Nursing Attorney vs Nurse Writer: Alternative Nursing Careers to Explore

If you are exploring alternative careers for registered nurses, nursing attorney and nurse writer may be two careers you should consider. As a RN, there are many stresses and challenges that can come with the job. There are extremely long, mentally exhausting days, and sometimes even gruesome patient injuries to deal with. If this isn’t what you envision for your nursing career, there are other paths to pursue.

Nursing attorney and nurse writers are two alternative careers that are rewarding and often, less stressful.

Nursing Attorney

Many nursing attorneys deal with the legal aspects of healthcare and like registered nurses, can specialize in different areas. 

Nursing attorneys are highly intelligent combining a unique combination of medical and legal knowledge. This is part of what makes a nursing attorney such an interesting alternative career for registered nurses. However, becoming a nursing attorney takes more education and experience.

After a bachelor’s degree and clinical hours, a future nursing attorney must also attend law school to receive a JD. Law school is usually completed in 3 years but some nursing attorneys even aspire to earn a master’s degree in nursing to supplement their legal education. 

The day-to-day operations of a nursing attorney involve keeping up with the latest policies and regulations involving their healthcare clients. Most nursing attorney clients are fellow healthcare practitioners to ensure adequate and proper care is given to their clients. Furthermore, nursing attorneys may work with other nurses to keep them up-to-date on the legal aspects of their profession. 

This includes preventative work to offset any future legal issues but if an issue arises, the client already has representation. 

Nurse Writer

Nurse writing is another alternative nursing career to consider if you have an interest in writing or journalism. Being a nurse writer may encompass many different aspects and can be a broad title. 

Some nurse writers work in journalism working writing for medical and academic articles. These writers stay up-to-date on the latest research and trends in the nursing field. 

Other nurse writers work as freelance writers where they write for websites, social media, magazines, and other media forms. This allows for an alternative career in nursing that applies medical knowledge without much of the stress. 

Nurse writers obtain the freedom of a writer’s lifestyle but may lack the security of other nursing careers. It is a considerate alternative for most but especially those late in their careers or looking to transition from traditional, full-time nursing. 

Which Alternative Career is Best for Me?

Being a nursing attorney may provide you with more job security than being a nurse writer. On the other hand, a nurse writer may have more flexibility in one’s personal life and requires less education. 

The process of becoming a nursing attorney can be long and vigorous. Law school is a big commitment and requires a sizable financial investment. 

On the other hand, nurse writers have the potential to earn a salary over $120,000 but much of this depends on the writer’s working conditions that they create. Many hours of time and research goes into nurse writing and you may find yourself working more hours than expected to be successful. 

If you are exploring careers in nursing without much luck, check out CynaMed. With over 18 years of healthcare staffing experience, CynaMed prides itself in finding the best fit for healthcare and nursing professionals. 

CynaMed is the first locally-owned staffing agency with Joint Commission certification in the Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania area. Reach out to CynaMed today to take the next step in improving your healthcare career!