It seems like the entire world went virtual at the height of the COVID pandemic. Even in the healthcare sector, the pandemic forced us to seek non-emergency medical care through virtual means. As a result, remote nursing has gained traction. Even now, healthcare job boards list thousands of remote registered nurse jobs.
It may seem like nursing and remote work are incompatible. Nursing is usually a profession requiring direct access to patients. It is a career that involves bedside care and constant monitoring. So how can it be performed remotely?
In fairness, the vast majority of registered nurse jobs still adhere to the traditional model. There are just some types of care that cannot be provided virtually. But the growing movement for telehealth is opening opportunities for nurses looking to gather the traditional clinical setting.
Telehealth Primary Care
One of the most lucrative fields for virtual nursing is primary care in a telehealth setting. You may have some experience with this yourself if you visited remotely with your doctor during the pandemic. Telehealth appointments are similar to in-person visits from a structural standpoint, even though they are conducted by way of video chat.
A registered nurse still greets the patient and collects preliminary information. They may consult with the patient and answer general questions. The nurse provides a vital service prior to the actual visit with the doctor.
Other Remote Opportunities
While telehealth and primary care are getting a lot of attention right now, they are not the only means by which registered nurse jobs can be performed remotely. There are a number of other remote opportunities nurses can look at. Here are just a few examples:
Healthcare Case Manager
Nurses who work as case managers are essentially go-betweens. They are intermediaries between patients and the facilities that provide their care. A case manager’s responsibilities include coordinating resources, evaluating options, monitoring patient progress, and keeping patients and their families in the loop. Helping patients manage costs can be part of the equation as well.
Fortunately, this type of work doesn’t always have to be done in person. Perhaps it should be most of the time, but there is a growing demand for remote access to caseworkers. Patients and their families would rather collaborate remotely than try to arrange personal visits.
Nurse Educator
Demand for nurse educators is growing right alongside the demand for nurses themselves. Practitioners looking to leave traditional registered nurse jobs in favor of remote work might consider becoming educators. A nurse educator combines clinical knowledge with practical experience to help train the next generation.
The beauty of this particular job is that it relies on an educational model that was in use long before the pandemic: remote learning. The only difference now is that technology plays a bigger part.
Nurse Recruiter
Recruiters are challenged to find the best nurses for open positions. But nursing is a complex job that requires the right combination of knowledge, skill, and practical experience. Recruiters who have never donned a nurse’s scrubs to step into a clinical setting don’t know what it takes to excel in a given job. Nurses do.
Nurse recruiting can be done remotely. In fact, it often is. Registered nurses leaving clinical work in favor of recruiting could work from home, utilizing technology to make contacts, conduct interviews, etc.
Remote nursing jobs are gaining traction. Nurses looking to get out of traditional clinical work are discovering that remote jobs are a better fit for them. It is really not surprising when you consider the state of the modern workforce.
