11 Great Nursing Careers in a Patient Care Setting

Overview of Nursing Careers

Amid the myriad opportunities for patient care careers, several lesser-known yet excellent options await new graduates. Patient-focused nursing roles span beyond traditional bedside care on medical-surgical units. Although these units offer crucial initial experience, over 100 distinct nursing specialties exist for exploration.

Essential Skills for Nursing

Key skills, integral for thriving in patient care settings, lay the foundation for nurses during their education and continue to develop as they delve into the field. These skills often prove transferable, enhancing nurses’ marketability if they opt to transition from the patient care environment. Among the vital skills, nurses need:

• Communication
• Conflict resolution and diplomacy
• Mental resilience
• Compassion and empathy
• Critical thinking
• Team collaboration
• Detail-oriented approach
• Effective time management
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Collaborative mindset
• Leadership acumen
• Strong work ethic
• Ethical behavior
• Professionalism
• Dedication to ongoing learning
• Sound decision-making ability

Top Patient Care Nursing Roles

While you contemplate potential patient-focused care roles, consider the following distinctive paths for registered nurses:

1. Home Health

Home health nurses provide independent care in patients’ homes, offering one-on-one assistance to those recovering from illnesses, surgeries, or accidents. This role fosters long-term patient relationships and operates in a nonclinical setting.

Skills
Home health nurses must excel in assessment, planning, and intervention. Effective communication and diplomacy are vital due to interactions with patients and their families.

Salary
Average annual salary is $65,700. (October 2024/Payscale)

2. Travel Nursing

Travel nursing allows nurses to leverage their skills globally. While the commitment to temporary travel and remote work comes with generous compensation, travel nurses fill short-term vacancies where nursing shortages prevail.

Skills
Adaptability, flexibility, and mental resilience are essential for travel nurses. They should readily embrace learning new processes and procedures.

Salary
Average annual salary is $84,000. (April 2022/Payscale)

3. Wound Care

Wound care nurses collaborate with specialists to manage chronic wounds. Given the prevalence of chronic wounds (over 6.5 million cases in the U.S.), these nurses play a pivotal role in assessing and planning treatment.

Skills
Wound care nurses maintain certifications, staying current on treatment options. They must convey compassion, empathy, and strong communication to guide patients through wound healing.

Salary
Average annual salary is $74,370. (April 2022/Payscale)

4. Lactation Consultant

Lactation consultants support new mothers in chestfeeding. This role involves bedside care in hospitals or clinics and outpatient assistance to enhance infants’ chestfeeding durations.

Skills
Effective communication, compassion, and collaboration underpin this role. Nurses must partner with new mothers to devise optimal strategies.

Salary
Average annual salary is $57,950. (April 2022/Payscale)

5. Dialysis

Dialysis nurses administer peritoneal or hemodialysis, educating patients about their condition and guiding them toward lifestyle changes for better health.

Skills
Effective communication, collaboration, and assessment are integral to dialysis nursing. Attention to detail is essential for patient safety.

Salary
Average annual salary is $76,540. (April 2022/Payscale)

6. Emergency Room or Intensive Care Unit Nurse

Critical care nurses in ER or ICU settings thrive under unpredictable circumstances, where patient conditions can rapidly change.

Skills
Effective communication, critical thinking, and strong team collaboration are critical. Nurses must excel in fast-paced environments.

Salary
Average annual salary is $72,860 for ER nurses and $72,106 for ICU nurses. (April 2022/Payscale)

7. Labor and Delivery

Labor and delivery nurses support patients through labor and childbirth, offering emotional and educational assistance.

Skills
Compassion, empathy, effective communication, and time management drive labor and delivery nursing. Adaptability and patience are key.

Salary
Average annual salary is $68,970. (April 2022/Payscale)

8. Pain Management

Pain management nurses collaborate with healthcare teams to address chronic pain issues, educating patients on treatments and lifestyle changes.

Skills
Strong communication, teaching, collaboration, and conflict resolution are vital in pain management nursing.

Salary
Average annual salary is $82,750. (April 2022/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for all RNs)

9. Complementary Health Nursing

Holistic nurses provide alternative treatments alongside traditional care, including meditation, massage, and aromatherapy.

Skills
Effective communication and teaching are critical for these nurses, who collaborate with patients to develop holistic treatment strategies.

Salary
Average annual salary is $82,750. (April 2022/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for all RNs)

10. Flight or Transport Nurse

Flight and transport nurses provide emergency care during medical aircraft or mobile transport unit operations.

Skills
Critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and teamwork skills are crucial for seamless transport care.

Salary
Average annual salary is $73,470. (April 2022/Payscale)

11. Hospice or Palliative Nurse

Hospice or palliative nurses offer holistic care to patients with terminal conditions, focusing on comfort and support.

Skills
Compassion, ethical conduct, and emotional support define hospice nursing, requiring strength in challenging times.

Salary
Average annual salary is $68,840. (April 2022/Payscale)

Conclusion

These diverse patient care careers provide avenues for fulfilling and impactful roles, offering meaningful contributions to patient care and highlighting some of the best nursing careers available today. Explore these nursing opportunities to find the right fit along your nursing career paths.