Where Do Nurses Work? Check Out These Creative Options 

If you are looking at a career as a registered nurse or are considering a BSN degree to start a career in medicine, you may assume that you will end up working in a hospital or doctor’s office. While these are valid places of employment for nurses, there are many other practical nursing career options, as well as positions that you may find by thinking outside the box. While you cannot be certain that you will get a position in one of these settings, the following are some places that you can aspire to or consider based on your other work experience.

Government

There are many organizations within the government, both federal and state, that need qualified healthcare professionals. These can be excellent positions for nurses because they often come with government benefits. Some of the government positions are obvious in their need for nurses, but others are a bit more unique. Here are some ideas about where you may be able to find government work as a nurse.

Correctional Facilities

Jails and other correctional facilities have an obligation to protect the health of the people incarcerated within their walls. This sometimes requires a nurse to work on-site. People in correctional facilities are not immune to serious medical conditions, like diabetes or cancer, and qualified medical care is essential.

Military or War Zones

Military nurses care for soldiers and military family members that live on military bases or on the frontlines. This can be a fast-paced job, especially if a nurse is sent to an active war zone. It also comes with all the perks of being an active-duty service member. Military nurses often enroll in the branch in which they serve.

Emergency Medical Vehicles

When someone is in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, they need qualified medical care providers to make sure they remain stable. This role can often fall to a nurse. Because emergency medical vehicles typically transport people with life-threatening issues, these nurses must be able to stay calm under intense pressure. While they travel to the healthcare facility, they will monitor vital signs, administer any urgent care needs and take care of any known health conditions.

Courts of Law

In the court system, forensic nurses have a unique role to play. These professionals collect and analyze medical evidence to help judges and juries understand the details of the case. This might include taking tissue or blood samples or gathering bodily evidence from a victim. Nurses can also work within the courts to support victims of physical harm.

Public Health Clinics

Public health clinics hire RNs to work within the community, educating the public about important health topics. These nurses may also run programs that help keep the community healthier. Sometimes public health clinics provide medical care to needy people within the community as well.

Schools

School nurses are the first line of defense when a student is injured or ill. They take temperatures, assess the need to call parents and provide first aid in more serious situations. School nurses also administer medications and monitor students with serious health conditions, like diabetes, that need more hands-on care.

VA Hospitals

This role is a bit more traditional because a veteran affairs hospital is a traditional hospital. The main difference is that it is a government-run hospital that treats veterans and active-duty service members. Nurses who can get a job in this field benefit from government benefits while still being able to perform the work of a traditional nurse.

Religious/Non-Profit

Many non-profit organizations and religious programs or groups need qualified healthcare professionals to help them achieve their goals. Here are some that may hire a registered nurse.

Places of Worship

Some churches and places of worship are now employing faith community nurses. These are nurses who take a holistic approach to healthcare and are willing and able to use the beliefs and practices of their faith group along with their medical training to treat the whole person, body, soul and spirit. Often this role requires the nurse to provide education on both health and spiritual topics that relate to patient wellness.

Hospitals

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), around 60% of all nurses work in hospitals, whether they are private, state or local. Some of these hospitals are run by religious organizations or non-profits, and they need nurses just like any other hospital. These settings may prefer nurses with a religious bent, or they may hire nurses who have a degree regardless of their religious preferences if the nurse is willing to adhere to the guidelines of the facility.

Health Societies

Health or medical societies represent groups of medical professionals and advocate for the right standards of excellence within the profession. As a nurse, you could work for a nursing health society to ensure that other nurses are doing their jobs well and that the policies and standards set forth in the field continue to promote quality nursing care.

Philanthropic Organizations

Many charities give back through healthcare. People who cannot afford healthcare turn to philanthropic organizations for help, and having a nurse on staff can help these organizations deliver quality care to the people who are in the most desperate need. These organizations can be quite important in protecting public health.

Privately Owned Businesses

Many jobs for nurses are located within privately-owned businesses, including the following.

Telehealth

According to the National Institutes of Health, telehealth use has skyrocketed after the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. Today, it is an integral part of the medical world. Just like in a clinical visit, a telehealth visit often starts with a nurse taking health information. A nurse can oversee some types of care without a doctor seeing the patient. Some businesses and insurance companies now offer telehealth nurse consultations for free as a perk to their employees or customers, creating more demand for nursing professionals in this field. In this role, you may be able to work from home, depending on the setup of the business offering the telehealth services.

Physician’s Offices

Doctors need nurses to get their work done. Nurses take vital signs, ask health questions and make a preliminary assessment of health conditions for doctors. They also take questions from patients over the phone to help patients know if they should travel to the clinic or take care of their health concerns at home. Most doctors have multiple nurses that support their work, making a physician’s office an obvious place where nurses can look for a position. One perk of this role is the structured workday that a physician’s office provides, as well as the lower likelihood of working with patients who are facing life-threatening conditions.

Surgical Clinics

Surgeons rely on nurses to prepare equipment, prep patients for surgical procedures and provide patient care in recovery. The registered nurse is often the first one to spot post-surgical complications and is there to answer questions and guide families through an important surgery.

Travel Nursing Organizations

Travel nurses take temporary positions within hospitals and other medical facilities when they have an unusual demand or a shortage. This type of position can pay quite well and give you the opportunity to see different areas of the country and even the world while putting your nursing training to work where it is most needed.

Home Healthcare

Home-bound people, whether they are home-bound due to age or disability, need nurses to help them. Home health nurses administer medical care in patients’ homes. They also often help with daily living tasks and provide much-needed respite for family caregivers.

Youth Camps

Youth camps are a place where fun memories are made throughout the summer. Yet when you put a bunch of kids in a confined setting and give them outdoor adventures, you will have campers with illnesses and injuries. Many states require youth camps to have a nurse on-site during camp weeks to provide urgent care, administer medications and monitor for illness. If you enjoy being outdoors and having work that changes daily, this might be a place to look for a rewarding career or part-time work in the summer.

Start Your Nursing Journey Today

Where do RNs work? They can work just about anywhere that there is a demand for healthcare professionals. With such a wide variety of potential job options, now is an excellent time to consider getting a nursing degree. Bryant & Stratton College has a number of options to help you become a nurse. If you are already an RN, then the Bachelor of Science RN to BSN program could help you take the next step toward more lucrative employment options. This online program provides the flexibility you need to pursue additional education while working as a nurse. If you are just starting in nursing, the Practical Nursing Diploma will allow you to start working as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and get your foot in the door. Find your program today, and see how Bryant & Stratton College can help you become a qualified, professional nurse.