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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant cultural shift across the country, with work-from-home (WFH) jobs becoming widely accepted. This shift has also inspired a new era of virtual nursing within the healthcare industry, thanks to recent technological advances.
Many nurses are now choosing to leave their traditional in-person roles and transition to remote work, often due to the desire for a better work-life balance. Today’s remote nursing jobs aren’t just limited to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide telemedicine services. Licensed practical or vocational nurses (LPN/LVNs) and registered nurses (RNs) also have many job opportunities in remote nursing. Let’s explore 10 top work-from-home nursing jobs, how to secure remote work and the benefits and challenges of transitioning to these roles.
Top 10 Work-from-Home Nursing Jobs
No matter your nursing background and specialty, there’s a WFH nursing opportunity for everyone. Below, we compiled a list of 10 work-from-home nursing jobs for you to explore.
1. Telehealth Nurse
Telehealth nurses communicate and provide care through video, phone or secure messaging. They work under the supervision of a healthcare provider and identify, assess and coordinate patient care.
Telehealth LPNs can assist with patient questions and intake depending on their state’s scope of practice. Telehealth RNs can complete a thorough patient assessment, triage patients and provide education while earning a potentially lucrative staff telehealth RN salary or weekly travel telehealth wage. Telehealth APRNs have a much broader scope, as they can virtually assess and diagnose patients, prescribe medications and recommend treatment options.
Most telehealth nursing roles require a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) or multistate license to increase access to patient care in multiple states. LPNs and RNs can obtain a multistate NLC license in participating Compact states, but APRNs may find it costly to maintain individual state licenses for multiple states until the APRN Licensure Compact becomes implemented.
2. Case Manager
Case management nurses help patients navigate their health journeys and coordinate care services. They develop and optimize patient care plans for all aspects of care, including medical, mental health, home health and other therapies.
Most LPN case management jobs and RN case manager positions require at least one year of prior experience in home health, case management or community care. Sometimes, you may need to travel to patients’ homes to coordinate in-person care. Depending on the facility, APRNs can also work as case managers and have similar responsibilities as LPNs and RNs.
3. Nurse Educator
Nurse educators can choose between healthcare organization educational roles or institutional instruction. Those who work at healthcare organizations may provide virtual patient education on disease processes, medication side effects, medical devices and other items through technology platforms. Institutional nurse educators teach new nurses through webinars, online coursework and live virtual classroom sessions.
There are many remote LPN jobs and work-from-home RN jobs in nursing education. However, all institutional nurse educator roles require a higher or terminal degree for the courses in which they provide instruction. For example, an LPN can teach new LPNs but can’t educate RNs or APRNs since they have a higher degree. APRNs can instruct RNs and LPNs because they hold a master’s or doctorate degree.
4. Freelance Nurse Writer
Many companies need writers with expertise in the healthcare field and, thus, seek the help of freelance nurse writers. Nurse writers can create patient education materials, healthcare publications, blog posts and other content. You can transition to freelance writing by taking specialized courses, finding a writing agency or offering free writing services to build your portfolio. LPNs, RNs and APRNs can be freelance writers, but the hiring company may require specific qualifications and nursing backgrounds.
5. Health Informatics Specialist
Combining the key elements of information technology, nursing and patient care, health informatics specialists are integral in various healthcare settings. They collect and analyze patient data for research purposes to deliver the most effective, quality care possible. This role requires strong math, research and some IT coding skills, as most data is abstracted from an electronic medical record.
Most health informatics nursing jobs require a bachelor’s degree at minimum, so LPNs usually won’t find positions in this field. RNs holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and APRNs would qualify. Furthermore, most companies require several years of hands-on clinical experience before transitioning to this role.
6. Clinical Research Coordinator
Many healthcare organizations and universities have clinical research programs where nurses gather data to support evidence-based practices. Remote clinical research coordinators recruit patients, communicate clinical protocols, provide education and coordinate care necessary for the clinical study.
This role requires a bachelor’s degree, with an in-depth understanding of research principles and data analysis. Therefore, clinical research coordination is limited to APRNs and BSN-prepared RNs. Most companies require at least one year of clinical research experience before transitioning to a remote role. Furthermore, some employers prefer applicants with Association of Clinical Research Professionals, Certified Principal Investigator or Certified Clinical Research Coordinator certification.
7. Legal Nurse Consultant
Nurses can apply their nursing knowledge and skills to help organizations understand the medical aspects of lawsuits and legal compliance. Legal nurse consultants aren’t limited to working for law firms but may work for insurance companies, hospitals and government administrations. Legal nurse consultants can act as expert witnesses, prepare information for trials, and review medical records and insurance claims.
Those who choose this career must hold an RN license, so LPNs aren’t eligible for this role. Most opt to become a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant or Advanced Certified Specialist in Legal Nurse Consulting to further showcase their expertise.
8. Insurance Claims Specialist
Healthcare and insurance companies need nurses to help review and process medical claims. In most cases, they review medical necessity, but claims specialists may also analyze patient information to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Insurance claims specialists also review treatment plans and coordinate with healthcare providers to ensure insurance coverage of care services, procedures and medications. They may work to reduce healthcare costs by negotiating insurance settlements and authorizing or denying payments. Depending on the scope of duties required by the organization or insurance company, LPNs, RNs and APRNs can work as insurance claims specialists.
9. Nurse Recruiter
Nurse recruiters help healthcare organizations maintain acceptable staffing levels by recruiting for open staff and travel nurse positions. Although most organizations require a bachelor’s degree in human resources, nurses can transition to this role with experience. Understanding the different nursing specialties and clinical skills gives you an upper hand in finding highly qualified candidates. RNs and APRNs have a deep understanding of nursing roles, so they can easily transition to work-from-home nurse recruiter roles. Some LPN work-from-home jobs are available for those seeking this type of role.
10. Wellness Coach
Some nurses choose to improve patients’ lives by becoming health and wellness coaches. As a wellness coach, you provide engaging education about disease processes, weight loss, nutrition or other health-related topics. Any nurse (LPN, RN or APRN) can become a wellness coach and start their own coaching business. Most wellness coaches obtain health coach certification through an accredited program.
The Rise of Telehealth and Remote Nursing
The public health emergency (PHE) prompted the quick expansion of telehealth services and remote work to increase patient access to the vital medical care they needed. Although the PHE ended in May 2023, the need for telehealth and other remote patient services remains. Telehealth improves health outcomes through patient communication and new technologies. Furthermore, remote nursing jobs may provide one avenue to helping solve nurse staffing shortages.
How to Find and Secure a Work-from-Home Nursing Job
When searching for a WFH nursing job, you have several ways to optimize your search and save time. Some tips include:
- Use job search platforms: Large platforms like Vivian Health’s jobs marketplace offer numerous nursing job types and opportunities. To save time, set up alerts to notify you when new opportunities that match your job criteria become available. If you don’t have time to apply immediately, save it for later.
- Join a professional network: Most professional networks and organizations offer exclusive job opportunities and networking events to nurses who are members, giving you front-row access to new opportunities. You never know when someone in your professional network may refer you to a position.
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your qualifications by customizing your resume to each job application. Since WFH positions require tech savvy and accountability, flaunt these skills on your resume and cover letter.
- Consider professional development opportunities: Some WFH nursing jobs require additional certifications. If your desired job requires additional training or skills, consider these as professional development opportunities and an investment in your future.
Benefits and Challenges of Remote Nursing Jobs
Remote nursing jobs are attractive roles and offer many benefits, such as:
- Work-life balance: Most nurses find a better work-life balance with remote nursing roles. Their schedules are more predictable than traditional hospital-based positions, and most remote jobs allow them to end their shifts on time. Some organizations approve of asynchronous schedules, where nurses can work any time they choose as long as they work the required amount of hours.
- Flexibility: Unlike some traditional nursing jobs, remote work provides more schedule flexibility. If you need to run to the grocery store or walk your dog during your lunch break, it’s no big deal since you’re already at home. Depending on the role, you may have the option to work traditional hours, nights or weekends, making it easier to plan around your other commitments.
- Cost savings: Remote nurses save money on commuting, uniforms and meal expenses. Furthermore, some organizations provide a monthly stipend or reimbursement for expenses, like cell phone service and internet.
Although WFH nursing jobs have many benefits, they may pose some challenges. Most remote jobs require a home office set-up and a quiet environment that lets you communicate effectively with others. Depending on your role, you may also need to obtain additional state licenses or certifications, which may impose extra expenses.
Take Your WFH Nursing Career to the Next Level
With the evolving nursing landscape, technological advances and increasing demand for healthcare access, work-from-home nursing jobs are here to stay. If you’re considering stepping away from the bedside, transitioning to a remote role can provide a new career pathway that might suit your needs.
Launch your remote nursing job search by creating a Vivian account and downloading the Vivian app today.
I am a retired RN with over 35 years of varied experience. I am disabled. I am looking for non-bedside position, preferable remote or telehealth and/or insurance related.
Hello Dominiquei and thanks for reaching out! Currently, a few telehealth nursing jobs are posted on the Vivian Health platform here: https://www.vivian.com/nursing/telehealth/, but there isn’t anything insurance-related at the moment. However, you can set up alerts in your profile to receive notifications when remote nursing jobs matching your preferences are posted to the jobs board. We wish you the best of luck finding the best job for your situation and hope Vivian can help you find a position that fits!