There is currently a shortage of nurses at all levels, and those with a bachelor’s degree in nursing are in a prime position to get some of the best-paying positions not only in healthcare, but all positions combined. As well as this, the field is so vast that the choices, specializations and settings are almost infinite.
This makes nursing one of the most attractive and fulfilling career paths you can embark on. If you still don’t know what you want to do as a nurse or want to learn more about what’s available, here are some of the top 10 nursing positions that you can get with a bachelor’s in nursing.
Camp Nurse
Camp nurse is one of those positions few nurses think about, but it is one of the most interesting you can find. As a camp nurse, your responsibilities will be to:
- Conduct pre-camp health assessments
- Maintain health equipment and office
- Order medical supplies
- Treat both staff and camp goers who show illness signs
- Provide first aid
- Protect camp goers against physical attacks and bullying
- Have a clear plan in place in case of contamination
- Give medication as needed
- Educate camp goers on relevant health topics, like bug bite or sunburn prevention
- Take care of documentation and paperwork
Working as a camp nurse is a great option if you’re good with children and are naturally active. Having a love for the great outdoors also helps. Camp nurses can make as much as $39.00 per hour and the median income for camp nurses is around $28.00 per hour.
OBGYN Nurse
Another great career you could consider is OBGYN nurse. You’ll not only be in charge of bringing new life into the world, but you will look after the care of new and expecting mothers. The average OBGYN nurse can make as much as $60,000 per year.
Hospice Nurse
At the other end of the spectrum, you could also embark on a career as a hospice nurse. If you really want to build a connection with your patients and help them get through their twilight years, there is no better field. Hospice nurses are also paid respectably well, with the average nurse earning around $29.65 per hour.
Disney Nurse
Yes, you could get paid to be a nurse in the “happiest place on Earth”. However, while working for Disney may seem like a dream, the job can be actually pretty demanding. And even though you can work there with nothing but a bachelor’s, you also need to have other specific skills.
“We get guests not only from around the country, but from around the world,” says guest service manager and BSN Cheryl Talamantes. “We sometimes have to work through language barriers and cultural tradition,” she said. “In addition to having first-aid stations around the park, we also have response locations for our hotel guests.” This is another great job if you have a gift with children, and love variety.
Yacht Nurse
If getting paid to cruise the seven seas sounds like a dream, then working as a yacht nurse is one of the closest you can get to it. As a yacht nurse, your job will be to look after and provide care to both the staff and those on board. However, since the crew is usually small and there are few guests, you might also be asked to double as a deckhand or steward.
Flight Nurse
This is a great position if you love the action and want to work in an unusual setting. As a flight nurse, you’ll often be at the centre of rescue missions and provide care to patients being carried by aircraft. However, know that you’ll have to complete a special DoA course in order to become eligible.
Surgical Nurse
If you want to make a fast return on your investment, you should consider working as a surgical nurse. Surgical nurses can stand to make as much as $74,000 per year and are some of the highest paying positions you can get with a bachelor’s degree.
And the best part is that you don’t have to spend years to get your formation. There are tons of online accelerated bsn programs for non nurses for non-nurses that will allow you to get you your bachelor’s in as little as one year. Most will have some sort of pre-reg credit requirement, but you’ll still be able to get your degree much faster than through any traditional program.
Pediatric Nurse
Pediatric nurses are also in very high demand and are some of the best paying positions for nurses with a BSN. As a pediatric nurse, you’ll need to be able to:
- Identify changes in signs and symptoms
- Intervene in emergency situations
- Differentiate between abnormal and normal physical findings
- Serve as an advocate
- Administer proper medication dosage based on age
- Determine a child’s pain management needs
- Support gravely ill and dying children
The average pediatric nurse can make as much as $65,000 per year. It is also one of the careers in which nurses have the highest satisfaction rates.
ICU Nurse
But, if you really want to be in the middle of the action and get paid well for it, you could always become an intensive care nurse. ICU nurses have to work in high-stress situations and often have to deal with patients in critical condition. This position is widely respected these days (more than ever) thanks to them being seen as front-line jobs.
This is not a job for the faint of heart, but a great one if you want to have a real impact on the ground and can perform well under pressure. The average ICU nurse can make as much as $62,000 per year.
Nurse Health Coach
If you want to make a difference in people’s everyday lives and want to help them make better life choices and decisions, you could also consider working as a nurse health coach. This is a great field if you want to work independently. You can also get in without special certifications. Know, however, that your bachelors will give you a definite leg up in this industry,
All of these positions have something to offer for new nurses who want to gain some experience and be stimulated at the same time. These are also some of the most satisfying positions you can in the field, so make sure that you examine them all in detail and see which one would be a better match for you.
