Different Types of Nursing Careers

When considering a career in the nursing field, most people think of the traditional nursing role where the nurse will assist the doctor in an office or hospital setting by conducting routine care or vital statistic gathering. The truth is that there are many different types of nursing careers that will not only fulfill the personal desire and vocation of taking care of others but also provide specialization that will also satisfy the nurse’s passion for a career field that can be exciting, inspiring or intriguing.

If you are the type of person who enjoys working with evidence to unravel a mystery, investigate becoming a forensic nurse when considering the different types of nursing careers. Forensic Nurses are registered nurses who, in addition to providing care to victims of violence, participate in the apprehension and prosecution of criminals by collecting medical evidence from the victim. Forensic nurses also assist police departments by providing consultation and expert diagnostic reports to law enforcement officials during an investigation. A forensic nurse works primarily in a laboratory setting, but may also collect evidence and consult at a crime scene, morgues or prison. Forensic nurses are also routinely called upon to provide expert testimony in court during prosecution of a crime.

For the medical professional who is considering the different types of nursing careers and has a deep desire to not only work with the patient but also provide counseling and relief to the family of the patient, the position of I/DD Nurse can be very rewarding. Also known as Special Needs Nurses, I/DD nurses are registered nurses that take care of patients suffering from intellectual or developmental disorders ranging from mental retardation to neurological disorders such as Asperger's syndrome. The I/DD nurse is not only charged with the daily care and social support of the patient in a home or hospital setting, but is also very often the most important source of support, both emotionally and physically, to the family of the patient. In many cases, the patient’s condition is irreversible or degenerative, and it is in these cases that the family relies on the expertise of the I/DD nurse to provide resources for emotional support and counseling as well as physical care.

For the registered nurse who is seeking out different types of nursing careers that include a higher pace and level of excitement than would be found in a typical medical office setting, the duties of a flight/transport nurse can be very enticing. A flight/transport nurse administers the same level of emergency care and services to patients as would be demanded by the position of trauma nurse in an emergency room, but the added aspect is that this specialized nurse also travels with the patient, while administering critical care, by ambulance, helicopter to airplane to the required medical facility.

These are only a few of the varying different types of nursing careers available for those who wish to pursue a vocation in the medical field. Consultation with a local nursing school will provide a complete list of programs and field expectations for the different types of nursing careers available.