A profession marked by its ever increasing shortage, nursing has started to feel the impact of the rise in unemployment. About to graduate from their programs, many nursing students are anxious and unsure about landing their first job. With hiring freezes and an influx of more experienced nurses applying for entry level jobs because they have been let go, the job search has become another hurdle in the lives of nursing students. However, it may be because of where the search is being focused.



Most people assume that hospitals or doctors' offices are the best places to find employment. In reality, since this is where most people will be looking, your chances lessen to find a job you'd want. You'd be surprised at the number of facilities and companies that need nurses on their staff.

Insurance Companies. Go to any major insurance company's website and you'll find numerous positions requiring a nursing degree. Specifically, case management is one of these categories. A case manager assesses a member's clinical needs and authorizes the required services. For example, if a member's daughter had an eating disorder and wished to seek residential treatment, a case manager would be called by an admissions team from the chosen facility. The case manager is responsible of assessing that this is the appropriate facility and continues to monitor the patient's progress while subsequently authorizing more treatment if needed.

Medical writing. If you have a knack for the written word and a nursing degree, you can bring your expertise to a freelance writing career. Magazines are always looking for articles written by knowledgeable sources and would welcome submissions on an array of topics. From a nurses' perspective of a hospitals infrastructure to the best ways to care for a newborn infant, informational articles sell rapidly when they cover any health-related topic. Articles are either paid for per word or with a per article fee. Freelance writing can also help to supplement a part-time income.

Pharmaceutical sales. Nurses are needed in this area to educated and promote new and existing products to fellow medical professionals. Positions at companies selling medical equipment and medications require nurses to cover a broad geographic area as well has an increasing product base. Opportunities for this type of employment can be found by conducting an internet search of pharmaceutical companies and searching their job postings.

Government and legal arena. The government at national, state and city levels has a need for nurses. Whether to assist a government funded pre-natal care program to working for the State Department of Health, jobs for nurses are plentiful. Government careers allow nurses to step out and take a more educational approach and enjoy a change of environment.

Hopefully the job search seems a little less dire when considering all the new and overlooked areas employment is found. More positions can be found in other areas not mentioned in this article such as schools, prisons and medical answering services. Keep an open mind and try to think of others. Happy hunting!