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One amazing part of pursuing a career as a nurse is being able to choose from a long list of nursing jobs, or specialties. Some nursing jobs place you at the bedside caring for patients, while others place you outside of a traditional medical setting educating nursing students at schools or working alongside lawyers who are managing medical-related court cases.
Whether you enjoy working with newborns, caring for older adults, or helping corporations improve workplace safety, the possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to choosing a nursing job you’re passionate about. There are at least 55 jobs you can do as a nurse, and that number is growing. Here’s a brief overview of some of the many jobs you can obtain with a nursing degree.
What Are Some of the Most Popular Nursing Jobs?
Some nursing jobs are more popular than others due to factors such as duties, responsibilities, and salary. Five of the more popular nursing jobs are:
- Registered nurse (RN): RNs are mainly responsible for providing and coordinating patient care, and teaching patients about health conditions. The average salary of an RN is $77,600 per year.
- Nurse practitioner (NP): NPs receive additional training that gives them licensure to provide primary and specialty care services, such as prescribing medications and ordering diagnostic tests.
- Certified nurse midwife (CNM): CNMs specialize in women’s healthcare services, including prenatal care, childbirth, and gynecology.
- Nurse anesthetist (CRNA): CRNAs specialize in administering anesthesia to patients who are undergoing surgical procedures.
- Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): A CNS is trained in a nursing specialty to care for specific groups of patients, such as children or people with diabetes.
What Are the Top-Paying Nursing Jobs?
If your goal is to obtain a nursing position with an especially high salary, consider one of the following top-paying nursing jobs. Refer to the website of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the most up-to-date information regarding nursing salaries.
- Nurse anesthetists, who earn a median annual wage of $205,770
- NPs, who earn a median annual wage of $124,680
- CNMs, who earn a median annual wage of $122,450
More Nursing Jobs to Consider
When mapping out your educational path to becoming a nurse, consider exactly what it is that makes you excited about being a nurse. Do you prefer working with children or with older adults? Do you feel passionate about improving public health and working with people in your community? Are you devoted to caring for patients with chronic conditions? Asking yourself these questions may help guide you toward choosing the right nursing career.
Below are other nursing jobs to consider, based on specialty.
Pediatrics
If you love working with newborns, infants, and kids, consider pursuing a specialty in pediatrics. Nursing roles in pediatrics include:
- Neonatal nurses, who care for newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for reasons such as preterm birth and life-threatening congenital defects
- Labor and delivery nurses, who work alongside OB-GYNs to help mothers through labor and delivery and care for newborn babies
- Pediatric endocrinology nurses, who specialize in treating certain conditions in babies and children, including diabetes and Turner syndrome
Education
Consider a nursing job in education if you enjoy teaching others about nursing and inspiring nursing students. Nursing roles in education include:
- Clinical nurse educators, who train and educate nurses in healthcare settings
- Academic nurse educators, who teach nursing students at colleges, universities, and other academic institutions
- Patient education coordinators, who teach patients and their families how to manage complex and chronic medical conditions, such as cancer and heart disease
Non-Bedside
If you want to work outside of a traditional medical setting, consider a non-bedside nursing position. Non-bedside jobs you can get with a nursing degree include:
- Nurse writer or researcher, which requires you to write health-related materials for healthcare providers or do research to assist other medical professionals with clinical studies
- Infection control nurse, which involves looking for ways healthcare facilities can reduce hospital-acquired infections and improve workplace safety in terms of disease transmission
- Legal nurse consultant, which involves working with legal professionals who need consulting on medical- and health-related court cases
If you hold a nursing degree, your job opportunities are extensive. When selecting a nursing career, think about which positions might suit you best based on your personality and goals. Review the latest data surrounding nursing salaries for your desired positions, and tour different nursing schools online or in person. In many cases, the key to finding the best nursing career is finding the right nursing school that can support you along your educational journey.
Resource Links
- “160+ Most Popular Nursing Job & Career Titles” via NurseJournal
- “Jobs for Nurses: 50+ Different Nursing Positions” via NurseJournal
- “Top 5 Most Popular Nursing Careers” via Concordia University
- “Registered Nurses” via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022 29-1171 Nurse Practitioners” via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics