Physical Therapists The move toward a career as a physical therapist is the most common career change for nurses, and it's easy to see why. Physical therapists often work regular business hours, and it's possible to work full or part time.
As a nurse, you're already at an advantage when changing careers. There are so many different pathways you can pursue. You could move into healthcare leadership, informatics, governance, education, clinical practice, a different area of allied health or public health. But first, you'll need a postgraduate degree.
Nurses may leave one career and immediately step into another one that allows them to continue using their nursing skills (e.g., educator, health manager, etc.). Other options may require additional schooling and training (e.g., clinical social work, medical scientist, etc.).
Aged care nursing
Nursing care of older people is an in-demand nursing specialty due in large part to Australia's rapidly ageing population. Older people often have complex health care needs and require compassionate and highly skilled care to support them through this stage of their lives.
Outpatient case managers and office nurses are some of the best jobs in nursing based on happiness, according to Nursing Process.
What nursing jobs are the most stressful? The most stressful nursing jobs include ICU nurse, ER nurse, and NICU nurse. In these roles, nurses work in an intense environment with high stakes. They manage emergency situations and care for critically ill patients.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn a median salary of $195,610 per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it the top paying nursing specialty. CRNAs typically work 40 hours per week, making the hourly wage average out to approximately $94.04 per hour.
The University of Notre Dame Australia's Master of Nursing (Forensic Nursing) will allow you to select a relevant area to research so you can formalise your specialised knowledge in your chosen field. You can enrol in this course if you have completed a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Forensic Nursing.
As alluded to, the profession is facing increasingly stressful working conditions and with evidence of a future shortfall of nurses/midwives, there is a growing need to provide detailed research and evidence as a catalyst and platform for intervention strategies to address issues facing the profession.
Many will argue that med-surg work is the heart of nursing and provides new grads with the foundational skills they will need to move on to other specialties later, if they so choose. And frankly, the easiest and fastest way to get a job as a new grad is to go to a med/surg floor.
Taking a Break from Nursing Is Okay
While it's easy to assume that nurses can carry the weight of the world's suffering on their shoulders (and many do), a nurse is still only human. With that said, nurses are entitled to heavy feelings that come with the job and should take an extended break from work if necessary.
Critical care nurses tend to suffer the highest rates of burnout. Critical care specialties include the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU).
Critical care nurses suffer the highest rates of burnout.
More specifically, a whopping 81% of crucial care nurses experience symptoms of burnout. This is mainly due to the nature of the job, as critical care nurses work specialize in the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU).
Frequently topping the list of the least stressful nursing jobs are that of nurse educators. Nurse educators are RNs who hold an advanced education degree; however, it is not required in all instances. Typically nurse educators teach in universities but may also work in trade schools and community colleges.
The average registered nurse salary in Australia is around $79,550 per year (about $41,00 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $76,063 per year up to $97,568 per year.
Based on average salaries for jobs that require postgraduate education, Master of Nursing graduates in Australia typically earn between $84,331 and $128,319 per year. This salary range reflects the advanced skills and expertise associated with such degrees.