Guide to Remote Nurse Practitioner Jobs
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The maturation of telehealth services has opened up an entirely new sector of remote nurse practitioner jobs. Today, NPs can perform basic patient assessments, devise treatment strategies, and order diagnostics for patients via remote video conferencing software. But telehealth positions aren’t the only nurse practitioner jobs that offer a remote work setup.
The switch to remote work has come remarkably easily to people who thrive in their own customized environments. For most people, working from home provides a comfortable amount of added freedom: it cuts away a commute, gives you more time with your family, and allows you to do slightly more in a day.
NPs, however, are a hands-on bunch, and the transition to remote work isn’t always a natural one. And a significant portion of the NPs’ scope of practice still cannot be done without having the patient in the same room, so many remote jobs will require NPs to pivot into an adjacent but related area.
The first step to finding a remote nurse practitioner job is knowing what to look for. Below we’ve collected detailed information on some of the best remote jobs for nurse practitioners. To learn more, read on.
Become a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner
Telehealth NPs perform clinical assessments remotely, often through video conferencing. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are particularly well suited to this service, but NPs in family care, pediatric care, primary care, and adult-gerontology can provide some level of care through telehealth, too.
Telehealth NPs can work for clinics, hospitals, and health systems. But do note that not all telehealth positions are remote by default: an increasing number of clinics are performing telehealth services in-house.
In addition to their foundational clinical training, telehealth NPs will need superb communication skills, technological dexterity, shrewd diagnostic abilities, and what’s playfully referred to as a good web-side manner. Telehealth NPs will also need to pay close attention to local regulations and licensure requirements around telehealth, which vary from state to state.
NPs looking for telehealth positions should be wary of any employer that encourages providers to prescribe certain treatments: a rash of telehealth companies were responsible for overprescribing ADHD medications during the pandemic and are now facing criminal charges. Telehealth positions should be examined with the same rigor and standards as in-facility NP positions.
Become a Nurse Informaticist
Nurse informaticists work with data and IT. They can be employed by clinics, insurance companies, hospitals, or in the public sector; tech companies and healthcare startups may also hire NPs as nurse informaticists. Many nurse informaticists work with electronic health records (EHRs), but their responsibilities will vary from setting to setting. NPs transitioning into this role will need strong project management and technological skills.
Given their work with data and IT, the role of the nurse informaticist is ideally suited to a remote setup. But NPs moving into this role may benefit from continuing education in data analytics, basic programming, SQL, or the basics of certain vendor-specific software.
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offers resources, credentials, and networking opportunities for NPs interested in nurse informatics.
Become a Nurse Educator
Nurse educators help train and educate the next generation of nurses. They can join the faculty of a nursing program at a university, or they can work as lecturers and writers for continuing education. NPs taking on nurse educator positions will need exemplary communication skills and robust clinical knowledge: teachers must be masters of their subjects. Nurse educators may choose to specialize in a particular area, or to focus on nursing broadly.
If you can learn online, you can work online, and while only some nurse educator positions are remote, an increasing number are. A doctoral-level degree, like a DNP, is increasingly the standard for nurse educators, but an MSN may be enough in some circumstances. But NPs transitioning into nursing education will benefit from additional education, particularly those without experience.
Become a Case Manager
Case managers are patient advocates who help patients and their family members navigate the healthcare system. They’ll assess new clients, coordinate care, and advocate for options in their clients’ best interests. Case managers work for insurance companies, healthcare facilities, and the public sector. While not always a remote position, case management increasingly can be done from home through interviews, calls, and background research.
NPs may need to complete continuing education in data collection and social services before taking on case management positions. NPs will also need strong multitasking skills and a robust understanding of the social services landscape; this collaborative role interfaces with several other individuals and organizations. Case managers must also comply with all local regulations, regardless of whether they are working remotely.
Become a Legal Nurse Consultant
Legal nurse consultants (LNCs) leverage their medical knowledge in the legal field. More specifically, they apply their clinical experience and nursing training toward assessing liability and damages in medically related legal cases or claims. This can involve critical analysis of healthcare records and medical literature in arriving at an assessment. LNCs will collect data, develop timelines of events, evaluate the merit of a medically related case or claim, confer with witnesses, and act as a liaison between parties.
Not every LNC position is remote, but several are. NPs work as LNCs for law firms, insurance companies, case management agencies, and litigation support firms. NPs seeking work as an LNC will need some continuing education; the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) offers the Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) designation to demonstrate competence, knowledge, and experience in the field.
Become a Medical Writer
Nurse practitioners who take on medical writer positions use their clinical experience and knowledge to translate complex medical information into a more easily read format. They can be employed by healthcare facilities, insurance companies, educational institutions, or private enterprises. As a branch of technical writing, medical writing can focus on medical technology, academic journals, or mainstream websites; it can also cover clinical research, pharmacological trials, or issues related specifically to careers in nursing.
Many medical writer positions are fully remote. Responsibilities will often include pitching, researching, writing, and editing written assignments; medical writers may also need to conduct interviews with industry experts. NPs seeking out medical writer positions will need exemplary communication skills. Additional certification or training is not required but is an asset; continuing education in written, verbal, and public communication is a plus.
Matt Zbrog
WriterMatt Zbrog is a writer and researcher from Southern California. Since 2018, he’s written extensively about the modern nursing workforce, conducting hundreds of interviews with nurse leaders, nurse educators, and nurse advocates to explore the issues that matter to them most. His Advocates to Know series focuses on nurse practitioners (NPs) who go above and beyond in changing policy and practice in important areas like veteran’s care, human trafficking prevention, and telehealth access. He regularly collaborates with subject matter experts from the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) to elevate issues that empower nurses everywhere.