Happiest Nursing Jobs
What made you want to become a nurse?
Do you remember?
Many nurses, afraid of being another statistic of burned out nurses, they start researching things like the happiest nursing jobs or least stressful nursing jobs.
If I’m being honest, I don’t believe there’s one magic nursing job that’s going to make you the happiest or least stressed. There’s all types of registered nurses out there, each with different a personality in nursing.
The happiest nursing job for you will be the one that’s the best fit for you.
I know one nurse that isn’t quite happy with her med/surg job but her dream was always to work in L&D. It’s why she went to nursing school to begin with! Is it any wonder why she’s burning out and unhappy?
That can seem like a small shift but little things can add up & make a difference in the big picture of how happy you are in nursing.
For me, I wanted to take care of cancer patients. I was happy for a time but after several years but the death and dying got to me. My happiest bedside nursing job ended up being in step-down tele. It was a good fit for me.
In order to find that out I had to figure out what I liked and didn’t like. I also tried different things over time.
Hi I’m Christen
I was just a tired, exhausted, burned out nurse dreading work and imaging what I could do instead of nursing. It affected me professionally AND personally!
Now I help nurses struggling or wanting to prevent the struggle using the same strategies and tools I used to create a happier, healthier life.
Get your free 5 minute visualization to decrease your stress, increase your peace, and sleep better tonight….naturally!
Another mistake I see some nurses make is they stay too long in specialty areas then they’re stuck. The most common example is with ICU or ER nurses. They’re ready for change but then have trouble getting hired other places and/or adjusting to different areas in nursing.
Below is a brief list I put together of the most common happiest nursing jobs. This is by no means exhaustive. I also put my own tips on what to look for when moving to one of these jobs.
However, I’d strongly encourage you not to rely on lists to tell you what’ll make you happiest. If you’re having trouble figuring out your niche or feel you can’t even imagine the words ‘happy’ and ‘nurse’ in the same sentence, it’s no too late!
This is a great example of when coaching can be really beneficial in helping you reconnect with who you really are, not who healthcare says you are, so you can find the best fit for you!
Let’s start your journey, connect with me here!
HAPPIEST NURSING JOBS
Women’s Health (L&D, Pediatrics, NICU)
These can be incredibly satisfying paths. When I was working oncology, one of my colleagues used to work prn in the well-baby unit. She loved rocking the babies to sleep, it was a form of self-care for her.
Self-care is incredibly important here, even nurses that seem the most jaded shed a tear when a code is called in one of these units.
One code can really mess you up.
If you’re in this area and are
tossing & turning at night
having trouble letting go
feeling more stressed than normal
notice your anxiety getting worse
coaching and breathwork can make a big difference. Contact me here!
Tip: These are hard areas to get into. Lately these areas have been more willing to train nurses newer to the specialty. A job fair or hiring event would be a great way to meet hiring managers. If you’re in nursing school, I’d suggest trying to get a job as a tech/CNA in L&D or Peds. It’ll be easier to make the transition to be a nurse in that area once you graduate since you’ll already know people and have experience with that population.
OR/PACU
If you don’t like a lot of talking or want limited patient interactions, these fields may be great for you. While you work closely with the doctors, your responsibility is to the patient. Awake or asleep, you’re the patient’s advocate.
I’ve never worked in the OR but you can definitely see some cool stuff. Plus, there’s usually music playing while you work which is something I love. A couple downsides are the surgeon’s ego/temper and on-call schedules.
Tip: PACU is great because once the patient wakes up, it’s time to move them! PACU’s are usually staffed by a smaller number of nurses so rotating call and getting time off can be harder. It can be a downside to this area & a good thing to ask about in an interview.
Ambulatory Care Settings
These are usually the office hour jobs. They’re great because they offer wonderful work-life balance. No going into the office on weekends or holidays. Some may prefer three 12’s.
As someone that made the transition from 12’s to 8’s, and then back to 12’s, I actually preferred the 8 hour shifts. Your day is more structured and there’s better continuity of care.
I could sleep in a little and have time for what I wanted to do after work as well. Plus, your day ends!
Ambulatory care isn’t open 24/7. You don’t have to carry work home with you.
I was surprised to learn ambulatory care can involve a significant amount of time on the phone. If you don’t like talking on the phone, this may not be a good fit for you.
The downside is most ambulatory care settings aren’t going to pay as much as inpatient settings. Money isn’t everything and sometimes you need a change for a little bit. However, we all pay bills so it’s a factor to be aware of.
Tip: Being that you may be working banker’s hours, in your interview I’d ask about flexibility to go to an appointment if needed. I’d also ask about a rotating call schedule as offices usually have someone on-call the weekends/holidays.
Oncology
Honestly, I’m a little surprised this specialty made the list. I’ve worked it, know what it involves, and the toll it can take. It’s and incredibly meaningful specialty.
You get to know the patients better than an average unit because you see them more often. You really feel like you’re making a difference, you build relationships, and trust. I loved those aspects of oncology nursing.
On the flip side, oncology can be very heavy and busy. It’s a lot of infusions, pain management, high emotion, and death & dying. I probably would’ve been able to last longer in this specialty if the patient ratios were better and it wasn’t shared with another population of patients.
Tip: If you decide to try it out, I would ask about patient ratios and support for staff. This is a highly emotional area of nursing. Get support early, don’t let it compound to the point you need a bottle of wine to sleep or feel sick to your stomach when you know you have to work the next day.
If you love your work, but are feeling the weight of it, you don’t have to stay stuck!
Contact me here to get you moving forward & feeling better again!
School Nurse
This can be a great job, especially for nurses with kids in school. It’s great for work-life balance an the hours follow the school’s schedule. Weekends, holidays, no call, M-F, summer’s off….I mean who can complain?
Believe it or not, school nursing involves more than just head lice, vision tests, and upset tummies.
One aspect of school nursing many don’t think about are assisting special needs children with complex medical care and case management. School nurses do a lot of creating and coordinating care plans to support kids being successful in school.
School nurses are also known to teach the staff how to mix emergency meds or perform CPR.
The biggest issue I hear with school nursing is being over more than 1 building with little help. Also, some states are better setup than others. For example, Ohio has a law mandating there must be a nurse in the school building at all times. I may ask about these things in an interview. That being said, I’ve only known a few school nurses but they all loved their job.
Tip: I’ve known school nurses to work more traditional hospital jobs, during summer break. This is isn’t a requirement, but if are looking to make a little extra cash while school is out it may be worth thinking about.
Conclusion
There’s no magic, one-size-fits-all nursing job that’s going to make everyone happy. If you’re looking to prevent burnout/moral injury or manage it, the best way to do that is to take some time and focus on you.
The happiest nursing job is the best fit for you.
Don’t try to fit the mold of one of the jobs listed if it’s not something you’re interested in.
If you’re having trouble finding what your best fit is or you’re ready to leave the profession for good, let’s chat!
You can be a nurse and be happy!
In 5 minutes, you can
Feel balanced and at peace by turning off overthinking and 2nd guessing yourself so you can increase your confidence and feel like yourself again.
Decrease stress and anxiety by using the very same tool I did so you can finally stop tossing and turning and get some good sleep tonight….naturally!
Practice 1 secret to improving boundaries and decreasing burnout: letting go of what isn’t yours to carry so you can decrease overwhelm and protect your space.
I was just a bedside nurse, exhausted, stuck, and feeling dead inside. Dreading both home and work I dreamed of having a life that I loved. After turning that dream into reality, I now help women connect with their inner power and step into their dynamic, authentic self to create a life they love.
I made a promise to myself at 30 that each year would be better than the last…..and I’ve been able to keep that promise!