What Are the Most Common Career Changes for Nurses?

Do you feel like it’s time to move on from your job as a nurse? You’re not the only one. Many nurses take the leap into another career. About a third of nurses leave the profession within the first two years, and 90 percent of current RNs are considering a career change, many because they feel overwhelmed, or even burned out, due to the high demands of the job.

If you find yourself thinking “I want to leave nursing. What else can I do?” we have the details you need on finding and applying to alternative jobs for nurses. Learn about the most common career changes for nurses in and beyond healthcare.

Why Do Nurses Change Careers?

If you’re like many nurses, it’s likely you have mixed feelings about leaving nursing. As a nurse you’ve played an important role in the lives of patients and their families, but nursing comes with many challenges as well. Many nurses are leaving or considering leaving the profession because of high stress at work, understaffing, and long shifts.

How to Choose Among the Most Common Career Changes for Nurses

When you find yourself thinking “I want to leave nursing. What else can I do?” consider a few factors. First, decide whether you want to go back to school or find a career that doesn’t require a new education. Choosing a new career that doesn’t require a new degree will save you money and time but limit your options.

Consider looking for a job where you can use as many transferable skills as possible. This can help you avoid starting from scratch. Transferable skills can be either soft or hard skills. Chances are you possess unique characteristics that made you choose nursing in the first place. Those skills might include empathy, interpersonal skills, and communication skills. Because of this, many nurses transition into other people-facing jobs where they can continue to guide and help others thrive.

Next, consider whether you want to stay in healthcare or start over in a completely new industry.

The Most Common Career Changes for Nurses in Healthcare

The most common career change for nurses is to another healthcare profession. Staying in the healthcare sector means that you’ll be able to reap the benefits of this fast-growing and well-paying industry—and it’s easy to transfer your skills and knowledge to a new healthcare job.

Nursing can be more stressful than other careers in healthcare because of the extraordinary need for nurses. The high demand for nurses often results in nurses being overburdened with work.

If you’re working 12-hour shifts or weekends and nights like some nurses do, moving into another healthcare profession can also give you a more standard work schedule. Below are some common jobs for burned-out nurses. These jobs typically have a slower pace and more traditional hours than nursing jobs.

Healthcare Jobs for Burned-Out Nurses

1. Physical Therapist

This is the most common career change for nurses. As a physical therapist, you’ll likely have set appointment windows for patients, which gives you more quality time for patient care. Many physical therapists work typical office hours, so there’s little chance of night or weekend shifts.

You’ll need a doctor of physical therapy degree and a license to become a physical therapist. Physical therapists make a median salary of $37.23 an hour.

Find physical therapy jobs on Monster.

2. Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists help patients with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses that interfere with their motor skills. To become an OT, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy and a license.

The median salary for an occupational therapist is $38.50 an hour.

Find occupational therapy jobs on Monster.

3. Speech Therapist

Speech therapists get the chance to build long-term connections with patients, who they’ll see for months and sometimes years. This gives you an opportunity to see the progress they make and how your services benefit them.

You can become a speech therapist by earning a master of science in speech-language pathology. The median salary for a speech therapist is $78,655.

Find speech therapy jobs on Monster.

Alternative Jobs for Nurses in Healthcare

If you find yourself frustrated working within the limitations of the healthcare system, consider one of these alternatives jobs for nurses. In these roles you’ll continue to work directly with patients, but in a different way.

1. Patient Advocate

Patient advocates, also called patient navigators, help patients navigate the healthcare system. They advocate for a patient’s healthcare needs and serve as a liaison between patients and their healthcare providers, as well as their insurance companies. There is no specific education required to become a patient advocate, but healthcare education and experience are useful and getting a certification can help on the job market.

This is a good position if you’ve felt frustrated by budget constraints or insurance issues. While you can’t necessarily solve these issues as a patient advocate, you’ll be able to act as the patient’s voice in a more direct way than in your role as a nurse.

Patient advocates make a median salary of $50,905.

Find patient advocate jobs on Monster.

2. Doula

As a doula, you’ll support a patient through pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period. Doulas help patients with the emotional demands that these life-changing experiences bring by offering stress relief, patient advocacy, and other support. They complement traditional medical care, often incorporating alternative medicine such as acupuncture.

Doulas can work for doula agencies, where they have clients who hire them individually or directly for a healthcare practice. This is a common career change for nurses because even though doulas don’t need a healthcare degree, having one can help them in their job. Becoming a certified doula can help you on the job market as well.

Many doulas are self-employed and charge per birth. The average salary for a doula is $40,000 to $50,000 a year.

Find doula jobs on Monster.

Administrative Nursing Jobs

Before you leave the nursing profession, have you considered taking on an administrative role? A nursing jobs in admin is one of the most common career changes for nurses.

A nursing degree can give you a chance to take on a leadership role that pays more while eliminating many pain points of nursing. In fact, you might even get a chance to restructure some of the functions of the healthcare practice, allowing you to improve conditions for other nurses. These are some examples:

1. Diabetes Educator

Diabetes educators are nurses who educate patients on how to manage diabetes. It’s a common career change for nurses who want more administrative responsibilities, and it usually means working more traditional hours and fewer overnight and weekend shifts.

While you’ll still be in healthcare, you can work in a variety of settings as a diabetes educator. You can also have more say over patient care if you’re responsible for planning patient education as well. Becoming a diabetes educator doesn’t require training beyond a nursing degree, but many employers want you to have a certification from the National Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education.

The median salary for a diabetes educator is $62,038.

Find diabetes educator jobs on Monster.

2. Chief Nursing Officer

As chief nursing officer, you’ll focus on overseeing nursing care. You’ll be in an administrative leadership role where you won’t be involved in day-to-day patient care.

You can become a CNO if you have an RN license and a master’s degree in nursing or nursing administration, as well as previous leadership experience. This makes it a common career change for nurses who want to climb the career latter.

The median salary for a CNO is $128,360.

Find chief nursing officer jobs on Monster.

3. Clinic Manager

Clinic managers, also called clinic directors, oversee the day-to-day operations of a healthcare practice. They manage schedules, staff, patient care, medical records, and other responsibilities.

Some jobs require a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration or business administration to become a clinic manager. For other jobs you’ll qualify with a nursing degree, although you’ll likely need previous leadership experience as well.

The median salary for a clinical practice manager is $61,270.

Find clinic manager jobs on Monster.

Most Common Career Changes for Nurses Outside of Healthcare

Working in healthcare can take an emotional toll. If you’re looking for a role outside of this sector, consider another career where you’ll still work closely with others but in a less stressful environment.

1. Librarian

If you’re looking for something with a slower pace than nursing, we’ve found it. In the quiet space of the library, you’re likely to find serenity. There will still be patrons to assist, so you won’t get lonely, and you’ll help with the important goal of getting people, especially kids, to read more.

You’ll usually need a master’s degree in library and information science from a school accredited by the American Library Association to become a librarian. The median salary for a librarian is $49,102.

Find librarian jobs on Monster.

2. Guidance Counselor

As a guidance counselor you’ll help students develop academic skills and make decisions about what colleges to apply to and what careers to choose. This is a fast-growing career with plenty of job opportunities. You’ll get to make a direct impact on the lives of students, while working at a slower pace than in nursing.

You’ll need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in school counseling for most jobs as a guidance counselor.

The median salary for a guidance counselor is $43,637.

Find guidance counselor jobs on Monster.

3. Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

As a pharma sales rep, you’ll sell pharmaceuticals to doctors and healthcare facilities or pharmacies. You’ll still work with healthcare professionals, but you’ll be in the sales industry. This means you might benefit from connections you developed over the course of your nursing career. A nursing degree can also be an advantage to become a pharma sales rep, since you know the healthcare industry from within and understand the challenges it faces.

While you might visit healthcare facilities, you’ll be firmly footed in the sales industry, with potential bonuses and commission as benefits. The median salary for a pharma sales rep is $77,421.

Find pharma sales jobs on Monster.

4. Healthcare Recruiter

As a healthcare recruiter, you’ll work in an HR department or a recruiting firm, helping to recruit staff internally or for external clients. Getting a new, related degree such as in human resources or business administration is an advantage when becoming a recruiter but won’t be required for all jobs.

Your unique experience working in the healthcare industry can be an advantage on the job market and can also help you spot the best candidates for the job. Candidates are likely to want to work with you as well, since you have insight into the industry.

The median salary for a healthcare recruiter is $53,768.

Find recruiter jobs on Monster.

5. Legal Nurse Consultant

Legal nurse consultants work in the law sector. As a legal nurse consultant, you might work for a law firm, an insurance company, or for government agencies. You’ll provide expert insight into the medical aspect of legal cases in medical malpractice, personal injury, elder law, workers’ comp, criminal law, and other legal areas.

Because you’re already well-versed in healthcare from your time as a nurse, you won’t have to get a new degree, but applying for a legal nurse consultant certification can help you on the job market.

Find legal jobs on Monster.

6. Nurse Educator

Nurse educators teach nursing classes and develop course curricula. As a nurse educator, you’ll help educate the next generation of nurses, offering advice along the way. If you have a master’s degree in nursing, this is a great way to transition to a new career without going back to school. Nurse educators usually work at colleges and universities.

Find clinical nursing instructor jobs on Monster.

Companies Hiring Former Nurses

These are some employers who are hiring for roles where your nursing degree will be an advantage:

• Chaffey College is hiring nursing instructors for its nursing classes.
• Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is hiring doulas.
• Rimkus Consulting Group is hiring legal nurse consultants.
• North Star Health is hiring healthcare recruiters.

Tips for Changing Careers as a Nurse

Changing your career isn’t without challenges. Starting over in a new profession can be hard at first, but once you get your foot in the door with your first job, growing your new career will get easier. Here are some tips for dealing with common challenges when changing your career:

1. Utilize Your Network: Make connections during your education, if you need a new degree for the job, or choose a job in the healthcare field where you can tap into your current network. Set up informational interviews to learn about a new role or industry and let your network know you’re looking for a new position.
2. Include Transferrable Skills in Your Job Applications: Update your resume and cover letter to match the new position by including your transferable skills. Read the job ad to see what the employer is looking for. You could include subject expertise (licenses you hold and classes you’ve taken), multitasking (the typical number of patients you see each day), and soft skills that your recommendation letters back up (such as communication skills). Find more tips in our articles on how to write resumes and cover letters for career changes.
3. Focus on Your Motivations in Your Interview: It can be nerve-wracking to interview for a new career. Calm your nerves with our best tips for job interviews. Calm the prospective employer’s concern about your dedication to the new job by giving a thoughtful answer about why you’re drawn to the new position. Focusing on why you’re interested in the new career, instead of why you’re leaving nursing, will give a more positive impression and ease concerns that you’ll end up leaving the new career too.

How to Quit Your Nursing Job

It’s thoughtful to give two weeks’ notice before you leave a job, even when it’s not required. This will give your employer a head start on finding a new candidate, and it will also help lighten your colleagues’ workload. Giving two weeks’ notice isn’t required, however, unless your employment contract or state law says so.

When you tell your manager you’re leaving, try not to dwell on why, although you can give a brief explanation. There’s always a chance you’ll change your mind down the line or will want your supervisor as a refence.

Chart Your Job Search Progress on Monster

Give your resume a checkup before you check out of the nursing profession and into one of the most common career changes for nurses. Get a free resume assessment on Monster. Just upload your resume and our resume technology will screen it and give you free feedback within two days.