“Most registered nurses begin as staff nurses in hospitals or community health settings. With experience, good performance, and continuing education, they can move to other settings or be promoted to positions with more responsibility.” – The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
As a registered nurse (RN), your career revolves around patient care. Between patient assessments and laboratory testing, your clinical responsibilities are important for keeping your facility – whether that’s a hospital, outpatient clinic, or doctor’s office – running smoothly, and for keeping your patients well. However, if you’ve been working as an RN for some time, you may be wondering what’s next for you. Direct patient care has granted you great experience, but what else can you do besides nursing? And what steps do you need to take to get there?
Like most registered nurses, you likely began your career with an associate degree in Nursing (ADN), followed by completion of the NCLEX licensing exam. But in order to really level-up your career, and step outside of the bounds of patient care, you might be considering a bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) degree.
While upward mobility is possible for experienced RNs, most non-clinical nursing jobs require some advanced education in the field. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean several more years in nursing school. Licensed RNs have the ability to earn their BSN part-time through a flexible, online RN-to-BSN program—taking just 12 months to complete.
Before you jump into any continuing education program, though, it’s important to understand the outcomes. What can you do with a BSN degree besides nursing and patient care? Let’s find out.
7 non-nursing jobs you can pursue with a BSN degree
Don’t sweat – there are a variety of in-demand careers available to BSN degree holders. And, you are not the only one who is looking to make a career change! Whether it’s because of burnout or simply eagerness to grow, many registered nurses leap into other areas of nursing that do not require clinical duties or bedside care. As explained by the BLS:
“Some nurses move into the business side of healthcare. Their nursing expertise and experience on a healthcare team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based, and chronic care businesses. Employers—including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations—need registered nurses for jobs in health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance.”
So, what are some of the popular options available to you? Here’s a look at seven jobs you can pursue with a BSN degree besides nursing.
Nurse researcher:
Nurse researchers work on a team to uncover new data, treatments, processes, and updates in the medicine. They design scientific studies and ultimately develop research that can be used to improve healthcare as we know it.
Health or fitness coach:
Nurses have an incredible understanding of health and wellness, which can be applied to other fields like health and fitness coaching. Both types of coaches help people on their wellness journeys. Health coaches teach others how to live healthy, happy lives—such as those struggling with chronic conditions who struggle to feel good. Fitness coaches promote physical activity and help clients develop workout routines, specifically those who are new to fitness and unsure where to start.
Aesthetic nurse:
Aesthetic nurses are still nurses, however, they work in medical spas or other types of spas to provide holistic and cosmetic treatments to their patients. Aesthetic nurses might offer facials, laser skin treatments, tattoo removals, aesthetic surgeries, fillers, or IV vitamin therapies, to name a few. This is an alternative way to help people feel good about themselves, without doing bedside nursing.
Nurse informatics specialist:
Informatics nurses act as a liaison between medical staff and the technologies and systems they work with. Specifically, they find ways to use technology and data to support nurses and improve patient outcomes. They do not provide patient care, but rather develop, test, and implement programs and policies in medical facilities, using information technology.
Are you interested in beginning a career in nursing? Learn more about our various nursing programs at Goodwin!
Pharmaceutical sales rep:
Pharmaceutical sales representatives enjoy a flexible career connecting medical facilities with the medications they need. In pharmaceutical sales, you can expect to teach clinicians about various drugs and treatment options for patients, including new and emerging products. BSN-educated nurses already have a lot of background in pharmacology, which can be leveraged in this profession.
Nurse consultant:
The nursing consultant job is exactly as it sounds: these professionals consult others in efforts to improve nursing care and other health programs. There are different types of nursing consultants, including clinical nurse consultants—who assess healthcare facilities and practices—as well as legal nurse consultants, who help legal authorities understand injuries or other health-related topics on trial. Nursing consultants may work in legal settings, research labs, insurance companies, private offices, and more.
Nurse educator:
In short, nurse educators teach others about nursing—working to develop the next line of nursing staff. However, there are different types of nurse educators (and the job requirements vary for each). With a BSN degree, you may work in practical training programs, such as those in hospitals, to teach aspiring nurses the fundamentals of patient care and facility operations.
Pursue a leadership role in nursing with your BSN
If you have several years of experience under your belt, and go back to school for your BSN degree, you will be well-positioned for management and leadership roles after graduation. And, nurses who move into leadership positions are sure to reap the benefits. Medical and health services managers, such as nurse administrators and clinical managers, have the potential to earn six-figures in a non-clinical role. These professionals are responsible for tasks like:
- Overseeing nursing departments or clinical facilities
- Ensuring that staff and procedures comply with laws and regulations
- Setting goals to make their facility more efficient and ensure high-quality care
- Recruiting, training, and evaluating staff
- Managing budgets and finances for the facility
- Organizing records and creating work schedules for staff
Of course, responsibilities will vary depending on your title and your workplace. Requirements for leadership roles can also vary. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that leadership jobs are achievable with a bachelor’s level degree (like a BSN), some employers may prefer to hire those with a master’s degree. A master’s degree in Nursing (MSN) for example can set you up for leadership success.
A BSN degree can lead to knowledge and career growth
Whether you are looking to enter nursing administration, step into a behind-the-scenes research role, or coach people to reach their health goals (without clinical intervention), rest assured you have options. And there is always room to grow—in the nursing field and outside of it. A BSN degree prepares nurses with versatile skills in health science, leadership, public health, and advocacy, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of the healthcare system (and the business side of it).
And, if you want to keep learning, a BSN degree positions you to earn an MSN degree. Continuing education is always an option for nurses, especially in such a dynamic field. With a BSN, you can continue to grow your impact, your title, and your salary potential through a master’s degree.
Are you ready to take your nursing career to the next level—or try something new? A bachelor’s in Nursing will enable you to get there, using your existing nursing education. And it will allow you to get there fast. Learn about the part-time, online RN-to-BSN program at Goodwin University today.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.