Let’s face it. Being a mom is the single most important job you’ll ever have. There’s absolutely nothing that can take precedence over the official title of Mom. With that being said, most moms still have to work and not every job comes with the luxury of a 9 to 5 schedule with weekends and holidays off. Leaving work early to attend a softball or baseball game doesn’t always go over well with the boss. Unfortunately, kids don’t stay little forever…they grow up….way too fast! One day, you won’t have any practices to haul them to or ballgames to attend. Then what?
Luckily I’ve been blessed with a very flexible job that allows me to attend all school functions and ballgames. I can work my schedule around pretty much any event or emergency that may unexpectedly come up. That’s the beauty of being your own boss. There are a few cons that go along with owning a business, but my schedule is the one major pro that I do take advantage of because I know practices and ballgames won’t last forever. One day, in the near future that will come way too soon, my daughter will be a grown up…an adult…a high school graduate…a college student… The list goes on and on…. I will not do the whole “empty nest” thing well. I will not gracefully send her to college and enjoy sitting in an empty house with no life in it…. I should probably start stocking up on wine now!
Enough of that! On to the list of flexible nursing jobs for busy moms. There are several options that are quite flexible and will allow you to work around your kid’s school schedule and extra curricular activities. Below is a list of jobs that may be of interest!
Home Health Nurse
Home health nursing can be a very convenient job for moms. It’s all about the scheduling! Most home health agencies have a scheduler that will help with scheduling your visits, but you have the option of rearranging clients if there are no special circumstances that require you to see them on that particular day. One bonus of home health is starting early, ending early. If you start your day off early and don’t take your time getting ready like I do, you can finish your visits well before 5pm. The charting can sometimes be excessive, but after you get the hang of the system you’ll be able to finish up in less time. Most companies have a minimum number of hours for weekly visits, but there is no maximum so the potential to earn extra money is certainly there on weeks that you have time to spare. This job is appealing to those who don’t like to be stuck indoors or at a desk all day. You get to visit different clients with a variety of needs, so it’s usually not boring! Plus, most companies pay mileage. You do need time management skills and some organization to be super successful with this job because, lets face it….time is money!! The more visits you do in a week, the more you get paid. If this is a career path that you would like to explore, search for home health agencies in your area to check job opportunities.
School Nurse
As a school nurse, you enjoy the luxury of having weekends, holidays, Christmas vacation, spring break, and summer vacation OFF! This actually sounds too good to be true, but trust me…it isn’t! I filled in as a school nurse for a year and I honestly didn’t work a full two weeks at a time without at least one day off. There were holidays and teacher’s work days, plus we also got time off for tribal holidays and fairs. (I was working at a school on an Indian Reservation.) And, as if that wasn’t enough, I got sick days and PTO. In addition to the spring break at my school, I took an additional week off for my daughter’s spring break. This is probably not typical for every school nurse position, but it was my experience. As far as the actual job, it was very laid back and a little boring. I’m not saying I didn’t work, it was just slow paced. I was the nurse for grades 5th-8th and only had three students on medications. With that being said, I also had to deal with head lice…..yeah…not my favorite past time! Let’s just say I got really good at picking lice! Now that I’ve made your head itch, let’s talk about the job. The school nurse job description varies by state and sometimes by school so each individual position can be a little different. You also have to take into consideration the age group you’re caring for and their overall needs. Tasks usually include direct care for students, screenings and referrals for health conditions, providing health education, and serving as a leader for health policies and programs. Some school nurses travel between two or even three schools and have a heavy workload. Research the position prior to applying…there’s a reason the job is available! If the school nurse schedule appeals to you and your family life, definitely apply for the job!
School Teacher
Yes, nurses can also be school teachers! As a Registered Nurse with a BSN degree, you are eligible in some states to teach, as long as you sign up and are actively working towards your state teaching certificate. Most schools will hire you without the certificate and pay for the required classes to obtain the teaching certificate. There’s a time frame for completing the courses necessary to become a certified teacher. Check with your state regulations for specific guidelines. Nurses can teach classes related to their degree, such as health science or health occupations. Health science and health occupations are both designed to introduce students to the field of medicine. Health science teachers may also teach Emergency Medical Services, which introduces students to the emergency medical field. Health occupations includes the high school curriculum that prepares students to take the CNA exam when eligible. Students who take health science and health occupations become certified in CPR/AED upon completion of the class. Most health science and health occupations teachers also oversee the school’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club. This is an amazing opportunity for your students to compete during state and/or national competitions and you get to advise and encourage them along their journey. School teachers get the same appealing schedule that the school nurses enjoy, but may be required to spend some extra time after school for clubs or events. Regardless, the schedule is still very appealing! Plus, this is an opportunity to guide and prepare students to become future medical professionals.
CNA/Nursing Instructor
If you have a passion for nursing and like to teach, this could be the job for you! Nurses are qualified to teach the CNA class, giving you the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. If you were a CNA prior to your nursing career, you understand that it’s a difficult job. To a nurse, a good CNA is worth their weight in gold! A good CNA can make all of the difference in the world and turn what may have been a bad shift into a good shift. Teaching a CNA class can give you the chance to train your students to not only be good CNAs, but to be awesome CNAs! Advanced nursing degrees may qualify you to teach nursing classes, as well. The level of your degree and education dictates the courses you can teach, such as the practical nursing classes or the registered nursing classes. Check with your state requirements for more details. The schedules for instructors vary from one program to the next, as well as from school to school. Many classes are online, which allows for more flexibility in your schedule. Also, remember that CNA and nursing instructors get weekends, holidays, and breaks off, too!
Independent Nurse Assessor
Many home care agencies hire independent nurse assessors to complete in home assessments for individuals that may qualify for home care through their insurance company. These positions are usually on a contractual or PRN basis and don’t add up to full time hours each week. As a nurse assessor, you have control over the date and time of the assessment and can schedule accordingly. This allows you to work around any of your kid’s school functions or other obligations that you may have scheduled. If you have another full or part time job, you can easily do assessments when you’re available. The assessments usually take about an hour, possibly an hour and a half. This is not a hands on job, so you do not have to do vitals or weigh the individual. After you complete the assessment, simply drop it off at your home care agency. If it’s more convenient, you can email or fax it. Pay for this position varies by state and agency, but an average of $45 per assessment is a reasonable estimate.
Care Manager
Care managers are similar to independent nurse assessors, but complete less paperwork. Most companies only hire part time or PRN care managers and they are classified as independent contractors. Care managers interact with their clients by doing home visits or telephone calls. Home visits are not hands on care, so no vitals or weights are needed. Each type of interaction with the client pays a set fee and may vary from company to company. I’ve seen an average of $42 for a home visit and $10 per telephone call. This information was gathered from four separate companies that provide care management. You must have a computer or tablet to sign into the system and access the forms. Everything is usually electronic, so you don’t have to drop off, fax, or email paperwork. Training is provided and lasts an average of four weeks. The home visits and telephone calls are done according to your schedule, so this can also be a second source of income. Whether this is your only job or a side hustle, you still get to make your own schedule so you can be available for your kids and family.
Agency Nurse
Agency nurses are in high demand! There are many facilities, especially long term care facilities, in need of temporary staff to complete their schedules. Agency nurses basically get to choose the days and shifts they work. The facility sends their needs to the staffing agency, the staffing agency lets the nurses know what shifts are available at each facility, and the nurses choose their shifts. It’s that simple! If the nurse doesn’t like a particular facility, they don’t have to go back. They can simply take shifts at another facility. This job isn’t quite as flexible as some of the others because the shifts are based on the facility’s needs. Some facilities schedule 8 hour shifts, while others schedule 12 hour shifts, which means you’re obligated for an entire shift each time you sign up. On occasion, the only hours that are open are weekend shifts. This is a positive for some nurses that work during the week, but a negative for others that don’t like to work weekends. But, in return, you do get to choose the days you work, choose the facility that you go to, and…bonus!…the pay is usually more than you would make if you were an employee. Yay!! This job is convenient because you can choose the days you work and if there’s a school function, ballgame, or family obligation you can easily take that day off.
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So there you have it! My list of flexible nursing jobs for busy moms! I’ll occasionally give updates on new jobs as I come across them. My goal is to give working moms hope that they can successfully work and be a mom without sacrificing milestones and important events. I’ve been greatly blessed and cherish every moment that I get to spend watching my daughter grow into an amazing young lady. I hope this helps others in their search for the perfect job!
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