Nursing Opportunities Abound

Nursing opportunities for are only going to get better, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The job outlook for RNs is staggering.

Here are some highlights from their 2008-2009 Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Registered Nurse Jobs. If you read between the lines, you will find many nursing opportunities for a business venture.

This six page report is loaded with details and opportunities for RNs in the job market. The registered nurse careers listed are employee based. But, you can get some great ideas for entrepreneur ventures from the report.

They list registered nurse jobs as the largest health care occupation…

• "Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation, with 2.5 million jobs.
• About 59 percent of jobs are in hospitals.
• The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program.
• Registered nurses are projected to generate about 587,000 new jobs over the 2006-16 period, one of the largest numbers among all occupations; overall job opportunities are expected to be excellent, but may vary by employment setting."

Here's a quote from the document that should give you some ideas on nursing opportunities as a consultant or nurse entrepreneur. Many registered nurse jobs are easily transferable to nursing businesses.

"RNs teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, explaining post-treatment home care needs; diet, nutrition, and exercise programs; and self-administration of medication and physical therapy. Some RNs work to promote general health by educating the public on warning signs and symptoms of disease. RNs also might run general health screening or immunization clinics, blood drives, and public seminars on various conditions."

"Some nurses have jobs that require little or no direct patient care, but still require an active RN license.

Case managers ensure that all of the medical needs of patients with severe injuries and severe or chronic illnesses are met.

Forensics nurses participate in the scientific investigation and treatment of abuse victims, violence, criminal activity, and traumatic accident.

Infection control nurses identify, track, and control infectious outbreaks in health care facilities and develop programs for outbreak prevention and response to biological terrorism.

Legal nurse consultants assist lawyers in medical cases by interviewing patients and witnesses, organizing medical records, determining damages and costs, locating evidence, and educating lawyers about medical issues.

Nurse administrators supervise nursing staff, establish work schedules and budgets, maintain medical supply inventories, and manage resources to ensure high-quality care.

Nurse educators plan, develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs and curricula for the professional development of student nurses and RNs.

Nurse informaticists manage and communicate nursing data and information to improve decision making by consumers, patients, nurses, and other health care providers.

RNs also may work as health care consultants, public policy advisors, pharmaceutical and medical supply researchers and salespersons, and medical writers and editors."

We’ve all seen the slow down in hospital hiring. The economy, with lost jobs and more uninsured Americans has affected inpatient census. This report also gives other, more long lasting reasons.

Consider the increased need for patient education and care management, and you will see various business opportunities. The job outlook for registered nurses spills over to entrepreneur opportunities.

"Employment is expected to grow more slowly in hospitals— health care’s largest industry—than in most other health care industries. While the intensity of nursing care is likely to increase, requiring more nurses per patient, the number of inpatients (those who remain in the hospital for more than 24 hours) is not likely to grow by much.

Patients are being discharged earlier, and more procedures are being done on an outpatient basis, both inside and outside hospitals.

Rapid growth is expected in hospital outpatient facilities, such as those providing same-day surgery, rehabilitation, and chemotherapy.

More and more sophisticated procedures, once performed only in hospitals, are being performed in physicians’ offices and in outpatient care centers, such as freestanding ambulatory surgical and emergency centers. Accordingly, employment is expected to grow very fast in these places as health care in general expands."

As I’ve always said, “Nurses can do anything”

Nursing Career Hub is here for you…loaded with nursing opportunities and helpful tips for creating the nursing career of your dreams. Visit us frequently, as more career options are added regularly.

Read through the whole Department of Labor report. It’s available in pdf at U.S. Department of Labor

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