Search results
- Information technology (IT) consultant. Average salary: $81,293. Salary range: $52,000–$129,000. Gone are the days of paper charting. As nurses, we’re expected to document every intervention, assessment, and medication administered using a hospital’s electronic medical record (EMR) system.
- Social worker. Average salary: $50,499. Salary range: $36,000–$70,000. A social worker helps families and individuals in various settings—at a hospital, through a health department or or other government agency, or at a rehab facility.
- Business analyst. Average salary: $63,980. Salary range: $48,000–$85,000. If you like doing research and are good with numbers, a business analyst role may be the right fit for you.
- Nurse case manager. Average salary: $75,905. Salary range: $61,000–$94,000. A nurse case manager often works in a hospital or nursing home to facilitate discharge and assess patients’ needs during and after admission.
- Overview
- Why do nurses change careers?
- How to decide whether to change careers as a nurse
- How to find a new career that's right for you
- Tips for nurses changing careers
Although nursing may be a rewarding career, professionals might want to try a different career path if they find it's too demanding or if they simply want to try something new. Many nurses enjoy caring for patients and collaborating with other health care professionals to improve the health and well-being of society, and these skills can help them ...
Many nurses enter their careers with a passion and desire to care for patients and heal people, but some nurses eventually decide to leave the field of nursing for a variety of reasons. It can seem challenging to know when leaving a nursing career is the right choice, but here are several important signs to look for that can help you determine whether a career change is the best alternative for you:
•You have a desire to learn new skills outside of nursing and health care.
•Your current work environment or company culture doesn't align with your core values.
•Your career goals have changed or you feel your current role doesn't support achieving your goals.
•You've developed more interest in a different specialty or field.
•You want to earn a higher salary and better benefits.
1. Evaluate your current role and job satisfaction level
Try to evaluate your current nursing role and identify all factors leading to your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your job, and be honest about how you feel about your current role in your workplace, your responsibilities and your overall job satisfaction. For instance, if you're completely satisfied with the responsibilities you take on in your role as a nurse but dislike the work atmosphere, finding a new nursing job might be a better idea than finding a new career. Determining what you value personally and evaluating your interests, skills and career preferences can help you find suitable alternatives.Related: Defining Job Satisfaction
2. Make a list of the pros and cons of your current role
Another approach for deciding whether a change is right for you is to make a list of all the positive and negative aspects of your job. This includes listing your current salary, perks and benefits. Also try to note other factors, such as the average number of hours you spend at work each day, commuting time, tuition reimbursement or learning opportunities. Every job and career path has its pros and cons, but if you find the negative aspects of nursing outnumber the positive ones, you might consider a career transition.Related: How To Create a Meaningful Pro-Con List
3. List the pros and cons of finding a new career
Similar to evaluating the positive and negative aspects of your current role, you can evaluate the pros and cons of seeking new or alternative careers. This can include higher pay, benefits and bonuses. Try to determine whether you're eligible to receive benefits like remote working, travel opportunities, tuition reimbursement and health and wellness benefits. If a career field seems interesting to you, you can research the role and weigh its pros and cons to help you decide whether changing to that career will bring you more happiness than being a nurse.Related: Finding a Career You Love (With Tips)
1. Make a list of roles you like
If you're leaving health care, try to make a list of the careers that you're interested in pursuing. You can research several of these roles to learn more about what qualifications you may earn to transition into the field. Consider seeking the guidance of a career counselor or visiting your nearest career center. If you're interested in staying in health care but want to transition out of nursing, you can make a list of different roles within health care you're passionate about and that you'd be interested in pursuing.Related: List of High-Paying Jobs: 30 Careers To Consider
2. Match your skills to your desired career
Consider writing all the skills you have that can help you qualify for the roles you want to pursue. For instance, nurses changing careers to other health care positions may highlight their patient care, communication, teamwork, interpersonal and analytical skills. For alternative career fields, try to focus on transferable skills and the hard skills you have that demonstrate your proficiency with basic technology, like computer use, typing and common computer software.Related: Midlife Career Change: What To Do Next
3. Learn or improve skills for a new job
Try to commit to developing the skills you may learn or improve to qualify for your alternative career. For instance, if you're changing careers from nursing to nursing education, you can develop teaching and instructional skills to be successful in your new career. Online courses, skill-building workshops and other educational opportunities are available and can help you learn new skills. You can consider researching online or approaching a career counselor to identify the skills that can help you qualify for jobs that interest you.Related: 5 Steps To Learn New Skills
When you apply for alternative roles outside the nursing field, consider the following five tips:
•Update your application materials. Try to have your resume or CV reflect your skills rather than your nursing experience. This can ensure your resume highlights your strongest skills and traits, so employers can see how you fit their job requirements.
•Research new career opportunities. Being thorough in your research can help you understand the qualifications and skills to develop for your career change. If there are extra credentials a new job may require, your research can give you an insight into what steps you can take to meet the job requirements.
•Network with professionals in your field of interest. For instance, if you're transitioning from nursing to a role as a school nurse in education, networking with others in the field can help you gain entry into the school system and make connections that can help you explore new opportunities.
•Request professional references. Asking your former colleagues or supervisors to speak on your behalf to illustrate your skills, competency and work ethic can improve your chances of finding a new career. If you're changing careers to a field where you have professional connections, you can request a reference from them.
•Tell people you're changing careers. Friends, family and former colleagues who know you're transitioning from nursing can offer you support during your transition. The more people that know you're transitioning careers and seeking a position in another field, the more likely it is they can help find a suitable role for you.
Aug 17, 2024 · If you're contemplating changing jobs, there are important things to think about. In this article, we give six signs that it might be time to change jobs, explain important things to consider first and describe seven steps for how to decide whether you should make a switch.
- Healthcare Writer. The field of healthcare writing is gaining popularity—and is an excellent option for nurses who do not want to practice anymore but still enjoy healthcare.
- Clinic Manager. A clinic manager is another great career option for a nurse wanting to leave nursing to do something else. A positive of this career choice is that you still work in healthcare but in a completely different role.
- Medical or Pharmaceutical Sales Rep. A medical or pharmaceutical sales rep is another option for the nurse who wants to start a new career. Becoming a medical or pharmaceutical sales rep allows the nurse to work in healthcare but in an entirely different realm.
- Blogger. Blogging is becoming more and more popular—and while some people do it as a hobby, others do it to make money. The great thing about blogging is that you can choose any hobby or passion and turn it into a blog.
May 18, 2022 · In this piece, the author outlines steps you can take to avoid a painful career misstep: 1) Before you begin to think through your decision, outline your career goals and criteria for acceptance ...
Jul 30, 2024 · Making a career change or finding other jobs for nurses can feel like a part-time job. Remember that the stress imposed by a career change will end once you settle into your new role. Try not to let the overwhelm of making a huge life change prevent you from getting what you want.
People also ask
Should you change your career as a nurse?
Are there alternative careers for nurses?
Is leaving a nursing career a good choice?
Do you need a new job or career?
Why do registered nurses change careers?
Are nursing jobs stressful?
Aug 9, 2022 · The most common career changes for nurses often include jobs in healthcare, but 69% of nurses wanting a job change want to leave patient care completely. So, what jobs are out there for nurses who don’t want to be nurses anymore?
