If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) but want to pursue a career other than nursing, there are plenty of suitable jobs outside of a traditional nursing setting that you can work toward. Whether you’re ready for a career change after being a nurse for a long time or you want to pursue a different job path after earning your BSN, you can find satisfying work that puts your health education to good use.
Take a look at nine non-nursing jobs you can do with a BSN to get a better idea of the various areas in which you can utilize your degree.
1. Health Writer
If you enjoy writing and researching, consider becoming a health writer. Health writers create content, including blogs, health articles, ebooks, and pamphlets, for various medical and healthcare organizations. If this sounds like something you want to do, look specifically for writing roles limited to candidates with a BSN or background in nursing. These roles are likely to pay higher rates because of your nursing education, and you may have the ability to write using an empathetic tone and voice that resonates with patients.
2. Medical Researcher
As a medical researcher, you spend a large portion of your time doing in-depth research about topics that can improve quality of care and may lead to new treatments and medical discoveries. For instance, you may spend time researching the side effects of certain medications or the ways certain surgical techniques may be improved using new technologies.
Medical researcher roles are often posted on job sites dedicated to nurses and other healthcare professionals.
3. Legal Nurse Consultant
If you’ve always been intrigued by courtroom settings, consider becoming a legal nurse consultant. In this role, you provide recommendations and advice to legal teams that are working on medical cases. You may also educate legal teams about the inner workings of hospitals or certain medical procedures and interpret medical paperwork for cases.
4. IT Nurse
If you have a personal passion for technology or have professional experience working with new medical technologies, you may be a great IT nurse. As an IT nurse, you’re responsible for deciding which technologies to use in your organization or department. You may also attend medical conferences in which new technologies are introduced or spend time determining whether certain technologies, such as telehealth, could produce better health outcomes for patients.
5. Pharmaceutical Sales Rep
Working as a pharmaceutical sales representative allows you to learn about new medications and pharmaceutical products and sell them to healthcare organizations and doctors who may want to use them in their practices. With a BSN, you may already be familiar with how certain types of drugs and medications work. This can help potential clients understand the benefits of using them to treat patients.
6. Nurse Educator
As a nurse educator, you can work in an academic setting to educate aspiring nurses who are working toward their BSNs. You can also work in a clinical setting to mentor and improve the skills of nurses who may be new in their roles or need additional training. There are plenty of roles in education for nurses, including occupational health nurses who work in corporate settings and patient education coordinators who work closely with patients and their loved ones to help them better understand treatments and conditions.
7. Medical Biller
If you prefer administrative work, you may enjoy the role of a medical biller. Medical billers are mainly responsible for collecting payments from patients and insurance companies. Your other duties and responsibilities may include maintaining patient billing records, reviewing financing options with patients, and managing all records of accounts payable and receivable for your clinic or organization.
8. Nutritionist
Nutritionists specialize in understanding the roles of foods, diet, and supplements in overall health and how these elements can reduce the risk of illness and disease. As a nutritionist, you may work closely with patients who have special dietary needs because of conditions like heart disease or diabetes. You might also work with those who want to improve their diets to lose excess weight or strengthen their immune systems. Some states may require you to earn an extra certification in nutrition to become a nutritionist, which usually involves studying a booklet on nutrition and passing the necessary tests.
9. Medical Sales Executive
The role of a medical sales executive is similar to that of a pharmaceutical sales rep, except instead of selling pharmaceutical products like medications, you sell medical products and supplies like wheelchairs, hospital beds, and stethoscopes. With a BSN under your belt, you may be a more knowledgeable and successful sales representative than peers who lack the same level of nursing experience.
The above nine non-nursing jobs are just some entries on a long list of roles you can enjoy with a BSN if your goal is to work outside of a traditional nursing setting. Take time to review medical and health job boards online to see what’s available and discover other non-nursing jobs you can do with your BSN.
Resource Links
- “What Is a Legal Nurse Consultant?” via Duquesne University School of Nursing
- “How to Become a Nurse Educator” via WGU Texas
- “How to Become a Nutrition Nurse” via NurseJournal