Nurses age like everyone else, and you may be a nurse who finds yourself getting older, with decreasing levels of physical stamina and less willingness to push your body to its limits. Slogging away at those 12-hour shifts makes for significant wear and tear, and maybe you feel it’s time for a change because that kind of strain is no longer compatible with your evolving health.
So, what do you do when the work you’ve done all these years is something you no longer feel you have the capacity or willingness for?
There are plenty of career options for the aging nurse, and exploring the alternatives can be a helpful exercise in seeing possibilities and broader horizons rather than limitations and fewer options.
Telehealth is Here
The pandemic put telehealth on the map, and for good reason. Plenty of nursing functions can be fulfilled over the phone, through video calls, or even via messaging apps. Telehealth is here in a big way, and it’s not going anywhere. Not all telenursing jobs can be done from the comfort of your home while wearing pajamas, but the possibility is there in some cases.
A telehealth nurse may staff a patient advice line, perform care coordination functions, or help patients manage their medications and other aspects of their healthcare. Nursing triage can also often be performed very efficiently via phone or video.
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is another sub-field within telehealth that some nurses may enjoy. Nurses specializing in cardiac, critical care, and other areas may find opportunities for this type of distance nursing.
Legal Nurse Consulting
Healthcare and medical records have a language of their own, and nurses know how to read patient charts, mine for data, and understand the medical jargon that lawyers and others need help translating and grasping.
According to the non-profit American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC), a legal nurse consultant (LNC) can be employed by insurance companies, law firms, risk management companies, and other organizations and agencies. Some LNCs are nurse entrepreneurs with private practice who work as consultants.
Whether it’s medical malpractice, personal injury, workers’ compensation, civil rights cases, or other areas of inquiry, LNCs are invaluable assets with specialized knowledge.
Nurses interested in legal nurse consulting can pursue certification and enter the job marketplace or entrepreneurial space, knowing they have the knowledge, experience, and skill to make a difference.
Outpatient Nursing
While a significant portion of the nursing workforce is employed in acute care, plenty of nurses work in other clinical and non-clinical settings. Nurses interested in no longer being on their feet for 12 hours on an acute care floor can look to outpatient and ambulatory opportunities, which may include:
- Community health centers and clinics
- Private physician or nurse practitioner practices
- Outpatient dialysis
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Wound clinics
- Specialty clinics (stand-alone or within hospital systems): including cardiology, dermatology, neurology, renal, endocrine, etc.
Nurse Educator
Many acute care facilities have nurse educators who are experts and specialists in their field.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) states, “Nurse educators find themselves in diverse settings, from hospitals and community health organizations to universities and online education platforms. Their responsibilities can range from orienting new staff, developing and implementing continuing education programs, to leading research initiatives and contributing to policy development.”
For a nurse with deep experience who enjoys educating, advising, and mentoring other nurses (and possibly non-nursing staff), being a nurse educator can be a fulfilling role that ensures nurses have the knowledge and support they need to provide optimal patient care.
Nursing InformaticsÂ
The marriage of nursing and medicine with technology is constantly evolving. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes fully integrated into all aspects of healthcare, nurses with a knowledge of informatics and a sense of comfort working with technology will be increasingly crucial. s
Computer technology, AI, coding, database management, and other functions are central to both clinical and non-clinical healthcare operations, and nurse informaticists are vital figures in this rapidly expanding realm of the medical industry.
More Options Than You Can Count
The options are almost limitless for the aging nurse seeking alternative career paths that are less physically demanding but still professionally fulfilling.
While clinical and bedside nursing is the bread and butter of the nursing profession, there are no rules regarding what nurses can do for a living while being well-paid and respected for their valuable contributions.
Being a legal nurse consultant, outpatient nurse, nurse informaticist, telehealth nurse, or nurse educator are all viable career paths for aging nurses to pursue. There is no need for self-imposed limitations, nor are there reasons why an aging nurse can’t still have a career that feels purposeful, meaningful, and personally satisfying.
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