26 Advanced Nursing Careers That Will Excite You for Sure
Are you an enthusiastic nurse or a nursing aspirant? If yes, Do you have any long-term goals or, if someone asks you about your plan in upcoming 5 years, are you capable of answering the question? If your answers to these questions is ‘no,’ then there is a possibility of you not being on the right track. Many nurses either have a doubt about how to improve their career prospects or are confused about the correct path to achieve greater heights in the profession. There are numerous advanced careers available in nursing; an individual must choose the one that is most appropriate to him or her on the basis of various aspects. Actually, there is a shortage of nursing professionals in the United Sates of America, and there is a high demand for advanced nursing jobs and careers.
Thus, if you are the one who dreams of a successful and an advanced nursing career, as per your outlook you can opt the best specialty out of those that are discussed below. This description is according to various parameters, such as demand, salary, work setting, etc. Choose the right one for you!
Different Types of Nurses and Careers
1. Dialysis Nurse
Patients who have issues related to kidney and need dialysis on a regular basis are served by a dialysis nurse. Since kidneys of such patients are no longer capable of filtering the blood and getting the waste products out, they can’t survive if not provided with proper care and dialysis. These patients require a machine which removes all the waste material. Dialysis Nurses practice to provide them comfort. These nurses are skilled in every task related to dialysis and are the experts of various types of it such as peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, etc. They also take care of the patients who recently had undergone a kidney transplant.
Degree you must have to Become a Dialysis Nurse
Candidates are required to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree if they want to practice as a Dialysis Nurse. They need to master various subjects such as pharmacology, nephrology, etc.
Job Outlook
It is estimated that this field of nursing will get a growth of 19% by the year 2022.
Salary
As per indeed.com, these professionals earned $64,000 as of April 4, 2017.
2. Utilization Review Nurse
A Utilization Review Nurse keeps an eye on the treatment and cost of health services. With this they ensure efficiency to the patients and their families. They check everything regularly to be sure that proper care is provided within the time and in an effective manner. They use certain measures to find out the expenses that are not needed. They are employed by many healthcare facilities such as hospitals or insurance companies.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Utilization Nurse Review
Candidates who want to become Utilization Review Nurse must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, after becoming licensed as a registered nurse. Many employers demand for 1 or 2 years of acute care experience.
Job Outlook
Since employment level of RNs is expected to grow in the upcoming years, these professionals will be high in demand.
Salary
As per the data of indeed.com, the yearly income of Utilization Review Nurse was 75,131 as of April 5, 2017, in the United States of America.
3. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Neonatal Nurses are the health care professionals who work with the premature babies. Most of the times, Neonatal Nurses need to practice in an intensive care unit. They offer immense care to the newborns who have numerous health issues. Neonatal Nurses have to work along with the other nurses to give the best results.
Degree you must have to Become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
A bachelor’s degree in nursing is a must if you want to practice as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. Though, some of these nurses also own a master’s degree. Besides this, either training under the supervision of a specialist or are an experienced practitioner in working with the infants is also required.
Job Outlook
It is estimated that Neonatal Nursing will gain a growth of 17% by the year 2022.
Salary
As per indeed.com, these nursing professionals earned $65,000 as of April 4, 2017.
4. Clinical Nurse
Patients with serious diseases and illnesses are served by the Clinical Nurses. In order to be available for the patients for every time they need, these nurses work in a hospital or clinical unit. They not only diagnose patients’ health issues but also treat them. Patients with a heart problem, lung cancer, and various other chronic problems need specialized support and care.
Degree you must have to Become a CNL or CNS
A clinical Nurse is basically an advanced practice Registered Nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing and master of science in nursing degrees. Other than this, they also need to be trained and specialized as a clinical nurse.
Job Outlook
It is supposed that the job outlook for the Clinical Nurse will grow by 20% by 2022.
Salary
As per indeed.com, these nursing professionals earned $67,000 as of April 4, 2017.
5. Nurse Claims Analyst
A Nurse Specialist that undertakes the responsibility to evaluate various kinds of claims for an insurance company and make a decision about whether the claim can provide the required medical service to the client or not. In this way, a claim is accepted or denied by the Nurse Claim Analyst. Claims can be for rehabilitation, auto accidents, long-term care admissions, medical insurance claims and various others.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Nurse Claims Analyst
To become a Nurse Claim Analyst, it is must for a candidate to be a registered nurse. In addition to this, s/he may also be asked for a bachelor’s degree by some employers. Though experience related to the work is not essential but it is often recommended in order to get higher positions.
Job Outlook
These nurses have numerous job opportunities in the United States of America, as job outlook for registered nurses is assume to increase by 19% till 2024.
Salary
As per indeed.com, the yearly wage of a Nurse Claim Analyst was $50,860 as of April 4, 2017, in the United States.
6. Surgical Nurse
Surgical nurses are basically assistants of Surgeons during surgery. Moreover, they interact with the patients before the operation and explain them everything to make them calm. It is their responsibility to prepare the patients for the procedure i.e. recording vitals, various measurements, sterilizing and marking the place for the operation.
Degree you must have to Become a Surgical Nurse
To be a Surgical Nurse, the first and foremost requirement for an aspirant is to be a Registered Nurse. Other than this, s/he must at least have an associate’s degree. In order to gain higher positions, one needs to own a bachelor’s degree. In addition to all this, the candidate must also have at least a year of experience.
Job Outlook
As per the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for Surgical
Nurses is expected to increase 16 percent from 2014 to 2024.
Salary
As per indeed.com, the average salary of a Surgical Nurse in the United States of America was $1,868 per week, as of April 4, 2017.
7. Certified Wound Care Nurse
These nurses take care of the wounds of the patients. They serve, support, treat and form care plans for the patients with intense wounds or ostomies. Wound healing and management are the prime responsibilities of these professionals. Besides this, they also teach the patients and their family members to clean, dress and take care of the wounds. This helps to prevent infections and other complications.
Degrees You Must Have to Become a Certified Wound Care Nurse
In order to be eligible to practice as a wound care nurse, it is must for the candidates to own an RN license, a bachelor’s degree and must fulfill one of the following requisites –
1. Must complete a wound care education program approved by the Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society.
2. A nursing program of graduation level along with the documented clinical course work of 2 semester hours.
3. Completion of 50 wounds care continuing education contact hours, not before 5 years and a clinical experience of 1500 hours in the last 5 years (with 375 hours in the before applying the application).
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Projected a growth of 16 percent from 2014 to 2024 in the job opportunities of Wound Care Nurse.
Salary
According to the data of indeed.com, the salary of a Wound Care Nurse was $102,936 per annum, as of April 4, 2017 in U.S.
8. Critical Care Nurse
A critical care nurse is also popularly known as Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse. These nurses mainly serve the patients under critical conditions such as serious illnesses and injuries. They also work in the ICU departments for particular health issues such as burns, heart and lung problems. They are among the most demanded nurses are you can find them working in hospice, nursing home or a hospital. For most of the time, they practice in the ICU and keep a track of the health status of the ICE patients.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Critical Care Nurse
It is must for a candidate to be a Registered Nurse in order to practice as a Critical Care Nurse. Other than this, they are also required to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and a certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and/or Pediatric Advanced Life Support. An Experience of 1 to 2 years is also demanded to let the candidates practice as an intensive care unit nurse.
Job Outlook
As per the statistics of the BLS, the job growth of Registered Nurses is expected to increase by 19 percent till 2022.
Salary
The report of indeed.com shows that salary of a Critical Care Nurse is $1,873 per week as of April 4, 2017, in the United States of America.
9. Legal Nurse Analyst
A legal Nurse Analyst is a specialized nursing professional trained to know about the way to apply their medical expertise to the cases that are not illegal. They aid attorneys in help with discovery, reading medical records, navigating healthcare institutions to find out the standards of care, assessing legal claims for merit, etc. Besides this, they also create documents of illness and injuries, research and also act like a professional on the witness stand.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Legal Nurse Analyst
One is required to be a Registered Nurse in order to practice as a legal Nurse Analyst.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for Legal Nurses is expected to grow by 21 percent till 2024 which is quite higher than many other professions in the United States of America.
Salary
According to the data of indeed.com, the salary of a Legal Nurse Analyst was $60,107 as of April 4, 2017, in the United States.
10. Certified Nurse Midwife
A Nurse Midwife is an advanced practice registered nurse that offer support and care to mothers and moms to be. They undertake various tasks related to women such as pregnancy, birth control, postpartum period, etc. They ensure complete care to the mother before, during and post delivery. Moreover, these professionals also perform births.
Degree and Qualifications You Must Have to Become a Certified Nurse Midwife
To work as a certified Nurse Midwife, a candidate requires to gain a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Other than this, registered nurse licensure and a certification by the American Midwifery Certification Board are also demanded.
Job Outlook
As per the statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected the growth of 25 percent in the job outlook for Midwife Nurses by 2024.
Salary
According to indeed.com, a Nurse Midwife earned $85,096 per annum on April 4, 2017, in the United States.
11. Psychiatric Nurse
Psychiatric nurses are the experts who work with the mentally ill patients. They are educated and trained to identify the mental problems and treat them. They are specialized in therapy and behavioral awareness to help the patients to manage the negative interactions that are part of their illness.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Psychiatric Nurse
Nursing aspirants who want to pursue a career advancement in nursing as a Psychiatric Nurse have to become a registered nurse first, then they need to gain a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Along with this, they are also asked for 1 or 2 years of experience by several employers.
Job Outlook
The growth rate of employment opportunities for Psychiatric Nurses is expected to grow by 26 percent from 2014 to 2024. Thus, there will be numerous job opening for these professionals.
Salary
According to indeed.com, the salary of a Psychiatric Nurse was $51,851 per annum as of April 5, 2017, in the U.S.
12. Diabetes Nurse
Nurses who work and focus on the treatment and care of diabetic patients are known as Diabetes Nurses. They are expertised to look after the patients at various types of complications and stages. Besides this, they make patients and their families aware of the precautions they must undertake to combat the chronic disease.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Diabetes Nurse
Like all the other advance nursing careers, Diabetes Nurses are also required to be both educated and experienced. First and foremost requirement is to gain a license as a registered nurse, after gaining the licensure, candidates need to gain an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree (4 years). They are also asked to be experienced for about 1 or 2 years.
Job Outlook
Employment opportunities for Registered Nurses are supposed to grow by 16 percent from 2014 to 2024. Thus, nurses for a chronic condition like diabetes will also be needed.
Salary
As per the payscale.com data, the median salary of a diabetes nurse was $28.23, as of November 11, 2016, in the United States of America.
13. Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
The nurse who takes care of the elderly people is known as Gerontological Nurse Practitioners. They are specialized to identify various illnesses and often prescribe medications, treatments, and tests. Along with this, they also perform tests. They can be found working in various clinical settings such as long-term care facilities, home care agencies, private nursing home, hospice, etc.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
First and foremost, it is essential for a nurse to have a license as a Registered Nurse to become a Gerontological Practitioner. Other than being an RN, they are eligible to work as these professionals only if they own an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing. Many employers ask for 1 or 2 years of experience as well.
Job Outlook
As per the reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this forte of nursing is expected to grow between 19 to 26 percent from 2014 to 2024. Thus, there will be numerous job opportunities for Gerontological Nursing aspirants in the near future.
Salary
As per indeed.com, the average salary of the Gerontological Nurses was $29.35 per hour as of April 5, 2017, in the United States of America.
14. Nursing Informatics Specialist
Since technology has a huge impact on every field how can medical services remain deprived of it. In one way or the other health professionals need to use technology in order to enhance the quality of their services. Thus, they switch to electronic devices for medical records. In order to accomplish all the tasks in a proper way, medical facilities need to hire the professionals who are capable of combining technology with the medical knowledge. Nurse Informatics Specialists have quite exceptional technological skills which they blend with their medical competence. They manage the information systems and utilize both information and data to increase the efficiency of care and support to the patients.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Nursing Informatics Specialist
After getting a license as a Registered Nurse, it is must for a candidate to gain a bachelor’s of science in nursing i.e., (BSN) degree to become an Informatics Nurse Specialist. Besides this, a completion of a master’s program in information technology is also required. Some medical facilities may also demand for an experience of 1 or 2 years.
Job Outlook
Informatics Specialist has tremendous job opportunities in the United States of America as the employment growth of registered nurses is expected to increase by 19 percent from 2014 to 2024.
Salary
As per the statistics of indeed.com, the salary of Informatics Nurse Specialists was $75,492 per annum as of April 6, 2017, in the United States of America.
15. Travel Nurse
Travel Nurse is a great profession for those who love to visit various places while working. They move around the different places to treat the patients. They are hired by the medical facilities when they require more nurses or their staff members are not available, and they need their substitutes. These nurses are offered with a good amount of salary and other incentives.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Travel Nurse
First of all, a candidate who wants to become a Travel Nurse needs to be licensed Registered Nurse. Other than this, they must gain an associate’s degree with a bachelor’s degree, or you can also go for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree of 4 years.
Job Outlook
Travel Nurses are expected to grow from 2012 to 2022 since there is a huge demand for nursing career advancement as traveling nurse professionals in the United States of America.
Salary
Average annual salary of a Travel Nurse was $76,002, as of April 6 in the United States of America.
16. Infection Control Nurse
Infection is something that worsens the condition of patients, thus several preventing methods are needed to be undertaken in order to keep the patients away from both bacterial as well as viral infections. To control and keep an eye on the infectious diseases, Infection Control Nurses are hired by the medical facilities. An Infection Control Nurse oversees all the things that can lead to infecting patients as well as the staff members. For this, they educate staff and community about how to keep these infections at bay, audit and draft the facility policies and processes.
Degree You Must Have to Become an Infection Control Nurse
A candidate must have passed the NCLEX-RN exam and be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the state they want to practice. After this, they need to obtain an associate’s or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN). Some clinical setting may ask for some experience too.
Job Outlook
A job growth of 16 percent is projected for the Registered Nurses by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2014 to 2024. It proves that there would be many job vacancies for this advanced nursing career.
Salary
As per the report of indeed.com Infection Control Nurses earned $1,654 per week as of April 6, 2017, in the United States.
17. Hospital Bill Auditor Clinician
Hospital Bill Auditor Clinicians are hired to review and evaluate the bill of a medical facility. Also, they keep a track of medical records. Anything related to billing is regulated by these professionals. They find out document and research errors or problems. Anything wrong with the billings is managed by a hospital bill auditor clinician. They often in a team to be sure about no mistakes in bills.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Hospital Bill Auditor Clinician
Those who want to work as a Hospital Bill Auditor Clinician need to be a licensed registered nurse. Moreover, a bachelor’s degree in nursing is also essential. Employers demand for 3 to 4 years of experience as well.
Job Outlook
Job opportunities for Hospital Bill Auditor Clinicians are expected to grow very fast in the upcoming years. Thus, it is one of the most in-demand forte in the field of nursing.
Salary
As per payscale.com, in the United States of America, an annual median salary of a Hospital Bill Auditor Clinician lies between $29,759 to $69,233 as of January 18, 2017.
18. RN Health Coach
With the advancement of the medical field, the requirement for different kinds of specialists is also rising. RN Health Coaches are one of these professions, These nurses basically train and educate people on a wide range of health related issues and matters. They can work for several healthcare settings, a coaching, a corporation or as a freelancer. These health coaches also speak at some seminars for communities or students.
Degree You Must Have to Become an RN Health Coach
The first and foremost requirement of employers to hire someone as an RN Health Coach is that the candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in any subject related to health. Other than this, they may also demand for 1 or 2 years of experience as a coach.
Job Outlook
RN health coaches have a more than average rate of growth in the upcoming years.
Salary
According to the data of indeed.com, the salary of an RN Health Coach specialist is $32.76 every hour as of April 6, 2017, in the USA.
19. Clinical Quality Improvement Manager
There are innumerable hospital or healthcare facilities available, what makes a patient choose one out of them is the quality of services provided. A Clinical Quality Improvement Manager is a specialist with similar job responsibilities as that of a director of wellness. The only difference is that the former concentrates more on the quality metrics within an organization. Their work is to find out smart goals and methods for the betterment of the services provided, give a response to the complaints of poor quality health care and aid other agencies for audits and reviews. Besides this, they also evaluate the performance statistics which as a result helps to track the problems and maintain the costs for treatment low and avoid errors in support and care.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Clinical Quality Improvement Manager
Those who want to pursue their career as a Clinical Quality Improvement Manager must have a license as a Registered Nurse. Also, they must own a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Job Outlook
With the growing demand for Registered Nurses, the requirement for Clinical Quality Improvement Managers will also increase till 2024.
Salary
As per the report of payscale.com, the average total pay of Clinical Quality Improvement Manager was $34,141 to $88,307 per annum on November 6, 2016, in the United States of America.
20. Director of Wellness
Director of wellness basically works as a leader to set the standard of support and care offered by a medical setting. They guide the whole staff to give best health care and services to the patients which in turn results in the success of the organization. They provide instructions and education about all the aspects of patient satisfaction and well-being of all the members of the clinical setting.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Director of Wellness
A candidate who wants to practice as Director of Wellness must be a licensed Registered Nurse first of all. Besides this, employers want the candidate to have not only bachelor’s, but also master’s degree in nursing. An experience of 1 or 2 years is also required for this profession.
Job Outlook
Job growth for all the nurse educators is estimated to increase up to 12 percent till 2024. This increase is more than average.
Salary
A health wellness director is one of the most earning nursing professionals. As per the report of indeed.com, the salary of a Director Health Wellness was $93,375 per annum as of April 6, 2017, in the United States.
21. Doping Control Officer
A Doping Control Officer is basically a healthcare professional who works for the welfare of athletes and various athletic commissions to eliminate the performance enhancing tricks that are not legal to perform. These professionals analyze, check and perform tests on the athletes to evaluate and deduct doping. They also act as a trainer to diminish the chances of an athlete to use performance enhancing drugs.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Doping Control Officer
Anyone who wants to practice as a Doping Control Officer must be a registered nurse with a licensure in the state where they want to practice. Also, he/she must have work experience of 2 to 3 years in sports and athletics.
Job Outlook
With the growing job opportunities for registered nurses, Doping Control Officer is also high in demand.
Salary
Salary range of a Doping Control Officer is $62,365 to 68,577.
22. Nurse Navigator
Patients who require long-term care procedure are often advised and navigated by a special kind of nursing professional known as Nurse Navigator. They collaborate with the patients, their families, and care providers. Other than this, they offer emotional support, provide counseling and education regarding the improvement and success of the care plans of the patients. Moreover, they also guide the families on account of long term psychological, financial and functional issues.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Nurse Navigator
Besides being a licensed registered nurse in the state, you want to practice you must also have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, in order to become a Nurse Navigator. An experience of 2 to 3 years is also demanded by many employers.
Job Outlook
Since the registered nurse workforce is expected to grow faster than the average growth, there will be numerous job openings for Nurse Navigators too.
Salary
As per payscale.com, a median salary of a Nurse Navigator was $73,037 as of March 25, 2017, in the United States.
23. Advice Nurse
Advice nurses offer distant education and consultations to the patients or their families. They talk to the patients and find out what kind of support or care do they require. They give referrals to the health care providers, symptomatic advice, and recommendations for self-care. These professionals are also known as Telephone Triage Nurse.
Degree You Must Have to Become an Advice Nurse
First requisite to become an Advice Nurse is the completion of a degree or diploma and a license as registered nurse in the state where you want to practice. With this, the candidate is also required to have either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Some years of experience is also a part of the eligibility criteria to become an Advice Nurse.
Job Outlook
There are massive job opportunities for Advice Nurses in the United Sates of America. Further, this demand is expected to grow in the upcoming years.
Salary
An RN Advice Nurse earned $32.76 on April 6, 2017, in the USA according to the report of indeed.com.
24. Research Nurse
Research Nurses are the specialist healthcare providers who study numerous fields of healthcare, medicine, and illness. They can practice in a wide range of settings like university and government research facilities, laboratories, etc. Some of their job responsibilities are submitting research journals and grant writing. These nurses work hard to create, analyze and modify the treatment and old as well as new medications for many medical problems. It helps the patients to live a comfortable and quality life.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Research Nurse
At first, the candidates who want to practice as a Research Nurse have to become licensed as a Registered Nurse in the state they want to practice as a research nurse. Then they have to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing. In addition to all this, they also need to hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in nursing. They may also be asked about some experience by the employers.
Job Outlook
Specialized Registered Nurses are expected to grow by 19 percent from 2012 to 2022. Thus, Research Nurse being a specialized registered nurse will have numerous job openings in the upcoming years.
Salary
As per indeed.com, per hour wage of Research Nurse was $33.48 on April 7, 2017, in the United States of America.
25. Forensic Nurse
These words must have reminded you of some suspense thriller TV show where you find cops chasing bad men by tracing blood patterns at the place of incident. But, unlike them, job responsibilities of Forensic Nurses is to review patients’ illnesses and injuries. If a crime has been taken place, these professionals evaluate the alleged perpetrator, ask questions from the patients, and collect evidences, in support of his/her evaluation.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Forensic Nurse
Other than being a registered nurse with a licensure in the state where you want to practice, at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing is also essential to work as a Forensic Nurse.
Job Outlook
Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a growth of 16 percent in the employment level of registered nurses from 2014 to 2024. This estimates that there will be many job opportunities for Forensic Nurses in the near future in the USA.
Salary
According to indeed.com, the salary of a Forensic Nurse was $1,652 per week in the United States of America on April 7, 2015.
26. Public Health Nurse
These specialized nursing professionals do not treat one patient at a time, rather they serve whole communities. They work as educators for the population and make them understand about the health issues they are facing, the preventive measures they should undertake and other basic health guidelines. They also try to find out the risk factors in a community, examine trends in disease and talk about the community to the health authorities and local, federal and state agencies.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Public Health Nurse
By taking an accredited nursing programs, candidates who want to become a Public Health Nurse, have to gain a license as a Registered Nurse in the state they want to work. Then, they need to gain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. With this, some employers may also ask for 1 or 2 years of experience.
Job Outlook
According to the data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nursing professionals is expected to grow by 26 percent till 2020. Thus, there are many job opportunities for Public Health Nurses in the United States of America.
Salary
As per indeed.com, the salary of a Public Health Nurse was $64,537 as of April 7, 2017, in the United States.
27. Hematology Nurse
Hematology is the specialized registered nurse who is trained to take care of the patients with some blood-related health issues. They help with blood tests, chemotherapy, blood transfusions and research. These nurses have more responsibility than the other nurses and have authority and capability to order various tasks related to the diagnostic lab.
Degree You Must Have to Become a Hematology Nurse
If a Registered Nurse with a license in the state where s/he wants to practice as a Hematology Nurse has to gain either an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited college or university.
Job Outlook
Since the number of employment opportunities for registered nurses are assumed to grow in the upcoming years, there would be many jobs available for these professionals also.
Salary
As per the data of indeed.com, the salary of a Hematology Nurse was $1,754 per week in the United States as of April 7, 2017.
