The nursing field remains a solid and growing profession with openings in every medical specialty you can think of, from oncology to endocrinology or gynecology. Whatever your medical training or interest, you can find a good-paying position in the location of your choice in which to practice your nursing skills. A relevant education, an academic degree, and a state certification will open the doors to an exciting and fulfilling career. As you begin working in the nursing field, there are several ways to maximize your earnings based on your interests and scheduling availability.
1. Work Nights and Weekends
Many nurses with young children prefer to work the day shift, so they can be home with their families after school and during the evenings. Hospitals and other medical facilities typically pay a higher hourly rate for nurses who are willing to work evening and night shifts. Working nights often includes a higher hourly pay rate differential. Weekend shifts also may pay more than the weekday shifts, since many people prefer to not work on Saturdays and Sundays. Nurses who agree to work holiday shifts, especially evenings and nights, can earn considerably more beyond the regular daytime weekday hourly rate. Inquire about the rate differences at the facility where you work or plan to apply to learn how to earn a bigger paycheck.
2. Accept Overtime Shifts
Overtime may require just a few hours extra on your regular scheduled shift. Or it could mean working two consecutive shifts for one or more days. Overtime rates are generally higher than regular pay, so ask about the rate difference before signing up for additional overtime hours. Nursing directors often need to staff shifts at the last minute due to a regular nurse being on leave, on vacation, or unable to come in for a scheduled shift. Being on call means you could be offered the first right of refusal for the open schedule shift. If asked to work overtime, you might want to accept it even if you were not planning at that time to work extra, as the charge nurse will be likely to give you requested overtime in the future.
3. Become A Traveling Nurse
Travel nurse jobs offer exciting opportunities to work in places that you would like to visit, whether Seattle or Miami. By registering with a nurse staffing agency, you can get access to temporary nursing positions that often last a few weeks or a couple of months in diverse locations. The nursing department may vary as well, and as long as you have the credentials and experience, you can fill various positions to help short-handed hospital departments manage their caseload. Other perks of travel nurse jobs include a higher pay rate, location choices, travel opportunities, great benefits, and an expanding resume of nursing experience. You can also take off time from traveling to stay at home or do other kinds of nursing until you are ready to resume travel-based nursing assignments.
4. Develop A Specialization
A general practitioner nurse may be involved in caring for many kinds of patients at a hospital, nursing home, or doctor’s office. Developing a specialty can lead to more specific kinds of nursing that often pay more. For example, working with intensive care patients might offer higher pay. Community health nursing may also lead to higher income based on the type and frequency of a nursing job. A school nurse or a corporate nurse position could offer increased pay.
5. Get Additional Training
At some point after gaining initial nursing experience, you might want to explore options for advanced training in the medical field. For example, maybe you will become interested in training as a nurse practitioner. You might decide to become a nurse anesthetist. Specialized positions like these pay significantly more than an entry-level nursing position, and you might find the work more challenging and exciting.
6. Apply For A Promotion
After a few years in the nursing field, you may have earned enough experience and seniority to apply for a promotion. Positions as a nursing director, trainer, or department manager pay higher wages and increase your value as a skilled employee. Some positions may offer more elaborate benefits as well. Over time, you might obtain one promotion after another to work your way up the ladder to nursing leadership positions that pay top salaries.
7. Take A Second Job
When you feel comfortable and secure in your regular full-time nursing job, you might want to consider a temporary or permanent part-time nursing position. You might even be recruited to work part-time in community nursing or in another medical environment like summer camp where there is a critical nursing shortage. Even working a few hours more each week could bump up your earnings that can help with various financial needs. A second job can be flexible, allowing you to work only as much as you can manage with the ability to opt out at any time.
8. Blend Nursing With Another Role
For occasional added income, you could work as a nurse expert by assisting law firms around the country in assessing legal claims or testifying on behalf of a client in medical litigation cases. You might be asked to evaluate medical records and render a detailed report with your interpretation of the facts. You could also be asked to testify in deposition or in court, under oath, about the medical documentation and the client’s claim or the medical practitioner’s defense that you have reviewed.
This type of work is often complex but meaningful in determining the outcome of a medical malpractice claim or a personal injury lawsuit. Nurses may also help schoolchildren address a range of symptoms and illnesses that could lead to diagnoses of underlying conditions or neglect and abuse. Applying your nursing skills to community needs can be exciting and high-paying work.
A nursing career offers many satisfying opportunities to keep people healthy or care for sick persons in a variety of settings. To make the most in your work and earn a good income, consider these ways of using your nursing skills where, when, and however you choose.