From The Nontraditional NurseJune 1, 2026 Welcome back!This month’s spotlight has been highly requested by our audience: Forensic Nursing. If you've ever wondered what a forensic exam actually involves, what it's like to sit with patients through their hardest moments, or how you could build a career in this field, this edition is for you. The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight I sat down with Haley Krueger-Alyass, RN, a forensic nurse examiner with a background in ER nursing and education. In...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
From The Nontraditional NurseMay 1, 2026 Have you ever heard of Nurse Life Care Planning? This was a new one for us — and it’s exactly the kind of role that reminds you how many options exist in nursing that we were never taught about. The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight In this month’s spotlight, we’re diving into Nurse Life Care Planning with Kalyna Saylor — a nurse working at the intersection of healthcare and the legal system but is very different than a legal nurse consultant. This role...
3 months ago • 7 min read
From The Nontraditional NurseApril 1, 2026 Welcome back!This month’s spotlight is on a side of nursing that a lot of nurses have heard of, but not all fully understand: utilization management. If you’ve ever been curious about prior auth, insurance-based roles, or how nurses use their skills behind the scenes to help patients get the right care at the right time, this edition is for you. The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight I sat down with Jessica Smith, LPN, who has built her career in prior...
4 months ago • 8 min read
From The Nontraditional NurseMarch 18, 2025 Hi All!I’ve been listening to your feedback — and you’re ready for more than just inspiration. You want actionable career advice. So that’s exactly what we’re adding. You’ll still get a monthly spotlight, along with a growing library of nontraditional roles on the website. But we’ll also be adding a mid-month Career Moves edition focused on giving you practical, actionable advice to help you navigate your job search. The Nontraditional Nurse -Career...
4 months ago • 5 min read
From The Nontraditional NurseMarch 1, 2025 Welcome to the first edition of The Next Shift. New name. Same great content. Still powered by The Nontraditional Nurse. Each issue, we explore where nursing is headed, not just where it’s been. This month, we’re looking beyond the bedside… and beyond the planet. Let’s talk about nurses in space. The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight Today’s spotlight is on Christine Rincon — also known as “The Space Nurse.” She’s a critical care nurse who’s built her...
5 months ago • 6 min read
Career Exploration Beyond the Bedside February 1, 2025 Welcome to this edition of The Nontraditional Nurse Newsletter! The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight When nurses think about leaving the bedside, they often imagine stepping away from clinical care altogether — trading scrubs for a laptop and heading into remote roles. But not all nontraditional careers are hands-off. This month, we’re spotlighting a career path that keeps you deep in the action: the Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)....
6 months ago • 7 min read
Career Exploration Beyond the Bedside January 1, 2025 Happy New Year and welcome to this edition of The Nontraditional Nurse Newsletter! The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight What if patient experience wasn’t just a department — but a mission? This month, I sat down with Kris Baird, RN, a former bedside nurse turned nationally recognized leader in patient experience, healthcare culture, and leadership development. As the founder and CEO of Baird Group, Kris has spent decades helping healthcare...
7 months ago • 8 min read
Career Exploration Beyond the Bedside December 2025 Welcome to this edition of The Nontraditional Nurse Newsletter! The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight After starting her career at the bedside, Teri Crumb stepped into the world of clinical research — and never looked back. Over the last 20+ years, she’s helped lead groundbreaking studies, supported countless families through clinical trials, and now runs her own consulting business. In this interview, she breaks down the realities of research...
8 months ago • 7 min read
Career Exploration Beyond the Bedside November 2025 Welcome to this edition of The Nontraditional Nurse Newsletter! The Nontraditional Nurse spotlight This month, we’re diving into a career that’s equal parts clinical, strategic, and tech-forward: Nursing Informatics. We sat down with Whende Carroll, MSN, RN-BC, a nationally recognized nurse leader and informaticist with over two decades of experience spanning hospitals, startups, and global thought leadership. Whende has built her career at...
9 months ago • 8 min read