Students who pursue LPN careers carve out dependable career paths for themselves, since there is such a great need for nurses throughout healthcare. People who choose to get their LPN diploma may end up working in a more traditional setting like a hospital or doctor’s office. However, nurses may end up finding interesting careers in other places, and some of them are unexpected or surprising. Anyone with an LPN diploma who wants to pursue a non-traditional career path may end up working as a forensic nurse, insurance industry nurse, nursing writer, theme park nurse or travel nurse.
Career #1: Forensic Nursing
Students who have LPN diplomas but also an interest in a criminal justice career and the law may want to look into a career in forensic nursing. Forensic nurses help people who have been harmed by violent crime, and they also do the critical job of collecting biological or physiological evidence from victims. In addition to working with people who survived crimes, forensic nurses may also work alongside coroners to determine a crime victim’s cause of death. Forensic nursing may be a great career path for anyone who wants to help pursue justice, while also providing healthcare and support.
Career #2: Insurance Industry Nurse
Insurance companies may employ nurses to offer their specialized knowledge of the human body and the healthcare industry. Insurance nurses can work as analysts that offer recommendations for benefits packages for insurance policy holders. LPNs in an insurance agency may also work alongside case managers to determine what healthcare services an insured person should receive. Alternatively, LPNs can provide physicals for policyholders or potential policy holders, so an insurer can determine their health or physical condition.
Career #3: Nursing Writer
People who have expert writing skills and an LPN diploma may be able to make their living as writers, rather than LPNs. Nursing writers can offer their services, freelance, to magazines, publishers, newspapers, and a wide range of publications that need someone with nursing experience to craft content.
An LPN can also work specifically for a doctor’s office or medical company in order to craft well-written and accurate text for marketing or promotional materials.
Nursing writers who are more interested in an entertainment industry career may be able to provide their services to screenwriters who are writing medical television shows or films. Script writers can rely on LPNs to provide information to make scenes more accurate or believable.
Career #4: Theme Park Nurse
Theme park nurses provide traditional nursing services, but they do it in a non-traditional setting: a theme park. Theme park nurses spend their days working at a large theme park (like Universal Studios or Walt Disney World). Then, they provide healthcare assistance to visitors who feel ill or get injured. Nurses can stay in a theme park medical office, or they can venture out to park attractions to help visitors who need medical care onsite.
Career #5: Travel Nurses
Travel nurses work both in the United States and across the world as international nursing staff. Travel nurses can work anywhere from one month to 13 weeks in a hospital or medical clinic and be overseas on a yearly basis. Travel nurses work through nursing agencies to supplement nursing in areas where there are shortages, administering medication, assessing patient conditions, planning treatment, and acting as a liaison between patients and other medical staff.
Hospitals and clinics may have difficulty keeping skilled nurses, need for temporary staff for expected leave of absence for their regular staff, holiday population increases, and simply because there are not enough qualified nurses available.
There are many benefits to travel nursing. You have the flexibility to pick and choose your assignment, pay is good, and you may be eligible for tax free employment.
A travel nurse has flexibility. A travel nurse may be able to choose between multiple offers, the location of the assignment, the specialty they want to work with and the length of time of their travel contract. Most travel nurse assignments last 13 weeks, so your commitment is minimal. If you do like your job and location, many nurses are offered extensions at the end of their assignment. Travel nurses are generally paid well, can get stipends for housing and travel, and can receive full health benefits.
The government will allow nurses to earn tax free money as long as their place of employment is far enough away that they have to stay overnight prior to returning home. In order to obtain tax free stipends, they must maintain a “tax home.”There is a specific form that they will have to fill out prior to signing on with their travel nursing agency stating that they do in fact have a tax home.
Students who study nursing can provide healthcare in a variety of settings. They may choose to hold a traditional position working with patients and assisting doctors. However, they can also end up pursuing a career path that requires knowledge of nursing skills, but that’s more unexpected, which can be fulfilling and fun.
Did learning about the surprising career options for people with an LPN diploma? Are you ready to become a licensed practical nurse? Gwinnett Institute in Orlando offers a Practical Nursing diploma program that trains LPN students for positions delivering basic bedside care to patients. The Practical Nursing diploma program provides the didactic and skills training needed to take the NCLEX-PN examination.*
*While Gwinnett Institute provides test preparation and review assistance to college students, it cannot guarantee any college student will be able to take or pass any type of licensure exam. College students must be mindful throughout their entire school training program that licensure is a required pre-requisite for employment as a nurse and to diligently prepare themselves to meet this important requirement.
Contact us today to learn more about becoming a license practical nurse at Gwinnett College.