In this article, we’re going to dive in and answer a couple of questions. Those questions are, “What are the best jobs for nurses who are moms?” and also, “What are the best nursing jobs for new moms?”
So what are the best nursing jobs for moms?
- Clinic Nurse
- School Nurse
- Home Health Care Nurse
- Utilization Review Nurse
- Per Diem Nurse
- Nursing Jobs that are 12-(or 8-hour) Nursing Shifts
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Alright, so we’ve already answered the question, “Is Nursing a Good Career for Moms.”
If you haven’t read that article or if you’re still on the fence on whether a career in nursing is going to work out for you as a mom, you should go check out that article first.
Don’t worry, we’ll wait…
If you’ve read that article, you’ll see why we believe being a nurse (LPN, RN, APRN) is definitely a good career for moms.
A little while back, we also did another article on the best nursing jobs for single moms. In that article, we focused on jobs that would work really well with moms who are single parents. If you’re a single mom, that article might be worth a read first before reading this one.
As for this article, we’re going to focus broader on the best nursing jobs for new moms and seasoned moms.
We’re also going to give you some pointers on what king of jobs, in general, you should be looking for.
Related Article: 10 Best Jobs for Nurses with High-Stress
Best Nursing Jobs for Moms
1. Clinic Nursing Jobs
Alright, the first job we’re going to look at is clinic nursing.
Clinics are an area of a hospital where outpatient appointments or procedures happen. A common example of this is a primary care office.
If you think about it, you’re checked in and assessed first by a nurse (usually a licensed practical nurse but a registered nurse can work there too), and then you’re seen by a provider (MD, DO, PA, NP)
These are jobs many nurses don’t think about but are great options for nurse moms for several reasons.
1. Reduced stress level. Every job is going to have its fair share of stress, but the level of stress you’re going to have working in a clinic setting is going to be much less than you’re going to have working most inpatient jobs.
For starters, patients who are hospitalized are more likely to be a lot sicker than the ones who are getting outpatient treatment.
Also, to go along with the reduced stress you’re going to have a more routine and predictable working environment in a clinic setting.
2. No holiday and weekends. Many clinics will usually not run on the weekend or the holidays, which means when your kids are out of school or the daycare is closed, you don’t have to work.
While we’re at it, this brings me to my third point which is…
3. Your schedule will closely mirror your kids. As we started mentioning above, holidays and weekends are a starting point. Something else to look at is that many clinics run the typical 9 to 5.
Which means you’re at work when the kids are in school or the daycare is open.
But when school is out, and the daycare is closed, you get to be home. This is different than a lot of other nursing positions who might have to work the night shift, or work weekend shifts, or even work the 2nd shift (3pm-11pm).
➡️ Check out the clinic nursing jobs on the nursing job board.
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2. School Nurse Jobs
I mentioned being a clinic nurse is a nursing specialty many nurses don’t think about. I’m starting to question that now that I’m about to start talking about being a school nurse.
I think pretty much all of us have met a nurse in a clinic before, if not professionally then as a patient. But a school nurse, probably not so much.
I didn’t know much about school nurses till very recently the past couple of years, and it’s probably because I work with a nurse who works as a school nurse as their second job.
To begin with, a school nurse is a nurse that provides health care services to school-age children.
School nurses have become increasingly vital as more and more children are entering the school system with chronic illnesses like diabetes.
School nurses act as a healthcare professional on-site at the school to be able to give needed medical assistance or teaching when required.
The nurse I worked with who was a school nurse had multiple schools assigned to her that she had to go round on and take care of.
School nurse jobs have much of the same reasons as clinic nursing jobs as to why it would make such a good nurse mom job.
1. Low stress. Some reading this might disagree after all school nurses are potentially dealing with a lot of parents and a lot of kids.
While that is true and of course we’re not saying the job isn’t stressful, because there are stressful parts of this job.
But when compared to many inpatient nursing positions, you’re not going to get the same level of stress.
Patients that are hospitalized are more likely to have more health issues.
2. Mom/family-friendly working hours. Because you’re working for a school, your schedule is most likely going to mirror the school hours, which means no holidays, weekends, or nights and for many being off during the summer.
➡️ Check out school nurse jobs on our job board.
Related Article: What are the best nursing jobs for working with children?
3. Home Health Care Nurse
Home healthcare nurse is a nurse who goes in and provides nursing care to patients in their home. Many times, this is in combination with other multidisciplinary healthcare providers who re also providing care to the same patient.
The patients who are needing home healthcare can vary significantly in age (from pediatrics to geriatrics) but could be disabled or terminally ill.
What a home health nurse does can vary from initial patient health evaluation to education and providing support and everything else in between.
One of the things that makes this one of the best nursing jobs for new moms and moms is the flexibility you have as a home health nurse.
Many times, you as the nurse work independently.
You can set your schedule of when you want to see your patients. While there are guidelines, you still have a lot more flexibility than you would working traditional hospital nursing.
➡️ Check out home health nursing positions on our job board.
Related Article: 15 Non-Bedside Jobs for Nurses
4. Utilization Review Nurse
This is a nursing profession that is rarely discussed but makes an excellent job for new moms.
As a utilization review nurse, you’re working behind the scene with insurance companies, and health care companies on the appropriateness of medical procedures or hospital stay such as length of stay or procedures that are wanting to be done.
The goal of this position is to maximize the overall efficiency of the health care system.
The beautiful thing about this job is some of the positions can be done from home, which would give you some flexibility that you’re not going to get from a tradition hospital nursing job.
The focus above was on specific nursing specialties that are good for moms. Below we’re going to continue our discussion by looking a little broader.
➡️ Check out UR nurse positions available on the job board.
Related Article: Can You Work From Home as a Nurse?
5. Per Diem Nursing
Per Diem in nursing stands for “per day” or “for each day” in Latin.
There’s a lot of pros and cons of per diem nursing, but one of the advantages of it is the flexibility it gives you to make your schedule.
If you have a spouse and you don’t need the health insurance or the benefits per diem nursing is really something you should consider.
Per diem nurses tend to make more money than regular nursing staff, and you have the added flexibility of your schedule.
On the flip side, please keep in mind you probably aren’t going to be eligible for the benefits the full-time and part-time nursing staff is going to have (health insurance, vacation, 401k, etc.).
➡️ Find per-diem nursing positions available on the job board.
6. Nursing Jobs that are 12-Hour or 8-Hour Shifts
I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably wondering which one we’re recommending.
The truth is, it depends on your situation, and here’s why. Some two-income families want to set up their schedule so there’s always someone home, so they don’t have to pay for daycare.
Others are OK with daycare but want their work to line up to maximize every opportunity they have to be home together.
Either situation is fine it all depends on the priority of you and your family.
Whether it’s a 12-hour nursing shift or an 8-hour nursing shift, in the end, you have to figure out what you want and look for a job with the schedule to maximize it.
As a side note, we did write an article comparing 8 and 12 nursing shifts. Check it out for more information.
Related Article: 9 Best Work from Home Nursing Jobs
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot moms are called to do, and there’s probably a lot that you want to personally do also. You need to make sure your work is helping you accomplish your goals.
If you found this article helpful, please share this on your favorite social media. Also, let us know what your thoughts are below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a mom that’s an introvert make a good nurse?
Yes, introverts make great nurses. Introverts listen well and are compassionate and empathic which are important traits of a good nurse.
