Nursing is a growing career with a proliferation of opportunities to explore. A traditional hospital setting has its limitations for nursing staff. Many nurses make up their own minds due to the proliferation of restrictive standards and protocols that stifle independent thought and creativity. There are many abusive practices at play in traditional hospitals. The self-employed nurse enjoys many advantages that a traditionally employed nurse cannot: You work in the specialty of your choice doing only what you love to do. You determine your hours and who you will work with. You can work from home or in a traditional office environment. You have greater flexibility and opportunities for creativity. You set your own financial and nursing goals.

Possible career paths

As you contemplate moving towards professional independence, there are a host of avenues to explore, such as:

*Private nurse in a traditional establishment or in private homes.

*An expert consultant or a forensic RN for the legal field.

*Wellness coach who is popular with baby boomers.

*Nurse Practitioner for in-house clinics in retail stores that are growing in popularity.

*Educator in schools and trainer of courses such as CPR.

*Consultant for problem resolution, insurance fraud and cost reduction measures.

Some of the realities

If you are thinking of starting out on your own, there are some questions you should ask yourself. These are some realities to take into account for a responsible transition from the hospital setting:

How will you promote yourself? What makes you special? How do you feel about self-promotion? Do you have a network of contacts to draw on? Do you have a support system? What licenses and permits do you need? What kind of record keeping needs to be done? Can you keep the records or do you need help? How much money do you need to start your business? Do you have that money and if you don’t, how are you going to get it? What insurance do you need? What about health insurance for you and your family? Where will you base your business? in your home or in an office? Can you live with the inherent uncertainty that comes with independent contractor paychecks?

Taxes

If you are an independent contractor, it is critical that you keep accurate records of your income and expenses. You must file estimated taxes quarterly if you will pay more than $1,000 annually in taxes. You will use a 1040 ES form for this purpose and when you file for the year, you will use a Schedule C or C-EZ as an attachment to your 1040 form.

conclusion

The career path for self-employed nurses is exciting and rewarding, and there will always be a need for nurses with experience in the community. After much soul searching, you may decide to be an independent contractor and pursue the many directions your independence can take you. A good idea at the beginning is to interview nurses who are working independently to get their opinion on the career direction and the experiences they have had. Groups like Score (affiliated with the Small Business Administration) help people start their own businesses by providing experience-based information and cover all aspects of starting a new business. A little research before taking the plunge will ensure success.

Copyright (c) 2012 Nurse Entrepreneurs Network