how healthcare services were delivered.

Instead of working in a hospital, legal nurse consultants work within government agencies, law offices, insurance companies or patient safety organizations. This has become a popular role that is essential to the healthcare industry.

Medical writer

If you like writing, then this could be a role that is a good fit for you. Your knowledge of nursing and healthcare will be used to create whitepapers, magazine articles or blog posts. You could even create content for health and wellness, or patient and nursing education.

You will need to build a portfolio of writing samples for you to get started in this role; you can do this by writing for a nursing blog, or your own, for example. You can then showcase these pieces to potential clients.

Home healthcare provider

You may consider making house calls if you do not want to lose your nursing skills or stop taking care of people but want to work at a less hectic pace. There are many agencies you can work with to carry out this role, and you can be with homebound patients who need special care or time with a healthcare professional.

An aging population means home healthcare nurses have become more popular. You should find it easy to find such a position if you have the correct qualifications.

Nanny

Many nannies or childcare workers are required to have some healthcare knowledge. It could be just first aid training, but a nurse is more likely to get such a role because of their experience. This could be a favorable change of pace for you if you would like to work with children and care for their health.

It may be that parents hire you to help manage their children’s lifestyle and nutritional habits if they are struggling. You will be able to change a young person’s life and instill healthy habits early.

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What roles you can do with your nursing degree