Beyond the Bedside: Non-Clinical NP Jobs

When you imagine working as a nurse practitioner, what do you envision? Do you picture yourself at the bedside caring for patients and doing advanced procedures? Do you see yourself working in a primary care clinic seeing patients in pre-filled appointment slots? Well, I’m here to let you know that you have so many more options when you expand into non-clinical NP jobs!

One of the greatest things about the nursing profession is that possibilities are endless! Nursing does not just happen at the bedside or in other clinical spaces. Whether you are an RN, APRN, DNP, or PhD, there are lots of options to explore as your career interests change. In this post, we’ll explore seven non-clinical NP job options and what to consider before pursuing one.

What are your reasons for leaving the bedside / clinical practice?

When making the decision to explore your options, first think about what your reasons are for wanting to leave clinical practice:

– Are you feeling burnt out in your current role?
– Are you looking for more flexibility in your schedule?
– Do you have health concerns or are having trouble keeping up with the physical demands of your role?
– Are you a new NP and just want to know what other options you have?

Knowing your reasons will be helpful to keep things in perspective when exploring your options and reviewing role descriptions. For this post, we’ll use “non-clinical” roles to describe jobs that are not face-to-face with patients. 

What should you keep in mind when looking for non-clinical NP jobs?

Before we get to your non-clinical NP options, there are two big things I want you to keep in mind:

Expand Your Mindset

Think outside the box! It could be helpful to do a quick internet search for “NP jobs near me” and see what is out there. It might be surprising what you find that gets you thinking about different opportunities.

Check out the descriptions, salary expectations, and information on the company to get some ideas for other options.

Know the Requirements

Some non-clinical NP roles may have certain experience level expectations or additional educational requirements. For example, if you are thinking about exploring NP roles in education, then you will likely need a few years of clinical practice experience and, potentially, a doctorate degree.

But don’t let those requirements deter you! Remember your reasons, focus on your goals, and work to reach them!

7 Non-Clinical NP Jobs

1. Telemedicine

Let’s start with telemedicine because it can be a great option if you want to have increased flexibility but still want to have patient interaction. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine opportunities have expanded dramatically, and patients and providers alike have enjoyed the convenience it provides.

Some examples of telemedicine roles for nurse practitioners include: urgent care companies, specialty medicine clinics, patient consulting agencies (e.g. weight loss, mental health), remote monitoring programs, and insurance assessments.

What to Consider First

Since there is no hands-on component, you need to have strong history-taking and patient communication skills, so prior clinical practice experience is very helpful. Something else to consider is that you may need licensure in multiple states. That can add to renewal fees and continuing education requirements. 

2. Education

Do you have a passion for teaching? Do you want to make a difference for the next generation of nurses? There is a national shortage of nursing faculty, and you can help fill a gap in the profession.

With a master’s degree, you can work as a nursing faculty in vocational (LPN) programs, RN programs, and some master’s degree programs depending on your experience and expertise. For tenure-track positions and other senior faculty roles, many institutions will require a doctorate, or at least a plan to obtain one in a certain number of years.

A great option to “get your feet wet” is to start with an adjunct faculty position. You can get an idea of what is required in teaching a course without the additional faculty and administrative responsibilities.

What to Consider First

As a full-time nurse educator, I can speak from experience that academic jobs don’t pay as much as NP clinical practice jobs. The pay will vary depending on several factors, including the state, the degree program, the experience of the faculty member, and rank of the faculty (e.g. instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, etc).

However, the flexibility and better schedule for my family coupled with the ability to still practice clinically a day or so week (which supplements my income) has made it all worth it!

3. Consulting

We mentioned consulting a little bit when discussing telemedicine opportunities, but there are a lot more options available!

Legal Nurse Consulting

If you enjoy problem-solving, looking at the big picture, and have some legal experience, then you might want to consider pursuing a role as a legal nurse consultant. You can serve as a liaison between healthcare providers and a legal team. You may be asked to interpret and explain medical records, highlight any ethical considerations, assist with case preparation, and possibly serve as an expert witness at trial.

There is a certification you should look into obtaining as a legal nurse consultant, and getting started in this role can be difficult at first if you don’t have a lot of contacts in the legal field. But, you can have a lot of flexibility, pick your cases, and have high earning potential!

Resource Management

Do you have a knack for numbers? A resource management position could be a good option for you! NPs in this role would work with administration to help oversee the fiscal responsibility of spending for healthcare within an organization. Given your previous clinical experiences as an RN and NP, your insight would be invaluable.

Quality Improvement / Safety Consulting

Do you have a passion for expanding evidence-based research in clinical practice? Do you want to be a leader in improving policies and procedures to align with current best practices?

With your education at the master’s degree level or higher plus your clinical practice experience, you have a unique skill set to make a difference on healthcare teams and in healthcare organizations. 

4. Healthcare Administration

There are lots of opportunities in healthcare administration. Some of the roles that can benefit from an NP’s experience and perspective include clinical leadership (and being the go-to resource for the face-to-face clinical care team), overseeing the patient experience (patient care coordination), data analysis and reporting, and advocacy roles (for patients and providers).  

What to Consider First

Having a DNP or other clinical leadership focused degree would be immensely beneficial if you are thinking about getting into healthcare administration. While not required, there are also certifications that you can pursue that will make you marketable to employers and give you greater foundational knowledge.

Use these links to explore Certified Nurse Manager and Leader Certification through AONL and the Nurse Executive Certification through ANCC. 

5. Public Health and Policy

Do you dream of making a difference in your community? What about at the state or even the national level? Do you enjoy advocating for policy change and helping underserved populations?

Elected Positions

If so, you should consider working in politics and health policy! You can provide essential insight into proposed legislation, including how it would affect patients and the healthcare system overall. NPs understand how to apply research into evidence-based practice and how that can be used to make changes in healthcare systems. 

Unelected Positions

Outside of elected office, you can also work as a lobbyist for an organization you strongly support. A good place to start is checking out special interest groups in professional organizations (AANP, ANCC/ ANA) and see what work is currently being done. 

6. Research

We need more nurse researchers! You don’t necessarily need to have a doctorate degree, but if you’re interested in conducting research studies, then a PhD is best, or if you’re interested in how to apply nursing research to clinical practice, then a DNP is the way to go. As an NP, you can join a research team, help with data collection, and work on quality improvement projects.

What to Consider First

Engaging in research usually requires advanced education and several years of clinical practice, so it’s not really suited for entry-level NPs. Check out this information from the American Nurses Association on how to become a research nurse!

7. Medical Writer / Editor

Lastly, let’s talk about being a medical writer or editor. Just like there are lots of opportunities in nursing education as a faculty member, there are lots of opportunities in nursing education in this path. For example, SMNP Reviews through Blueprint Test Prep hires nurse practitioners to write education blogs (like me!) and write their amazing review courses, webinars, and YouTube videos.

You can even work as a freelance writer creating articles for news organizations or serving as a content review or editor to make sure healthcare news and research is published correctly and accurately.

What to Consider First

You’ll need to build up your portfolio of writing samples in order to land bigger contracts or full time positions. Consider starting with a blog or helping to write for continuing education organizations. Having a niche or specialty area can be helpful, too!

Final Thoughts

Nursing has limitless possibilities. Whatever your reason is for thinking about leaving clinical practice as an NP, just know that your education level and clinical experience as an NP are invaluable to lots of different employers. Keep an open mind and go explore some new opportunities!

💜 Be sure to check out our resources for board certification preparation at SMNP Reviews, including live study groups, self-paced courses, Qbanks and more!

And if you’re looking for more (free!) content to help you along your NP journey, check out these other posts on the blog:

• Transitioning from Classroom Learning to NP Clinicals
• How Much Do NPs Make? A Cost & Compensation Breakdown
• How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Practitioner?