Careers in Office Nursing

Educational Options for Office Nurses

• Accelerated BSN/MSN: This year-long program is for students who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree and now want to enter the nursing field.

• Associate’s Degree: In two to three years at a community or junior college, you can earn an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) that will teach you very specific patient care skills in various areas of the healthcare field. This degree is usually more affordable than a BS/BSN and can open up doors to receive a bachelor’s later on if you’d like.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Many undergraduate colleges or universities offer this four-year program. While a bachelors in nursing can help you get into military nursing, school nursing or forensic nursing, a BS/BSN also puts students on the path to practicing specialized nursing careers.

• Hospital Diploma: Also a two to three year course, this hospital program is another route for learning direct patient care. Some hospitals with nursing programs work with junior colleges so you can simultaneously earn an associate’s degree anda nursing diploma.

• Licensed Practical Nurse: This shorter program (about a year), offered by vocational and technical schools, will prepare you to work under a doctor and/or registered nurse to provide general care, such as taking blood pressure and applying bandages.

Office Nursing Jobs

• complementary healthcare nursing: As more and more patients go to alternative healthcare practitioners (chiropractors, acupuncturists and reflexologists), the need for nurses in these fields continues to grow. Some alternative healthcare nurses practice in their own clinics, while others assist alternative practitioners.

• family nurse practitioner: Family nurse practitioners have training beyond a bachelor’s degree, are able to diagnose illnesses and can sometimes prescribe medication. Some families use their nurse practitioners as a sort of “family doctor” for basic and preventative care. An average salary for this position is$71,500.

• licensed practical nursing(LPN): Licensed practical nurses assist physicians and registered nurses with basic patient care, such as taking vital signs. LPNs usually don’t need bachelor’s degrees and can simply attend year-long nursing programs offered by technical and vocational schools. An average salary for this position is$36,500.

• occupational nursing: As opposed to nurses in doctor’s offices, occupational nurses are employed by private companies to lead wellness programs, provide patient care for minor illnesses and injuries and give lectures to employees. An average salaryfor this position is$63,000.

• temp nursing: If you like change, temp nursing is for you. Temp nurses sign up with nursing agencies and are assigned to various offices for shorter periods of time. You get the benefit of a wide range of experience in office nursing and aren’t likely to get bored!

Finding an Office Nursing Job