While many registered nurses (RNs) build their careers in hospitals, this setting might not be the right fit for everyone. Fortunately, nurses who prefer a different work environment have a wide range of opportunities beyond hospitals. From community health to corporate roles, nonhospital nursing jobs offer diverse and rewarding career paths.
If you are interested in enrolling in a nursing school program and are curious about nursing jobs outside of a hospital, learning about these alternative roles can help you find the right fit for your skills and interests.
Where Can Nurses Work?
According to a 2022 nursing workforce survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers, nearly 58% of RNs in the United States work at a hospital. The remaining nurses work for other types of employers, such as:
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
Home healthcare agencies
Hospice organizations
Public and community health organizations
Schools
Ambulatory care providers
Nurses also fill important roles at certain types of organizations that might not immediately come to mind when considering traditional nurse working environments. For example, some nurses work for:
Insurance companies
Legal and consulting firms
Pharmaceutical companies
Research organizations
Information technology firms
Health policy organizations
Telehealth providers
6 Nursing Jobs Outside of the Hospital
The following examples demonstrate the variety of nursing jobs available outside of a hospital setting.
1. Ambulatory Care Nurse
Ambulatory care nurses work in outpatient settings such as physicians’ offices and outpatient surgical centers. In contrast to hospital nurses, they typically work with higher numbers of patients during a single day and spend less time with each individual patient.
Ambulatory care nurses examine patients, take their vital signs, order diagnostic tests, and perform wound care. In addition, ambulatory care nurses are responsible for collaborating with other medical professionals on a patient’s healthcare team.
2. Home Health Nurse
Home health nurses provide care in patients’ homes, assessing their health, implementing treatment plans, and managing medical devices such as tubes and drains. They may also be responsible for coordinating care with patients’ physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of treatment.
Home health nurses work with older adults, as well as patients of all ages who are recovering from injuries, managing chronic conditions, or healing after surgery.
3. Public Health Nurse
Public health nurses focus on the well-being of entire populations rather than individual patients. Their responsibilities may include analyzing community health data to identify trends, educating the public on ways to improve health, or supporting public programs such as maternal health initiatives or immunization campaigns.
Organizations that employ public health nurses range from local public health departments to international health agencies.
4. Hospice Nurse
Hospice nurses provide compassionate end-of-life care in patients’ homes, nursing homes, hospice centers, and assisted living facilities.
Their primary focus is on enhancing patients’ quality of life and providing comfort to them. They perform duties such as administering pain medication, providing skin care, and monitoring vital signs. They are also responsible for communicating changes in a patient’s condition to their medical team and family members.
Compassion, empathy, and an ability to support both patients and their families are important skills in hospice nursing.
5. School Nurse
School nurses play a vital role in promoting student health and well-being. In addition to addressing injuries and illnesses that occur during the school day, they may also be responsible for monitoring vaccination records, developing care plans for students with specific health needs, and creating strategies to support those with behavioral health challenges. In some cases, school nurses help students’ families connect with healthcare providers and review health insurance options.
6. Telehealth Nurse
The use of telehealth increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and individuals seeking nonhospital roles in nursing are finding new opportunities to work remotely.
Telehealth nursing involves providing healthcare services using communication technology such as video conferences, email, telephone calls, or other remote systems. Telehealth nurses can be responsible for performing telephone triage to assess a patient’s healthcare needs and route them to the appropriate provider. They can also monitor patients’ conditions remotely to assess their health status and manage their care.
As technology advances and new healthcare practices emerge, it is likely that roles in telehealth nursing will continue to expand.
Job Outlook for Nurses
Due to a nationwide staffing shortage, demand for nurses remains high across most healthcare settings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an average of 194,500 job openings for registered nurses each year from 2023 through 2033. Factors such as an aging population, high rates of chronic disease, and the retirement of veteran nurses are expected to sustain this demand in the coming years.
Individuals seeking nonhospital nursing jobs may also benefit from recent shifts in how and where patients are receiving care. For example, according to the professional services firm Advisory Board, an increasing number of patients are turning to ambulatory care providers instead of hospitals for surgeries, lab work, and imaging services. Also, more patients are seeking treatment for conditions such as pneumonia and heart issues in their own homes, rather than in a hospital setting.
Explore a Variety of Nonhospital Nursing Roles
A hospital setting is just one of many career paths available to nurses. Those seeking alternative environments can find fulfilling opportunities in a wide range of nonhospital nursing jobs that align with their skills and preferences.
For those looking to start their nursing careers, the Fortis School of Nursing at All-State Career School provides the education and hands-on training needed to build a strong foundation in clinical skills. These programs prepare aspiring nurses for diverse and rewarding careers in healthcare.
Take the first step toward your nursing career today.
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