What do ex nurses do?

[nextafternursing]

I am currently nursing in the NHS, at top of Bnad 6. My job is fairly doomed so I need to start looking at other options.

Due to the nature of my current role, moving to an alternative NHS post would mean taking a band 5 salary (approx £8kpa pro rata pay cut)

So while I am looking out for suitable nursey jobs, I am also considering alternative careers.

If you are a nurse who no longer nurses - what do you do now? Or any bright ideas/suggestions warmly welcomed.

I have basic IT skills only, hate to travel (so medical rep not for me), and don't fancy beautician type stuff...Argh I am woefully underqualified for anything else. I can pull a decent pint if these get desperate

Have you thought about lecturing or research?

Are school nurses NHS based?

I know an ex midwife who has set herself up as a alternative therapist - so massage, reflexology, homeopathy and the like.

When my mum left nursing, she became a GP surgery receptionist.

you could move to a different job within the same kind of environment couldn't you?

midwife? social worker? something like that? afaik if you are already a nurse the training is shorter (but i could be making that up)

Thanks for the suggestions, I would like doing GP reception stuff but I think I would keep triaging the patients - NOooo, you don't need a doctor for that love, get xyz from the chemist...

Not qualified to lecture TBH, no teaching qualification

Have pondered midwifery lots of times. I am fascinated with it and I planned homebirths for my DCs (who didn't cooperate)and am extendedish breastfeeding...If I got made redundant I would def look at it again, While I still have a job it's a bit pointless as it would be 18 months training then a new job on less money

You see, I'm a PITA who has a reason why everything else is no good

Would be crap at social work, my SIL is one and the things they see

Keep 'em coming, I will try not to shoot down every idea, honest

Ex nurse here. Now I do accounts and admin. Had to do some training, but I love it!! - Bits of paper dont answer back and 2 and 2 will ALWAYS make 4.
I deal with far less paperwork and I never wake in the night worrying that something hasnt been done by anyone. Far more satifying, too in a strange way.

Health visiting??? The Tories reckon they are going to train 4000 extra HVs so could be training going within the next year. On the other hand I sometimes feel like a social worker.....................

HHmm TJP, HV does appeal. I am quite friendly with our local ones but there are no local training places at the moment. I will definately try to look out for a place though as it strongly appeals. Would suit my interest in BF support too, am peer supporter and training with ABM presently

PositiveAttitude that would appeal to my picky pedantic side, but I don't know anything about it. I know simple book keeping courses are available at the local college though. Something like HR stuff interests me too, but entry level I would be like Min Wage with 17 year old contemporaries though surely

How about a school nurse? One of my friends has turned to this, the hourse suit very well as she has a primary-aged child. No uniform but lots of form filling.

Occupational health nurse.
Many large companies have Occ health depts ours are paid on par with other qualified professionals within the organisation, engineers etc.
Also several on job share, p/time hours but paid much better than the admin type roles.

They carry out all health assessments, monitor & look after those wiht long term sickness issues, rehabiitation programmes, run preventative programmes, mental health issues, I'm sure they do loads more but I don't have a huge amount to do with them.

Depending on where you are, how about a clinical trials admin/manager role ? Lots of data management, but still clinical involvement.

Any good with words ? Theres always a demand for technical writers for medical equipment, and it's more being able to get your head round the concepts than experience in the actual area that is important.

Occ health a good suggestion, but the recent roles I've seen advertised want occ health qualification, which I haven't got. Is fairly similar to current role though, lots of transferable skills/crossover. Most Occ health is based at/outsourced to the local district hospital

Research etc - I'm not in a city, and I'm ooop North, not a lot going on locally I'm afraid.

CMOT Technical writing sounds interesting, am reasonably good with words, for a nurse!, is there a site or journal you could suggest that would worth a look?

Theres a useful overview here

I work with a couple of technical writers (in a medical device company) which is slightly different, but their job is to take information about the products, and turn it into an accurate, readable, clear document. And to review whether we need to revise that information/presentation in the light of complaints/incidents

If you like auditing/compliance stuff, then theres always the MHRA, but times may be tight there too.

I heart the MHRA but I believe their fortunes are not looking so good. Will have a look at the link, thankyou.

If you do like that, maybe regulatory compliance in companies might be of interest. Drives me insane, but really suits some people

You don't need a teaching qualification to teach in higher education or further education. For example at our university the majority of nurses who teach on the nursing degrees and courses are nurses - not teachers. In fact they ask for that experience / qualification rather than teaching experience.

They might want you to do a higher education teaching qualification but will usually pay for you to do that very part time whilst you work

how about retraining as a doula?

or on the complete left of arc from that - try looking at the Care Quality Commission Website for vacancies - often looking for specialists to assess assurance reports from NHS trusts - poacher turned gamekeeper?!

www.cqc.org.uk/aboutcqc/jobsatcqc.cfm - no jobs on there today but worth checking regularly

Would you work in the private sector? Companies like Healthcare at Home, BUPA, Tribal etc. are falling over themselves to employ clinically trained stff. You earn your money, mind.

Oh more ideas

Care Quality Commission looks interesting, will keep an eye out for their roles as it might be up my street. Might be a geographical thing though, again being ooop north etc.

Doulaing - I would not be able to commit to the on call aspect as I have 2 under 4 and a DH who works nights, in principle I would love it, but I would not be able to support the women well - I would have to have my jaw wired shut because I would want to advise them do X/Y/Z because...

Which is not what doulas are for

Would def consider midwifery if I ended up redundant - spoke to DH about it earlier and he just shrugged and said 'Yes, well you would love that'

Private sector - I would prefer not to, but I would for the right role/if it suited.

Will have a look re lecturing stuff - my local hospital has a School of Nursing and it is very convenient for me, practically on my doorstep

Thanks folks, lots to ponder!

Practice nursing?

Hours tend to be pretty family friendly, the pay can be quite good as you aren't necessarily banded by AfC but employed directly by the GP, so they can offer you what they like.

I'm a practice nurse, I love it. I'm an independent practitioner but also part of a team, I love the variety, it's convenient as no nights or weekends and I love the way you get to build up relationships with your patients.

Have a look at the PN website, they also advertise jobs on here.

Foot Health Practitioner? - I have seen ads in the back of Nursing Standard.

Private training companies -some do venepuncture/cannulation courses etc-also in nursing mags

Private plastic surgery company?

jobs here?

Feet? No thanks Like a bit of venepuncture and cannulation though. See, that looks sick really - I don't like feet but love to take blood and cannulate.

Plastic surgery? Do we get discounts? I don't think I would suit it unless free breastlift on offer

Practice nursing - can you get in without experience? My main experience is acute medicine, telephone triage, bit of ortho. I used to do venepuncture/cannulation, male catheterisation, Ryles tubes etc. But no experience in smears/travel vax/asthma in primary care setting. Some diabetes experience and keen interest in family planning.

But qualifications wise, I have my RN Adult, the Alert course (well expired) and thats it, not even a 998 to my name I am very nice to patients though, can lead a small team, and remember lots of trivia about medicines!

What about a laser clinics. I know you said no to beauty treatments, but these are Health Commission approved places.

Or paramedic?