7 Things You Can Do With a BSN Degree Besides Nursing
Are you interested in a nursing career, or looking to change your career after spending years in the clinical setting? Perhaps you’ve recently experienced a life change and are looking for a way to enjoy the freedom of working remotely or even working from home.
You may be pleased to know there are plenty of ways to put a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) to use other than by providing bedside care. And with fast projected job growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s never been a better time to explore everything that the nursing field has to offer.
Check out these seven areas where you can put your hard-earned BSN degree to work without getting involved with traditional clinical care.
1. Leadership Roles
Many people with BSN degrees go on to fulfill administrative, managerial, and leadership roles within physicians’ offices, hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and other similar settings. These leadership roles are great for people who want to shift their position within their current organization, and they’re also a good way to experience a new setting and make a big impact in your career.
Examples of leadership roles in nursing include:
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Administrator
- Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
- Director of Nursing (DON)
2. Educational Roles
Being a nurse educator—whether for staff development in a clinical setting or as a faculty member at a nursing school—is an excellent way to give back to your profession and help others who are just starting out on their own nursing paths. Depending on the educational role you take on, you may need to pursue higher qualifications such as a master of science in nursing (MSN).
3. Healthcare Information Technology (IT)
As the technology and healthcare industries continue to experience rapid change, the ability to bridge the gap between these two different—yet deeply interconnected—fields can prove highly lucrative. And because tech-related issues like data breaches cost the healthcare industry upwards of $6.2 billion annually, bringing nursing expertise into IT has never been more important to medical organizations.
A nursing career in IT may be a great fit if you have an interest in healthcare and technology. For example, as a Nursing Informatics specialist, you’ll likely be asked to help create, test, and/or implement new technology that can support organizational workflow, cybersecurity, and patient care within medical environments.
4. Insurance Field
A nursing career within the insurance field often allows you to perform some clinical duties (such as taking vitals and blood samples as part of insurance eligibility screenings) in addition to performing non-clinical roles.
For example, as a quality management nurse consultant, you may perform audits, research, and medical coding for your organization. You might also assist with important insurance-related matters such as patient safety, risk management, quality assurance, and AR&L (accreditation, regulatory, and licensing). Essentially, you would help with the “behind the scenes” work that insurance companies depend on to operate smoothly and remain in compliance with regulations and policies.
Another example of a position for nurses in the insurance industry is a Nurse Life Care Planner (NLCP), whose role is to collaborate with all parties involved in the decision-making process for people experiencing chronic and terminal illnesses.
5. Pharmaceutical Field
Working for a pharmaceutical manufacturer is another lucrative option for people with nursing degrees, and it can also offer a lot of flexibility and freedom. A pharmaceutical company may seek out nurses who have specialties in certain areas, such as pediatrics or oncology, to help with consulting, research, and sales.
6. Legal Field
A major benefit of working within the legal field is that it can offer greater flexibility and allows you more freedom over your schedule, including plenty of opportunities for remote work and working from home. Examples of nursing roles in these areas include:
- Working as a legal nurse consultant for legal teams who are investigating issues like medical malpractice, insurance fraud, and workers’ compensation claims, and helping team members interpret medical records.
- Serving as a forensic nursing consultant for crimes involving physical and sexual assault, child abuse, accidental death, and domestic violence. Depending on your situation, this may include collecting evidence, testifying in court, and even providing care for victims.
7. Non-Traditional Patient Care Roles
Perhaps you’re still interested in the patient care aspect of your nursing career but are ready to work outside the traditional hospital or facility settings. If this sounds like you, check out some of these more adventurous nursing roles to explore:
- Military Nurse
- Fitness Nurse
- Self-employed Nurse Health Coach
- Correctional Care Nurse
- Travel Nurse
- School Nurse
- Camp Nurse
- Private In-Home Nurse
- Flight Nurse
- Cruise Ship Nurse
Conclusion
The traditional clinical setting is an excellent and rewarding field for nurses, but it can also lead to issues such as on-the-job injuries, and the challenges of nighttime shift work. Fortunately, a BSN degree affords you a great degree of versatility when it comes to choosing a job, or even changing your nursing career path.
Article shared from #Every Nurse
Sumner College Student of the Month | November 2024
Congratulations Olga for being the November 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Olga was inspired to join Sumner College's nursing school after hearing about…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | October 2024
Congratulations Benjamin for being the October 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Benjamin is a compassionate nursing student who learned about Sumner College through…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Thank you, Veterans
Sumner College thanks and values our veterans on this honorable day. If you or someone you know has an interest in continuing education, please see…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing in the 21st Century
21st Century nursing is the glue that holds a patient’s health care journey together. Across the entire patient experience, and wherever there is someone in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Paying for Nursing School- Scholarships
Sumner College understands that every student’s financial situation is unique. Our financial aid department can provide you with more information about Oregon financial aid options…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
How to Prepare for Nursing School
Nursing school can be intimidating, but here are some helpful tips for you to make the most of your time and studies. As always, feel…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Bend, Oregon, Our New Home!
In a recent article with the Bend Bulletin, our School President Joanna Russell shared how we are enrolling for February 24, 2025 at our newest…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
RN to BSN – Career Upgrade!
Here at Sumner College we offer a program for current Registered Nurses, to further their education in a flexible schooling style and get a Bachelors…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Niche Award!
Exciting news! Sumner Nursing College was recently ranked by Niche, listed as #1 in Best Value Colleges in Oregon, #1 in Best Value Colleges in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Check Out Our New Campus!
Welcome to our new campus in Bend, Oregon! We are excited to be welcoming the first BSN cohort February 24th, 2025. Stay tuned as we…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Info Sessions
On the fence or have questions about starting your education at Sumner College? Check out our upcoming BSN Info Sessions! Available for on-campus in Portland…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
All About TEAS
If you're considering enrolling at Sumner College (or other nursing schools!) you will be required to take the TEAS Exam. This stands for Test of…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing School Study Tips
Nursing school is known to be extremely difficult, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself! NursingWorld.org suggests a few different things to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
$5,000 Education Award Available!
Exciting news! DiversityNursing.com is offering a $5,000 education award, with easy entry and no essays, why not enter for a chance to win $5,000 to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Member Bend Chamber of Commerce
Sumner College is proud to share we are new members of the Bend Area Chamber of Commerce. Coming soon our official ribbon cutting and social…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Spirit Week!
Happy Spirit Week! Stop by the Lobby or Front Desk throughout the week to say hi and show some school spirit! Monday: Meal Prep and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | September 2024
Congratulations Kristina, for being the September 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kristina completed the LPN program from Sumner College and recently returned to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Virtual Tour: SIM Lab 202
Welcome to Sumner College! Before you head in to our Portland Campus take a virtual tour where you can see our Simulation Lab, Hospital Simulator,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Campus Alert!
We are extremely excited to announce the opening of our new additional campus location in Bend, Oregon! Conveniently located just around the corner from Bend's…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
The Heart of Healthcare
Nursing can be described as both an art and science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies a fundamental respect for human dignity…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Labor Day Weekend
Happy Labor Day! We will be closed Monday to enjoy a long weekend!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Class Start Dates
Join us on one of our upcoming start dates for RN's looking to achieve a BSN completion!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
What is an RN-BSN Program?
RN to BSN Degree- What is it? The RN-BSN degree is designed for nurses that earned their Registered Nurse licensure and would like to continue…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
There’s Still Time!
There's still time to enroll for the September 3 class start date! All three programs are starting fresh this fall; BSN, RN to BSN, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | August 2024
Congratulations Hanna, for being the August 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner College! Hanna was inspired to pursue a career as a Practical Nursing…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Tips for Great Admission Essays
Writing an admission essay may feel like a daunting task to accomplish, much less three, as we require here at Sumner. While they are short…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Is Nursing for Me?
Have you ever wondered whether nursing is the right profession for you? Take our personality exam to see if you have the characteristics of a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Join the Nursing Workforce
When deciding what career to go into, one often will research the career to find out information like: average income, durability in the economy, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Celebrating 50 years!! Everyday NW’s Ally Osborne visits with Joanna Russell
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Sumner College in Northeast Portland is celebrating 50 years of helping people level up and reach for their career goals in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Why choose to complete a BSN?
Sumner College is proud to offer multiple different nursing programs, suitable for all stages of life. However, completing the Bachelors of Science in Nursing is…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn