When I left patient care nursing to work for a large Fortune 500 health insurance corporation, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. The position fell into my lap when a colleague referred me to a contact looking to hire a nurse case manager.
Working in an office setting was an entirely new ballgame compared to being a bedside nurse in a skilled nursing facility. Everything I thought I knew about benefits, performance expectations, and work dynamics went out the window. I wish someone would’ve given me the heads up.
That brings me to this post. If you’re contemplating your next career move, here’s a list of things you’ll want to know about transitioning from bedside nursing to an alternative nursing position.
- Salaries and benefits are different – Unlike in a hospital or healthcare facility, salaries in a corporate setting can be very competitive. They can include significant raises and bonuses based on company performance. All without the physical and emotional stress of bedside nursing.
- Flexibility is an option – Definitely one of the biggest job perks for me. Working normal business hours is sweet. As a patient care nurse, you have to cover your shift if you want to take off some time. In a corporate setting, your time off is provided and you take it when you want*. No coverage is ever needed in most office settings. You’ll rarely have any anxiety about taking your vacation time, also called PTO (paid time off). *Note: this depends entirely on your position and the company policies.
- No overtime pay – As a salaried, non-except employee you won’t get overtime pay. Even if you’re putting in 60 hours+ to get a major project launched. Some managers and companies will reward you comp time or time-off to “compensate” for all the hours you worked over your normal business hours. This isn’t guaranteed and it depends on your job role. It’s nice when you get it, but shouldn’t be expected.
- You can still make a difference – Though you won’t be working in physical proximity to patients, in some roles, you’ll indirectly influence patient care.
- You’ll need to go shopping – Scrubs in an office setting won’t cut it. As comfortable as they are, you’ll have to trade them in for business attire to meet the dress code. Business casual is what they call it. It’s kind of hard to describe business casual compared to business attire.
When I started my first corporate job, I invested in some power suits. I was better dressed than my boss! I immediately toned it down some. Essentially, you can’t wear scrubs, sweats, yoga pants, and jeans most days. Depending on the company culture, jeans are becoming acceptable. Be sure to check the dress code to play it safe.
Bear in mind, all these rules go out the window if you work from home like me. You’ll find me in my PJs, sweats and yoga pants on most days. It’s a beautiful thing.
- Keep it current – Make a running list of your accomplishments and major contributions to projects. This list will be extremely handy during performance review time. Also, along these lines-showing initiative will help you get ahead. Doing things that aren’t part of your job description will get you noticed. More about that in an upcoming post.
- It can’t hurt to try – In every healthcare setting, providing patient care requires a nurse to have active licenses and credentials. In today’s corporate job market it’s not enough to have an active nursing license and patient care experience. Some companies hiring nurses want to see what makes you special and what specifically YOU will bring to the company. If you come across a company you like, you should apply for a job…even if you don’t meet all the job qualifications. (Gasp!) Sound like ridiculous advice? Not so fast… (more about this in an upcoming post)
- Praising your colleagues can go a long way. Only when deserved, of course. This is a bit harder to do as a bedside nurse. Everyone has their head down caring for patients and their families. There aren’t many opportunities to give praise to those who have helped you. It makes such a difference in the day of the person receiving the praise and it makes you feel good too.
- Kick it with your colleagues – Even though I liked my colleagues, I’m an introvert to a fault and turned down many after-work drinks and social gatherings. If you have the time, it won’t kill you to go. It’ll strengthen your relationships with your colleagues. You’ll learn stuff about them you wouldn’t learn during a normal workday. Plus, while turning down drinks shouldn’t affect your career, I’m pretty sure it does.
- Have your cake and eat it – If you find that you miss patient care, you can always work per diem at a local hospital or SNF. It’s a great way to keep up your skills and work in a corporate setting full-time.
