{"id":8654,"date":"2024-09-30T14:00:46","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T14:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/?p=8654"},"modified":"2024-09-30T15:07:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T15:07:50","slug":"advice-for-nurses-considering-a-nursing-career-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/career-resources\/advice-for-nurses-considering-a-nursing-career-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Advice for Nurses Considering a Nursing Career Change"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides retirement, stress and burnout are the top reasons nurses cite to explain why 600,000 plan to leave the nursing profession by 2027, according to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsbn.org\/news\/ncsbn-research-projects-significant-nursing-workforce-shortages-and-crisis\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023 report by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (NCSBN). With many nurses seeking a career change, Vivian Health looks deeper into why they\u2019re dissatisfied with their current roles and are seeking a change of pace, practice or setting. For those mulling a nursing career change, we share our top advice, including ways to stay by the bedside, shift into a related <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/browse-jobs\/landing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nursing job<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or move outside the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Factors That Drive a Nursing Career Change<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses are often on the move from one position to the next. One 2024 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamanetworkopen\/fullarticle\/2817317\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study found that 17% of nurses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leave their jobs at large <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/career-resources\/what-is-a-magnet-hospital\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">magnet hospitals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> yearly. Some move on to other nursing positions, while others leave the profession entirely. What drives this turnover at nursing jobs?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wellness\/from-empathy-to-exhaustion-the-hidden-toll-of-compassion-fatigue-and-burnout-in-nursing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compassion fatigue and burnout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remain serious problems that motivate many to change their nursing career. Vivian Health\u2019s 2024 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/industry-trends\/insights-from-survey-of-healthcare-professionals\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">survey of healthcare professionals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had several key findings that offer more details:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A majority of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in our survey reported experiencing burnout from work.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A majority of younger HCP workers, ages 18 to 42, say they\u2019re depressed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some 47% of HCPs see violence in their workplace.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On top of their workload, half of survey respondents report having caregiver responsibilities at home, such as for a child or elderly parent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result of these and other factors, 42% of our survey respondents said they were planning to leave healthcare entirely, 40% were taking more time off, 39% were moving to a less stressful specialty, and 32% were shifting to\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/industry-trends\/can-virtual-nursing-address-the-post-pandemic-nursing-shortages\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fully remote healthcare work<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>7 Nursing Career Strategies to Help RNs Stay at the Bedside<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8192\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/Male-nurse-iStock-Resized-scaled-e1726511878273.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Industry analysts predict an ongoing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/industry-trends\/nursing-shortage-by-state\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shortage of bedside nurses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. According to the NCSBN report, many nurses plan to leave the bedside, following in the footsteps of the 100,000 or so who left during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the healthcare industry to thrive and survive, it must find ways to address nurses\u2019 issues and motivate them to remain by the bedside. That would help prevent a vicious cycle in which nurses leave caregiving roles, creating more burdens on the nurses left behind, which further encourages more departures, and on and on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, we consider seven key ideas for nurses themselves on how to navigate a potential career change and remain in bedside nursing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>1. Conduct a Self-Assessment First<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by assessing how you feel in your current role and what you need to change. There are several formal approaches to assessing your career and personal values, and we offer a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/inspiration\/revitalizing-your-nursing-career\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">variety of tips<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on those. Part of that assessment can be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/events\/how-to-find-a-good-mentorship-in-healthcare\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">connecting with a nurse mentor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for advice on advocating for yourself and planning career changes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Revisiting your initial motivations for becoming a nurse can provide valuable insight. What drew you to the profession in the first place? What aspects of nursing did you find most fulfilling? Creating a pros and cons list can be a helpful exercise to clarify whether it\u2019s your current role or the nursing profession itself that might be causing dissatisfaction. Sometimes, it&#8217;s not the career you need to change but the environment or specific job responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identifying the aspects of nursing you still enjoy can also be revealing. Are there moments when you feel genuinely engaged and passionate about your work? Consider what changes could make your job more aligned with what you value most in your career.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>2. Talk to Management About What Is and Isn\u2019t Working<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After conducting your self-assessment, management at your healthcare facility may be motivated to make changes to keep you in your current role. If you\u2019re making plans to leave anyway, speak with them candidly about what does and doesn\u2019t work for you. Would a change of pay, schedule or staff ratios keep you on board? What about systemic protocols for dealing with violence or harassment? See if your facility can provide tangible steps it will take and a timeline for implementing them that would keep you on the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>3. Consider Flexible Jobs Like Per Diem Nursing or Travel Nursing<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/career-resources\/what-is-per-diem-nursing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">per diem nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a way to control your own schedule and achieve a better work-life balance. Nurses with child or parent caregiving responsibilities often like the control of picking up shifts on an ad hoc basis. You should consider potential downsides, too. Per-diem nurses can experience more irregular income and the possibility that no shifts will be available for a period of time. However, with the overall shortage of nurses, many health systems must regularly call on per diem nurses to fill gaps in the schedule.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another approach for those not tied to their current location is a short-term change of scenery via <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/travel-nursing-faq\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">travel nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Working as a travel nurse offers a way to see how other health systems operate and what employer culture you might prefer. These typically 13-week travel contracts also allow you to sample other facilities to help guide you to a long-term position that meets your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>4. Shift into a Less Stressful Specialty<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider if your nursing specialty is a source of stress and burnout. Nursing roles vary widely in terms of responsibilities and work environments. However, several nursing specialties are known for being particularly intense due to the high cognitive demands, the critical nature of the work and their emotional toll.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High-stress roles can include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/icu-nurse\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">intensive care unit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ICU), <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/er-emergency-room-nurse\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">emergency department<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ED) or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/or-operating-room-nurse\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">operating room<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (OR) nursing. Roles that can be emotionally taxing include psychiatric, hospice and even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/home-health-nurse\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home health nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider stepping into another unit or specialty that offers less stress. Changing specialties or healthcare settings\u2014see tip 5\u2014both offer ways to create a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/industry-trends\/nurses-battling-burnout-choosing-less-stressful-work-environments\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">less stressful work environment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>5. Change Healthcare Settings<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all healthcare settings are created equal. Working in a small health office, clinic or urgent care center, you can often keep regular business hours or deal with a more manageable daily patient load. Providing care at a school, community center or senior center can also be rewarding and lower intensity than a hospital since you usually don\u2019t encounter the most seriously ill in such settings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>6. Move into Telehealth<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our survey found that many nurses are interested in various telehealth nursing roles. In such positions, you provide care and consultations via telecommunication technologies, often remotely. Telehealth nursing is just one of several possible <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/career-resources\/top-10-work-from-home-nursing-jobs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">work-from-home nursing jobs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to consider if you want to step away from a hospital or clinical setting.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>7. Level Up to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way to change up your day-to-day responsibilities entirely but remain focused on patient care is to take the leap to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/healthcare-education\/5-levels-of-nursing-practice-roles-and-degrees\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">next level of nursing practice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). These roles require you to earn a master\u2019s degree and pass a new licensing exam.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In many ways, working as an APRN has more in common with the roles of a doctor or physician\u2019s assistant. In these roles, you\u2019re typically only responsible for one patient at a time and have the option to serve the patient in an office setting. For example, as a nurse practitioner, you may spend your day more focused on diagnosis and developing a treatment plan than a patient\u2019s activities of daily living, administering medications, or doing wound care.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Transitioning Away from Direct Patient Care<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/07\/Nurse-Professor-iStock-Resized-scaled-e1720633060297.jpg\" alt=\"DNP Nurse Professor\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe you\u2019ve reached a point where you\u2019re simply done with daily patient care or you feel the desire to take a break from it for a while to recharge and reorient. At the same time, you probably want to leverage your existing skills and experience in healthcare and actively maintain your licensing as a registered nurse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this sounds like you, there are a variety of nursing roles beyond bedside care worth considering. Some may require additional training, such as pursuing a master&#8217;s or doctorate in nursing. These roles include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nurse Manager\/Administrator<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: These roles oversee front-line nursing staff, manage budgets and ensure efficient operation of healthcare units or departments. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/certifications\/bsn\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Bachelor of Science in Nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (BSN) degree will help you compete for such roles. Consider an RN-to-BSN bridge program to get your degree quicker. We offer some practical tips if you are considering a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/career-resources\/how-do-i-move-from-nurse-to-nursing-leadership\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">shift into nurse leadership<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nurse Educator<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: These roles involve teaching in nursing schools or conducting training programs for healthcare staff. Like becoming an APRN, getting a nurse educator role may require additional education to the master&#8217;s or doctorate level. We offer some practical guidance on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/money-taxes\/nursing-school-financial-aid\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">how to pay for nursing school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/case-management-hospital\/\"><b>Case Management<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Nurses in these positions coordinate patient care, ensuring they receive necessary services and facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/public-health\/\"><b>Public Health Nursing<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Such roles generally focus less on caring for individual sick patients and instead on improving the overall health of a community. Work focuses on promoting wellness, preventing illness and providing education on public health issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Clinical Research Nurse<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: These jobs involve participating in or managing clinical trials and helping to test new treatments or medications. Some roles may require you to earn a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/certifications\/dns\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Doctor of Nursing Science<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which could require a substantial investment in time and money.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Put Your Nursing Skills to Use in a Related Field<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some nurses may be eager to leap further afield from traditional nursing roles. Consider non-nursing roles where a nursing background can help expedite your career path or demonstrate your expertise and authority. Jobs include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/nursing\/utilization-review-nurse\/\"><b>Utilization Review Nurse<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Reviewing patient records to ensure that the care provided is necessary and cost-effective, often working with insurance companies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nurse Writer\/Content Creator<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Writing articles, blogs or educational content on healthcare topics, or even working in medical journalism.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Health Policy Analyst<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Working on developing, analyzing and advocating for health policies at the local, state or federal level.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Medical Sales\/Pharmaceutical Sales Representative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Leveraging medical knowledge to sell medical devices, equipment or pharmaceuticals. These roles can be financially lucrative for those with good sales skills.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Health Coach\/Consultant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Providing guidance to individuals on health and wellness, often in private practice or corporate settings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social Work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Focusing on patient mental health and navigating health and welfare systems. Though it requires additional training and new licensure, nurses can use many of their existing skills on the path to becoming <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/social-work\/licensed-clinical-social-worker\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">licensed social workers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do decide to change your nursing career, Vivian can help. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/browse-jobs\/landing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Browse job listings<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> posted on our site, which regularly include an array of roles in various nursing specialties, nurse practitioner jobs, administrative roles and social work positions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"background-color: #124e3b; color: #fdfeff; font-size: 20px; border-radius: 10px; padding: 15px; min-height: 30px; min-width: 120px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/browse-jobs\/landing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Browse Jobs<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn what\u2019s driving RN turnover and gain seven strategies to help reverse this trend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":8655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[362,123,465,75,426,90],"class_list":["post-8654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-resources","tag-lpn-lvn","tag-nursing","tag-registered-nursing","tag-rn","tag-staff","tag-travel"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/09\/Nurse-Quitting-Job-iStock-Resized-scaled-e1726511738618.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}