10 alternative NP career options

Nurse practitioners have the flexibility to work in different settings — many of which you may not have considered. While you may be most familiar with traditional bedside care in a health clinic, there are various NP career options available that allow you to make a fresh start, earn extra income, or travel to new locales. Check out these 10 different NP job options below.

1. NCLEX tutor

If you enjoy teaching and prefer working from home, consider becoming an NCLEX tutor to coach nursing students and help them pass their exams. Many tutoring companies, like Archer Review, offer either one-on-one or small group settings where you teach students over video calls and answer their questions about the NCLEX and other tests.

2. Medical writer

Those who prefer researching and explaining complex healthcare procedures may enjoy working as medical writers — and they can earn solid wages (the national average salary is around $100,000 annually). If you’re looking for NP career options that allow you to work remotely, becoming a medical writer may offer more schedule flexibility.

3. Clinical nurse consultant

Help patients navigate health insurance claims, find community resources, receive care at different facilities, and access support groups by working as a clinical nurse consultant. This position is a great way to interact with different patients at the hospital or clinic while not providing acute care.

Improve work/life balance: The story of two locum NPs

4. Foreign service medical provider

Caring for government employees and their families who live overseas is a unique way to travel and experience life outside the United States. These medical providers often monitor water safety, evaluate local hospitals, plan medical evacuations, and prepare for emergencies, which makes it one of the more challenging and different NP jobs.

5. Blogger or freelance writer

Some NPs have found success writing about their experiences on blogs, where they share tips for other nurse practitioners who want to travel, become certified in a different specialty, or even find more comfortable scrubs. If you don’t want to manage your own website, you can write freelance articles for healthcare companies, contribute to national magazines or newspapers, or look for niche publications that focus on health, such as parenting or sports magazines.

6. Education consultant

Not sure you want to teach at a university? Some NPs work as education consultants, helping schools develop new curricula or leading assessments and projects. You may also be able to help students succeed in nursing school by acting as a career coach — and many universities allow you to work remotely at least some of the time.

See the world: One locum tenens NP goes the distance

7. Legal expert

Law firms often hire NPs to help lawyers understand cases that involve healthcare issues, like personal injury or malpractice suits. Nurse practitioners who serve as legal experts evaluate medical records, analyze data, and define practice standards for the legal team. Sometimes they also serve as witnesses in a trial to explain medical procedures.

8. Locum tenens NP

Nurse practitioners who work locum tenens get to explore the world and set their own schedule, and many like the framework of an employer dealing with the extra paperwork.

“The reason why I chose Weatherby was because it’s a W-2 agency, so I also get healthcare, a 401(k), and they take the taxes out without me having to stress about it,” says NP Renee Watson, who works with Weatherby Healthcare.

The high pay, in addition to the benefits that are afforded to me, makes locums a very attractive option.

- Renee Watson, NP

NP Sasha Dunbar also appreciates the chance to deepen her skills as a provider.

“When you’re in one practice continuously, and you kind of do what you do, you may not know that there’s a better way,” she says. “You only know what you know and what you see. I think having that exposure to other providers and seeing how they do things — how they manage their schedules, how they manage their charting issues — it really helps.”

Get the details: Why NPs love working locum tenens

9. Telehealth NP

Acquiring licenses for other states while working locum tenens can also be an asset if you’d like to work in telehealth: You can do virtual visits with patients around the country as long as you’re licensed in the state in which they live. Working in telehealth can save you the time you’d otherwise spend commuting and give you more scheduling options.

10. Medical volunteer

While medical missions are not alternative NP career options (and most require funds from your own pocket), serving others in a different country is a way to travel, learn about various cultures, and provide life-saving care to people in need. A medical mission can also give you a different perspective and valuable experience for your CV.

Whether you want to work as an NP internationally, try working remotely, or supplement your income with a part-time position, these alternative NP career options can revitalize you and help you be a more valuable employee in any field.

Are you interested in learning more about locum tenens for nurse practitioners? Give us a call at 954.343.3050 or view today’s nurse practitioner job openings.