As COVID-19 rages across the world, nurses in every nation are working at the epicentres of the pandemic. As a nurse, you probably feel fatigued and tired with all the demands placed on you. Yet, it’s for such a time as this that your services are direly needed.
Perhaps you already feel so burned out that you’re wondering how long this pandemic will last, so you can get back to your daily grind. Have you considered a career change? At least post-COVID-19?
Below are eight alternative careers for nurses that pay exceedingly well:
1. Medical Office Administrator Career
The average remuneration of a medical office administrator is around $23.50 per hour. Among primary duties for medical office administrative staff include collecting payment from insurance companies and patients.
You will be preparing medical bills and sending them to patients or billing the insurance companies using health codes. Other duties of medical billers include keeping comprehensive records of accounts received and accounts payable, providing patients with payment plans, and updating the financial records of patients. With a nursing background, backed by a medical office administration course online, you can accurately submit payment codes with ease.
2. Health Writer Career
Health writer is another great alternative career for nurses. Having been in the health industry, perhaps you understand better than most the cutting issues in the sector, which puts you in a better position to write about health matters. At an average wage of $24.09 per hour, the compensation is not shabby, either.
You can write for publications, both online and offline, and for newsletters that target patients. Think about the many topics on various health conditions that patients would find extremely useful.
This niche fits like a glove for a person with your experience. You will not only be earning good money, but you will also be educating patients and helping them make informed health-changing decisions.
3. Nutritionist Career
A career as a nutritionist can also be highly rewarding but without the burnout. With an average $50,737 salary per year, you will be paid well for rewarding work. As a nutritionist, you can expect to consult with and advise patients on the best ways to improve their health and wellbeing via nutrition. You can work with patients to help them achieve desired health goals and improve their holistic health.
Your work may involve working with patients at a medical facility or at a health centre to encourage them to adopt healthy meal plans. While you might need specific training in nutrition, your medical care background puts you a step ahead of others.
4. Health Service Administrator Career
A career as a health service administrator is highly lucrative. At an annual average salary of $71,347, you will be among the best-paid health workers around. The main work of a health service administrator is to manage a medical facility such as a medical office or a hospital.
Their work involves managing budgets and the daily operations of the office, improving the experience of patients, and hiring staff. Their role is similar to that of an office manager, the only difference being that they are from the medical profession. As a nurse, this is a great job alternative.
5. Medical Researcher Career
Another profitable alternative to a nursing career is a job as a medical researcher. It comes with an annual average salary of $76,021. Responsibilities include researching the human body, medicine, and the interactions of medications. Medical research is critical as it helps us understand people’s health and hence improve treatment and diagnostic procedures.
6. Medical Sales Executive Career
A career as a medical sales executive could pay well over $81,611 per year. As a medical sales executive, you will be working with supply companies and medical products. You will also be educating nurses, doctors, physician assistants and other medical providers on the best way to utilize various medical items.
Your work will also involve answering questions concerning various products and providing samples to increase sales. With your nursing experience, you can also offer training on a variety of medical items to increase product knowledge and awareness.
7. Nurse Consultant Career
A career as a nurse consultant is rewarding and satisfying. Besides the annual average salary of $84,152, you will provide expert advice, often from a legal perspective. You will also be working with legal teams dealing with cases that require medical knowledge.
A nurse consultant assists such teams to define medical terms, evaluate medical charts, and provide expert witness testimony on medical malpractice cases. You could also give consultations to a nursing home, a hospital, or a medical facility. You may be expected to recommend individualized treatment plans to patients. Other duties may involve evaluating the current nursing staff’s qualifications.
8. Clinical Nurse Educator Career
Working as a clinical nurse educator attracts an annual salary of $87,375. Your key duty would be to mentor and teach students in the nursing profession. So, your workplace would probably be an academic institution.
You might, however, be requested to oversee internships, facilitate lessons, administer tests, and provide professional mentorship to nursing students. You could also find yourself working at a medical facility where duties will involve providing ongoing training and exposing the nursing staff to personal development opportunities.
There are a host of alternative careers for nurses besides the traditional roles. With hospitals facing the danger of being overrun by COVID-19 patients, you might want to protect yourself and your family by looking for an alternative career. Your search can start here.
