Ways of Working

A solid portion of the population will often interact with nurses at their annual physical examination, but nursing professionals aren’t confined to any one place. As a nurse, where can you practice beyond the typical provider’s office? The answers are plentiful, which means so are the employment options for anyone pursuing a career as a nurse or healthcare professional.

The idea of work to many people is a 9-to-5 full-time job in one central location, but that scenario doesn’t always match a job seeker’s needs or availability. The articles in this section can help you explore other work environments throughout your career.

How and Where Can You Find Work?

After learning how to become a nurse and completing your education, you need to ask yourself how and where you wish to work. There are lots of variables at play that can affect your decisions. What if you want variety in your assignments and locations? What if you want to take classes during the day to further your career and can only work evenings part time? Should you explore jobs in acute care or post-acute care? Or both?

The good news is that healthcare is a 24-hour job, which makes it possible to find positions outside of the typical 9-to-5 setup and in myriad environments. For example, travel nurses go where the work takes them, which can be across the state or across the country. If you require scheduling flexibility, you may want to pursue per diem shifts or work in a float pool.

That said, there are certainly full-time contract and staff jobs that are available for those seeking work on a more consistent basis. If this is more what you’re looking for, large healthcare organizations are popular employers. For example, nurses account for a dominant portion of hospital employees.

Wondering where else to look for nursing work that’s not in the acute care space? Check out the many positions available in nursing homes, assisted living communities, rehabilitation facilities, and additional post-acute settings. We’ll give you an overview of assisted living and skilled nursing workplaces so you can find the type of facility that would best fit you. There are also many opportunities to work remotely in nursing.

Where Can You Work Right Now as a Nursing Professional?

If you’re ready to start your career — or at the very least start thinking about it — the articles in this section can give you a strong background on the options that are available to you in the workforce.