Generally speaking, nurses work in medical settings where they come in direct contact with patients whereas nursing consultants tend to work with businesses and in industries that benefit from the expert advice of medical professionals. For instance, an energy drink company may hire a nursing consultant who earned an MSN to DNP online to get helpful information on suggested serving sizes during the manufacturing process. In short, a nursing consultant helps to promote good health through educational support and medical advisement. Having a career as a nursing consultant can really free up your spare time if you’re looking into backpacking or traveling the world.
Positioning Yourself as a Nurse Consultant
As a nursing consultant, you have to really put yourself out there if you want influential businesses to trust in your expertise and abilities. Professional nurses who specialize in areas such as nutrition, pediatrics, or even emergency room care can explain how they can be of assistance to business owners in specific markets. A pediatric nurse with a nurse practitioner doctorate degree would certainly be a top choice for the manufacturer of a new type of baby teething toy. Having a website is also beneficial, as is passing out business cards during corporate seminars and industry events. Tighten up your LinkedIn page and use social media to get connected with the businesses who might be most likely to contract with a nursing consultant with your specializations.
Working Remotely
Some nursing consultants feel most confident when they work with local clients whom they can meet with in person and physically shake their hands. You yourself may also want to look into doing video conferences and email coaching so that you are able to cast a wide net at the start of your career. In other words, don’t just look at the companies that are located in your particular region. Get to know business owners in your industry and see if you can get some positive reviews and testimonials before meeting up with any companies you want to work with long-term.
Consulting When You Want
Business owners can expect to never, ever work set hours. Even if you are only available to your clients from the hours of 9 A.M. through 5 P.M., you’re going to be working well before and afterward. When traveling, consider if you want to keep your hours of operation aligned with Eastern Standard Time, or if you’ll be working more of a flexible schedule. You may make changes according to the needs of your clients, but realize that as a small business owner you have the final say in when and how you perform all contracted services.
First, you need a nursing degree, and then you need to get experience so that you have professional references to help get your nurse consulting business noticed. After that, the sky is very much the limit. Schedule the hours you want to work and log onto your computer from a faraway country to make money while you travel and keep your career going.