There once was a time when a degree in nursing meant you worked in a doctor’s office or hospital and you were probably a female. In 2012, a degree in nursing can lead to a multitude of careers, and it’s no longer a female dominated field. The career opportunities are varied and many can involve law enforcement, IT, travel, medical editor writer, pharmaceutical/medical sales and holistic medicine. Below are some examples that highlight alternative careers in nursing.
Forensic Nursing
This career combines clinical nursing practice with the law enforcement arena. Forensic nursing involves the investigation and treatment of victims of sexual assault, elder, child and spousal abuse, unexplained or accidental death, trauma and assault, as well as perpetrators of these and any criminal activity. Potential employers would be acute healthcare facilities, correctional institutions, county prosecutors, coroner’s office, medical examiner’s office, insurance companies and psychiatric facilities.
Nursing Informatics
Involves all aspects of computerization as it relates to nursing and healthcare practice. Roles in this type of nursing career would be data analysis, systems management, software design, training systems installation, sales/marketing, and medical library science. Employers would include healthcare facilities, computer hardware/software companies, healthcare consulting firms, educational institutions, regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical, and research facilities.
Travel Nurse
A travel nurse takes temporary assignments across the country and internationally. Positions are often in critical care settings, working on a cruise ship, Indian reservations, and other rural settings. It is a diverse job that provides the opportunity to travel, often to exotic locations with expenses paid.
These are just a few examples of where a degree in nursing can lead you. It is no longer a female in a white uniform wearing a nurses’ hat and working in a hospital or doctor’s office. Nursing opportunities are limitless and often times far outside the norm.
