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Today, the sky is the limit for nurses, and many advanced practice and managerial positions are highly compensated. Beyond that is the huge responsibility that an advanced practitioner can find themselves carrying. For some, being on the cutting edge, managing a multi-million dollar budget, or training future nurses is just the challenge some nurses crave.
If you're interested in a career in nursing but want to try something new and exciting in the field, checkout the 10 hottest careers in nursing today.
1. Military Nurse
Here you will be working with the military forces both at home and overseas. When you work in the Armed Services, opportunities for further education, travel, and career enhancement will be available to you. Your pay can be up to $45,000 annually, and you may be able to receive a loan to repay your nursing school fees.
2. Forensic Nursing
Forensic Nurses work with law enforcement to collect evidence at crime and accident scenes. They are trained to identify injuries and/or death and their causes, preserve and document the chain of custody, and refer victims for appropriate follow-up care.
As a Forensic Nurse, you can pursue a wide array of exciting nursing career opportunities, including positions in medical examiners' offices, law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and specialized hospital units. Salaries start around $35 per hour and can go up to $100 per hour.
This career is gaining popularity as online forensic nursing certification programs become more accessible for busy nurses who do not have time for traditional classroom training.
3. Travel Nursing
Currently, there are many towns and cities in the country and the world that are in desperate need of qualified nurses. In response to the growing nursing shortage, the travel nurse industry has quickly become a lucrative career for qualified nurses.
Travel nursing is an exciting career where nurses travel to work temporary short-term positions in different locations and in various capacities. The role offers higher pay than typical stationary positions, professional growth and development, and personal adventure.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation can range from $24 to $42 per hour. Nurses with an RN nursing degree will have the easiest time qualifying for travel nursing positions across the United States as the degree requires a national board exam. LPN's will need to check licensing requirements for each state and apply for temporary licenses when needed.
4. Surgical Nurse
Surgical nursing's popularity has made a comeback in recent years as more RNs have decided to become valued members of a surgical team, assisting surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other medical professionals throughout surgery. You will assist in preparing patients before surgery, assist the surgeon in the operating room and chart the patient's progress in recovery.
5.Legal Nurse Consultant
Certified legal nurse consultants typically work with private attorneys and corporate lawyers. LNCs not wanting to work in the court system find work outside the courtroom in hospitals and clinics, insurance companies, and government agencies. Many are hired to help provide quality assurance at pharmaceutical firms and chemical companies.
Jobs in the profession are on the rise as more and more companies introduce medications and devices that are federally approved, reviewed, or contested in the courtroom or by government agencies.
Like Forensic Nursing, a Legal Nurse Consultant certification can be gained through online nursing degree programs making it a very attractive opportunity for working nurses.