Nursing Jobs

The many possibilities for jobs in nursing can be overwhelming to the new graduate as well as the veteran nurse.  I am constantly learning about nursing positions that I never knew existed.  A professor once said “imagine any industry, any business and I’ll bet you can find a way to work a nursing job into the equation.”  And now you can find nursing jobs at Walmart.  Yes, that’s nurses at Walmart.  They have clinics staffed by nursing professionals, handling everything from coughs and colds to immunizations.  These community clinics are simply moving into a more convenient place for the population.  What could be nicer than one stop shopping for medical care, a carton of eggs, a new hammer and a set of radials?

This newer concept in medical care has paved the way once again for the home visit nurse.  These aren’t simply nurses working through the local visiting nurse association, these are independent contractors working under their own set of practice standards and insurance reimbursement.  We’ve returned to the days of old it seems with medical professionals coming to you, instead of you sitting in a germ-filled office just for a check-up.    (more…)

A sort of “us” vs. “them” mentality takes hold when nurses from these two different employment settings takes place.  Each feels they have the better of both worlds, but is one setting really more desirable than the other?  Some very important and some lighthearted benefits apply to both places:

The hospital is a 24/7 world of patient care where you hope the cafeteria has something good available at the 2:00 a.m. grazing time.  The private office may have a microwave and a refrigerator where you are actually able to sit down and eat, but then again the pizza place across the street makes a wicked Caesar salad.  The hospital, if you don’t get your break, may offer a vending machine with trail mix or cold Pop-tarts. (more…)

The permanent nursing position.  The stuff that new grads dream of.  But is the permanent position the one that will work best for you?  A permanent nursing job brings steady work and steady pay with the option of full benefits.  Holiday pay, medical benefits, vacation time add thousands of dollars worth of incentive to work full-time hours.  Staff nurses are more visible to managers and directors and the chance for advancement is greater with a full-time schedule.  A nurse knows her co-workers, is able to work as part of a team and has a voice in the unit policies and procedures.  Some hospitals employ self-scheduling which adds greater flexibility in permanent nursing jobs.  Patients benefit as well from the continuity of care that a regular staff member brings to their work.  Even as a nurse in a private office is able to partake of these benefits.

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