Roles Outside of Clinical Nursing
The transition to utilizing different skills in an alternative role should not be that problematic. Your undergraduate nursing program included the “power skills” you needed, not only in clinical nursing, but in non-clinical roles as well.
Will the transition be an out-and-out smooth one? Probably not. But you already have the skills needed to make the transition a successful one, once you identify what it is you want to do next with your nursing practice.
A quick search yields some interesting possibilities, including:
- Life care planner
- Medical writer
- Legal nurse consultant
- Risk manager
- Case manager
- Triage nurse for health insurance carrier
- Nurse informaticist
- Nurse recruiter
- Nurse faculty member
Obviously, not all of these would be attractive to every nurse but delving into what might be of interest is a good start. There is a wealth of information on these alternative roles online, including educational requirements, positions available, and descriptions of what the role entails.
In addition, these established roles’ professional associations are a valuable resource. For example, the American Nursing Informatics Association’s website has detailed information about the organization, membership, a fact sheet, and a list of the current chapters.
Contacting the current chapter of a professional association representing non-clinical nursing members in your area would help in deciding if any are an option for you.
