Some people choose the job of being a nurse because it provides an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families. Others do it for job security, great pay, and benefits. But the most surprising perk of working as a registered nurse is actually the flexibility of the role. Other careers just can’t compare. In this blog, we’ll discuss how being an RN can be flexible, what options you have to achieve job flexibility, and also where you can go from here if you decide your current role isn’t the right fit.
What are the Jobs with the Most Flexibility in the Nursing Field?
Finding better work/life balance in the nursing field isn’t as hard as you might imagine. Why? Because, first, you can select from a wide range of nursing environments, including:
- Hospitals
- Small group practices
- Schools
- Prisons
- Rehab centers
- Ambulatory surgery centers
- Home Health
- Mental health rehabilitation centers
- Colleges and universities
- Nursing homes
- The military
- And more
There are even completely virtual nursing jobs. NursingCE talks about them in a recent blog:
- Virtual healthcare recruiters sometimes use nurses as part of their technical screening processes.
- Telemedicine nurses work strictly in the virtual space, conducting patient evaluations, triage, diagnosing, and treating patients.
- Insurance nurses use work-from-home talent to screen, evaluate, and coach surgery patients or those with chronic illnesses.
- A Health Coach is a nurse entrepreneur of sorts; you can seek out specialized certifications and then build a book of contract business, or work full-time.
- Freelance nurse writers produce content for medical journals, blogs, and more.
Even if these roles don’t appeal to you, the traditional nursing profession isn’t a 9-to-5 job anymore. Today, you can work as a:
- Per diem nurses, are contract nurses that fill temporary staffing gaps. You’ll find per diems in almost any facility but particularly in hospitals during inpatient population spikes or just to fill in for someone on vacation. Per diem work is very flexible because you can choose to take or not take the job. Many times, these flexible roles come with benefits through the staffing agency that employs you.
- PRN nurses are on-call until they’re needed. These floating nurses are a bit like substitute teachers in that they fill in an unexpected gap in staffing.
- Travel nurses can pick up contract staffing roles around the country. These nurses make excellent money—some of the best rates in the industry—and most pay for lodging and more.
- Job-sharing nurses can split a full-time position along with benefits. This gives you the flexibility of a part-time job but with full-time perks.
In the past, the idea of nursing didn’t bring the vision of job flexibility and work/life balance. But today, the field has changed. Not only do you have job options and educational choices, but you can also pick the job based on its flexibility to fit your lifestyle.
If you’re ready for a more flexible lifestyle and a better work environment, call on AG Globe Services. We work with the leading healthcare companies in the U.S to provide them with the best RNs in the business.