12 Non-Bedside Nursing Jobs You Should Explore
Nursing is a broad industry with many opportunities, so if you lack enthusiasm about caring for limited mobility patients, non-bedside nursing jobs might be an avenue you should explore.
Non-bedside nursing positions sometimes take the form of consultation duties but do not necessarily preclude hands-on patient care.
If you're interested in taking your career in this direction, here are 12 non-bedside nursing jobs you can consider.
12 Non-Bedside Nursing Jobs
1. Legal nurse consultant
Legal consulting is a great way to explore non-bedside nursing and take your professional experience to the courtroom. Lisa Wade, RN, BSN, CLNC, of Wade Nurse Consultants, says the job "involves working with attorneys, reviewing and translating the medical records that come with their malpractice or personal injury cases."
2. Mental Health Nurse
Another non-bedside nursing opportunity lies in the mental health field. Mental health nurses care for those in need of psychiatric treatment, whether individuals or families, by assessing their mental health needs, prescribing medication, and administering psychotherapy.
3. Informatics Nurse
Those who work in informatics nursing focus on the technological side of nursing. Rather than performing bedside duties, these nurses work with health-related software, assist in web education, ensure telemonitoring runs smoothly and teach other nurses how to use medical technology correctly.
As an informatics nurse, you would handle most of the troubleshooting regarding medical technology and documentation software.
4. Nurse Midwife
Nurse-midwives offer RNs a chance to take part in the birthing process personally and offer support to the family and their new baby. The duties of a nurse-midwife are often performed in the family's home, allowing nurses the chance to help mothers follow their birthing plans and be a beneficial contribution to a healthcare team in a hospital setting.
There are also less traditional options that focus on newborn care, such as Let Mommy Sleep. Colleen Sanvido, a Corporate Relations representative of Let Mommy Sleep, says, "We provide RNs to care for babies overnight so that the parents can rest and recover."
5. Healthcare Recruiter
RNs who have strong connections with other medical professional contacts and are looking for non-bedside nursing jobs are excellent candidates to become healthcare recruiters.
Recruiters work for recruitment companies, hospitals, and even contract nursing companies to find the best candidates for each clinical position.
6. Nurse Educator
If you want a non-bedside nursing job that influences the future of nursing, becoming a nurse educator puts you in a position to assist in training nurses entering the industry.
"The combination of baby-boomer nurses retiring and fewer students entering the profession is a real cause for concern," says Tammy Retalic, MS, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliate.
"In the face of a nursing shortage, there is great demand for nurse educators who can teach other nurses clinical and critical thinking skills."
7. Forensic Nurse
Much like legal nurse consultants, forensic nurses play an integral part in our justice system. This non-bedside nursing job allows RNs to treat and advocate for victims of violence and abuse.
They treat the injuries of crime victims and are responsible for collecting medical forensic evidence and testifying in criminal cases when necessary.
8. Occupational Nurse
One of the more diverse non-bedside nursing jobs available is that of the occupational nurse. Occupational nurses are found in places of business and are responsible for guiding health initiatives to improve safety measures, prevent injury and promote the general wellness of employees.
Occupational nurses are beneficial in almost every industry, so there are various options available to nurses who want to pursue this path.
9. Public Health Nurse
Public health nurses are often employed by government entities at the state, county, and local levels. This non-bedside nursing job focuses on improving the health of communities by promoting health initiatives and working to prevent disability and disease.
Public health nurses can influence health-related policies while still working with the individuals within the community.
10. Infection Control Nurse
Retalic also suggests the infection control nurse as a non-bedside nursing job. "Infection control is a serious issue that provides new career opportunities," says Retalic.
"Nurses who are interested in preventing the spread of infection can take their broad understanding of science and nursing to analyze test results, determine the cause of infection and prevent the spread of infection."
11. Nurse Navigator
Nurse navigators are common in the oncology field, but positions are available within other specialties and can even translate to an individually owned business. The role of a nurse navigator is to help patients understand the complex insurance system so they can receive the care they need without breaking the bank.
Professional navigators need strong research skills to maximize their patients' savings and be comfortable navigating the red tape procedures associated with insurance claims and government-sponsored financial assistance.
12. Nurse Health Coach
The nurse health coach is perhaps the easiest non-bedside nursing job to transition into. Nurse health coaching is an excellent option for the nurse entrepreneur as no additional training is required to start your business. You simply offer coaching services in your area of nursing expertise.
Nurses need to avoid offering advice or guidance beyond the scope of their training to prevent legal liabilities.
Nurse health coaches are also sometimes employed by insurance companies to promote the health and wellness of their insured clients and keep overall health-related costs down.
Additional Nursing Resources:
- AMN Passport: Our all-in-one nursing app for booking nursing jobs.
- Nursing Salary & Benefits: AMN Healthcare offers our nurses some amazing salaries and benefits. Find out what's in store for your nursing career today.
- Travel Nurse Licensing: Find out about nursing requirements for all 50 states.
- Exclusive Facilities: AMN Healthcare has relationships with the most sought-after healthcare providers.
- Refer-a-Friend: Make up to $2,000 per referral.
