Why Nurses Are Uniquely Qualified To Become Business Owners | Not A Travel Nurse

Are you a nurse who wants to leave the bedside but have no idea where to start? As a nurse, you have so many options when it comes to your career. And YOU are the one who is ultimately in control of it. 

If you’ve never heard of a nurse solopreneur start HERE.

Our nursing education teaches us that you have to begin your career in a certain setting or by obtaining certain certifications. That you have to work at your first job for so many years before you can leave or else it will look bad. Not true. Especially in today’s world.

Nurses who are leaving the bedside possess a variety of valuable skills that can be transferred to any industry. Throughout your career, you can use these skills to create a career that works around your lifestyle. Your job description and income will only ever be limited by your imagination. 

Additionally, your skills are transferrable across many sectors. You’re an asset to the right person or company just for your hands-on experience in the real world of healthcare. Many nurses are realizing this and are leaving the bedside for one reason or another. For a little inspiration check the article by Gayle Morris, BSN, MSN for 20 ways nurses can use their skills to start their own business.

What options are there for nurses who want to leave the bedside?

• Pivot to another industry entirely. Or blaze your own career path.

• Flexible or part-time work. Travel, contract, agency, independent contractor, per diem, remote. The list goes on.

• Education. This may require additional schooling, but it may not. It will really depend on what position you are looking for. You’re a nurse, you know how much education is needed out there. Many companies will by you to educate people, and a lot of them work remotely.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to focus on what you do want. Take your negative feelings towards the things you don’t like and see what is within your control to make the situation just a little bit better in the favor of what you do want.

To do that, you’re going to have to figure out what you want so that you know what the next goal is. If you start with a solid foundation- have an understanding of what you do want out of your next role.

It could be you want more autonomy and want a full-time remote position. Or you may want to leave the bedside and start head first in entrepreneurship.

You are the one who is ultimately in control of your career. You are the one who can decide what the next goal is.

I’ve been a self-employed nurse for almost a year and I have learned so much about the value that nurses actually have out in the real world. Here are my top reasons for why nurses are uniquely positioned and ready for entrepreneurship.

Nurses Are Efficient

I don’t have to tell you that nurses can do anything with whatever they have. That’s exactly the energy it takes for business ownership.

You are able to quickly figure out what it is that needs to get done and then make it happen. And then once you figure out what you need to do you are able to systematize and cluster tasks so that nothing gets missed.

The Nursing Process

Okay, we already established you do the impossible on the regular. So now, I’m going to blow your mind even more.

The nursing process has already taught you how to succeed at anything.

Assess your current business situation.

Diagnose what’s the main problem with it in order of prioritization.

Plan how you’re going to get from where you are to your next milestone.

Implement the plan throughout your daily life.

Evaluate the outcome.

Adjust from there until your desired outcome is reached.

Nurses Are Critical Thinkers

Critical thinking is a skill. Not everyone has it. The older I get the more I realize this to be true. Nurses are trained and real-world critical thinking wizards. Put enough nurses in a room with enough time and they can literally do anything.

Nurses Are Hard Workers

Nurses are seriously hard workers. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. And you know that with enough hard work you can accomplish anything.

Nurses Work Well Independently As Well As Within A Team

Even when you work for yourself you still have to get along with other people to pay the bills. Working well with others in a professional setting can help you very much in the long run.