When we talk about work-related stress, nurses are some of the worst sufferers out there. From physical stress to emotional stress, the pressure of nursing seems to be never-ending. But because nursing is so diverse, it is possible to find positions that are less stressful than others. We are by no means saying that these jobs are necessarily easier than other roles, but there certainly are some nursing positions out there that offer a better experience in terms of stress and other associated problems like fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Again, we’re not saying these are easy nursing jobs, but they could be the change you are looking for if you need some relief in your work life!

Quality Assurance and Utilization Review

Otherwise known as QU and UR, these types of nurses focus mostly on the logistical side of working in a healthcare facility. Paperwork, auditing, and completing reports are just some of the main tasks of a QU or UR nurse. Typically, this is a 9-5 job that doesn’t require weekend work. This could be considered less stressful because it has regular hours and a predictable schedule. It also doesn’t require a lot of physical or emotional effort, other than meeting deadlines.

Telephone Nurse

A telephone nurse is exactly what it sounds like: a nurse that completes his or her practice over the phone (or sometimes online). Often this can be done from home, which immediately reduces mountains of stress that could otherwise be experienced. Even at an office, a telephone nurse doesn’t interact face to face with patients or do any of the physical treatment. Health coaching is an especially popular field for telephone nurses, as they can help patients deal with chronic conditions or help teach patients how to make healthier choices in their daily lives.

Private Nurse

Working in a hospital can be incredibly stressful if you aren’t accustomed to working in a chaotic and fast-paced environment. If you want to keep practicing as a nurse and don’t want to miss working with other people, private nursing could be a good option for you. This is generally more of a one-to-one situation where you work with a single patient on a daily basis. Sometimes a family of an elderly person will hire a private nurse to tend to that person during the day. This means that you have a lot more free time when the patient is sleeping, and you don’t have to run around tending to lots of patients at one time.

Hospice Nurse

This position isn’t for everyone, but it is very popular for a lot of nurses. Indeed, pretty much every nurse that goes into hospice say they enjoyed the experience and that it was very fulfilling. While it can be emotionally taxing to deal with the dying on a daily basis, you will have the privilege of providing peace to patients in their last days.

Post-Partum Nurse

In general, post-partum patients, those who have recently birthed a child, are younger and in good health. After all, there are a few age restrictions on being able to get pregnant and have a child, so chances are you won’t be dealing with curmudgeonly geriatrics. Instead, you’ll work with new moms in the prime of their life who are happy to have a new member of the family. It won’t all be roses all the time, but for the most part, you can expect to have a relatively stress-free experience as a post-partum nurse.

Clinical Research

Being a nurse means you have a wealth of information about the human body and the illnesses that it can be susceptible to. In a clinical research position, you’ll be the first eyes on new techniques, treatments, and medications. If you love learning about the human body and everything it entails but aren’t necessarily a people-person, research might just be the right track for you to take in your career. You’ll still get to work with people, especially if you are performing a case study or a trial of a new medication, but you won’t have to deal with the tedium of day-to-day nurse work.

Nurse Educator

The nursing field needs educators now more than ever, especially with the current nursing shortage. Luckily, depending on your personality and interests, nursing education can be a much less stressful experience than working in a large hospital or clinic.

School Nurse

It’s probably been a long time since you were in school, but you might still remember your school nurse. To you, she was probably a kindly lady who took care of you when you had a tummy ache, but he or she was actually a highly qualified individual with a lot of experience in health care. She may have also become a school nurse as a way to maintain her nursing practice and in-person interactions without the chaos and strain of working in a large facility with much more complicated health demands.