10 Best Jobs for Older or Aging Nurses

Have you been considering changing career paths to accommodate an aching back, or are you seeking to impart your knowledge to other nurses?

There are plenty of career options to choose from where you can do all of this (and more)!

To help you out, I’ve compiled 8 of the best jobs currently available to older nurses.

*Disclosure: This article on jobs for older and aging nurses may contain affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. For more info, please see my disclaimer.

Best Jobs for Older Nurses

1. School Nurse

For nurses who are ready to wind down in their careers, a school nurse can be a great role to step into.

As a school nurse, you’ll promote a healthy lifestyle within the student body while treating conditions in students as they arise.

This job is for nurses who want to make a difference in the lives of children while maintaining a very appealing work schedule.

Pros

• A school nurse schedule allows for nights, weekends, holidays, and summers off.
• Working with children can be very rewarding as you help them manage their conditions and provide medical care. (➔ see 10 Best Nursing Jobs Working with Children)
• Due to population growth, more school nurse positions are becoming available.

Cons

• This position is not realistic for someone who needs year-round pay. (➔ r/t What Are the Highest Paying RN Jobs?)
• Those who enjoy high-acuity nursing may not find this job stimulating enough to meet their needs.
• Dwindling school budgets can impact the care you are able to provide students.

Find School Nursing Jobs on the online nursing job board.

2. Psychiatric Nurse

Psychiatric nursing is ideal for those who want to take their valuable experience and apply it to help vulnerable populations.

As a psychiatric nurse, you are responsible for leading groups (within your scope of practice), passing out medication, taking vitals, documenting care, making assessments, and more.

As recognition increases regarding the need for adequate mental health treatment, psychiatric nursing is experiencing a large growth in positions becoming available.

Pros

• This is a great position for nurses who have strong nursing and people skills.
• You have the opportunity to help vulnerable populations.
• Having a variety of patients creates an environment where work doesn’t become monotonous.

Cons

• Older nurses may have a hard time with patients who are physically demanding.
• The work schedule may require nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Psychiatric nursing can be a very high-stress position.

Find Psychiatric or Behavioral Health Nursing Positions on the job board.

3. Nurse Educator

A big responsibility lies with nurse educators who are tasked with training competent and caring future nurses.

As a nurse educator, you’ll compose lesson plans, grade papers, and be a role model to your students.

If you’re interested in this career, check with your state to ensure you meet the minimum requirements to become an educator.

Pros

• The ability to make an impact on the future of nursing.
• A rewarding job of training future nurses to provide outstanding patient care.
• Bedside nursing is not involved unless it’s required within a clinical setting. (➔ see 15 of the Best Non-Bedside Nursing Jobs Available)

Cons

• A large amount of papers to grade and lessons to plan may be overwhelming for some.
• Those who thrive off of direct patient care may not find this position rewarding.
• Work can become stressful with larger classroom sizes.

Find Nurse Educator Jobs on the nursing job board.

4. Telephone Triage Nurse

Older nurses make ideal candidates for a telephone triage nurse due to the experience and knowledge they have gained over the years.

While working as a telephone triage nurse, you’ll assess patients over the phone and provide recommendations as needed.

And, as the medical field transitions over to the virtual world, there’s never been a better time to find a job in this area.

Pros

• Many agencies allow you to work from home, or set your own schedule. (➔ r/t 9 of Our Favorite Work From Home Nursing Jobs)
• Those who enjoy face-to-face interaction with patients may not thrive in this line of work.
• You have the ability to use your experience to help patients with a variety of conditions.

Cons

• Lack of patient follow-up may cause stress for some nurses.
• Social isolation may be difficult if working from home.
• Large amounts of paperwork and documenting can be tedious.

Find Telephone Triage Nursing Jobs on the job board.

5. Clinic/Primary Care Nurse

Primary care nurses spend their workweek seeing patients who present to the clinic with concerning symptoms, or for regular checkups.

Job duties for this role include taking vital signs, assessing symptoms, documenting care, administering immunizations, assisting with checkups, and educating patients.

Older nurses often thrive in this position due to a more “typical” work schedule and the ability to work in a low-pressure environment. (➔ r/t 10 Nursing Jobs Low in Stress)

Pros

• A typical 9-5 workweek schedule means no long nights or stressful weekends.
• Patients who are being seen in the office are typically low-acuity.
• Many offices have a team of tight-knit employees.

Cons

• You’ll likely be dealing with a large volume of patients throughout the day.
• You’ll be on your feet more than some other nursing positions. (➔ See How to Take Care of Your Nurse Feet)
• There’s often a lot of paperwork and documentation required.

Find Clinic Nursing Jobs on the job board.

6. Academic Nurse Writer

Academic nurse writers can be employed in a variety of fields, allowing nurses to write on their specialty area or area of interest.

As an academic nurse writer, you’ll contribute to scholarly articles, online educational blogs, or textbooks to help educate future nurses.

Nurses who pursue a writing career on an academic level should have plenty of experience in their chosen area. (→ See Best Jobs for ADN Nurses)

Pros

• You’ll often be able to set your own schedule (just don’t miss those deadlines!)
• You can use your experience to educate and guide other healthcare professionals or the general public.
• Depending on the role, you may be able to work remotely.

Cons

• This can be a difficult position for someone who isn’t a self-starter.
• Isolation from coworkers and other professionals can be tiresome.
• Deadlines can become stressful if they’re too tight or demanding.

Find Academic Nurse Writer Jobs on the nursing job board.

7. Legal Nurse Consultant

Legal nurse consultants bridge the gap between the legal world and the medical world and are paid handsomely to do so.

Those who opt for this job may be called to provide testimony on a specific procedure or offer their knowledge to attorneys about a certain case.

In order to do this job effectively, it’s important to have plenty of experience which makes it an excellent job for older nurses.

Pros

• You’ll have the ability to make an average of; $50 per hour.
• You may be able to set your own rates and schedule if you’re self-employed.
• You can help others with your experience and medical knowledge.

Cons

• Some clients may be difficult to work with.
• Lots of paperwork.
• Emotionally draining cases.

Find Legal Nurse Consultant Jobs on the job board.

8. Nurse Manager

Managers are essential to the nursing career, as they ensure everything runs smoothly and safely.

Nurse managers are responsible for setting schedules, intervening in difficult patient situations, and they may help with the facility budget.

If you’re interested in this career, make sure you have your BSN in addition to the experience you’ve gained throughout the years.

Pros

• Generate an average income of $85,000 per year.
• Less bedside nursing and more leadership abilities.
• Have the opportunity to provide guidance and knowledge to newer nurses.

Cons

• You may find yourself working overtime to compensate for an understaffed unit.
• Depending on where you work, you may still find yourself on your feet more often than not.
• It can be stressful trying to accommodate everyone’s schedule and dealing with issues surrounding attendance.

Find Nurse Manager Positions on the job board.

9. Occupational Health Nurse

This is a nurse who’s hired to work in factories and for companies. Older nurses should consider this job because it’s usually a 9 to 5 nursing job and you’re dealing with patients who are relatively healthy.

I really don’t have much more to say about this just. I think the video does a good job of explaining some of the benefits of working as an occupational health nurse.

Pros

• You don’t have the stress of working in a hospital.
• You don’t have the stress of working with really sick patients.

Cons

• It’s very much corporate.
• It may feel like you’re working for the company and not the patient.

Find occupational health nursing jobs.

10. Travel Nursing

I had to include travel nursing on here because I think if done right it can be great for older nurses. You might not immediately think so but here’s why.

First of all travel nursing pays pretty well. Travel nursing is also a great way to see other parts of the country while you’re getting paid.

The downside is that you’re traveling for jobs and that’s something that’s not conducive for a family with kids.

Older nurses who have kids out of the house and/or divorce don’t have those constraints.

Pros

• It pays really well.
• You pick your schedule and unit.

Cons

• Bad for nurses with a spouse or kids still at home.
• Not lucrative if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Find travel nursing positions.

Final Thoughts

Are you an older nurse who is ready to move (or has moved) into a more accommodating position?

Let us know in the comments!

Related Articles to Best Jobs for an Aging Nurse

• What is the Best Nursing Job Board?
• What’s the Most Flexible Nursing Jobs?
• 5 Best Nursing Jobs for Retirees
• 5 Best Jobs for Nurses that are Introverts

Frequently Asked Questions