Registered Nurse: Similar Professions
If you're interested in a nursing degree to become an RN, you might assume that the obvious career path to follow is to become a registered nurse and work in a hospital. However, you might be surprised at the number of alternative professions that you can pursue with your nursing education. Whether you're a prospective nursing student looking for more options, or a longtime nurse ready for a challenge outside of the hospital, it's helpful to know all your options. Here are some professions you might want to look into.
Public health nursing
As a public health nurse, you will constantly strive to improve the health of your entire community. Instead of working with patients on an individual basis, public health nurses offer services to communities in the form of screenings, preventative care, and education. They also monitor the general health of their communities, keeping an eye on its needs and any trends that may arise.
A community's public nurse might also act as its advocate, working with government authorities at all levels to implement programs that can keep its people healthy. If you're a people person, the type who likes making a wide-ranging impact, you might want to look into being a public health nurse.
Occupational nurse
An occupational nurse works within a specific workplace, tending to the health needs of the employees. Occupational nurses can be found in a wide variety of locations, from stores to schools to cruise ships. Workplaces that feature the risk of physical injury, from heavy machinery or chemicals, rely heavily on their nurses to provide immediate care for employees when needed. Being a occupational nurse will provide a unique challenge, and a rapport with a smaller group of people who rely on you to feel safe and secure in their workplace.
Psychiatric nurse
Psychiatry requires nurses as much as any other medical field. As a psychiatric nurse, you will assist people with their mental health, helping patients understand their healthcare options, build trust with their doctors, and administer their medication properly. Having a good rapport with patients is essential to this job. A psychiatric nurse will have to listen to their patients' concerns and convey them to the doctor accurately. They need to be able to lead group therapy sessions and organize events aimed at helping patients who struggle with socialization. Sometimes they need to be able to step in to comfort a patient who is upset. Psychiatric nursing is a very unique challenge, one quite unlike what you could expect from a hospital, but no less important.
Sports medicine nursing
Athletes in all sports have a constant need for quality medical care. Whether it's managing nagging pains or treating serious injuries, a good nurse can help an athlete make the most of their potential. Sports medicine nurses will usually work with an orthopedic surgeon, either in a clinic or employed by a team. They are also an essential part of the relationship between an athlete and their medical team. Athletes are often anxious to get back on the field quickly after an injury; as a sports nurse, it's important to encourage patients to allow for full recovery from injuries before exerting themselves again.
Do one of these career choices spark your interest? If you’re curious about earning an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from ECPI University, now is the time to find out more information. To talk with a friendly admissions advisor about your options, contact us today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Nursing (RN) - Associate’s
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