10 Best Jobs For Nurses With Anxiety

Written By: Donna ReeseDonna Reese MSN, RN, CSN

Donna Reese is a freelance nurse health content writer with 37 years nursing experience. She has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in her local community clinic and as an RN in home health, rehabilitation, hospital, and school nursing. She utilizes her personal experiences to write from the heart to apply to her writing for various health publications, including BLOGS, newsletters, and educational materials and videos. Read Full Bio »» MSN, RN, CSN

Nursing can be very stressful. Those in this profession are at higher risk than many other types of workers for mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. You are not alone in this struggle. With 42.5 million adults in the US suffering from anxiety, that statistic translates to a lot of nurses battling anxiety.

For RNs who suffer from anxiety, the combination of a tense job and emotional struggles can be overwhelming! However, don’t stress over this fact too much as I am here to help you find a job that will keep you calm and bring happiness to your career.

Here, I will answer the question “What are the best jobs for nurses with anxiety?” Read on to learn more about the 10 best jobs for nurses with anxiety. This information will help you to feel less anxious about your career and lead you to a rewarding job that will suit you perfectly.

What are the Best Jobs for Nurses With Anxiety?

(The following are the 10 best jobs for nurses with anxiety.)

JOB #1: Outpatient Pre and Post-Op

About The Job:

As a nurse working in a pre or post-op job, you will insert and discontinue IVs, monitor vital signs, and prep patients for surgery. Once the surgery is done, a post-op nurse will ensure that the patient is comfortable and safe to return home. Post-op wound care and other follow-up instructions are carefully reviewed with the patient.

Although you may have a full schedule, you are working in a quiet environment that is paced at a slower speed than many units. You have a limited number of patients in your care who are typically not acutely ill.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Many nurses feel tense working with flashing lights, loud noises, and a frantic pace. If this is you, you may prefer to work in a more subdued environment. Working in pre and post-op may be just what your frazzled inner soul requires to think and work effectively.

Potential Earnings:

Outpatient surgery nurses make $84,194 /year on average per ZipRecruiter.

JOB #2: Utilization Review

About The Job:

Utilization review (UR) nurses work in hospitals where they review medical records to ensure that procedures, hospital stays, and surgeries will be covered by the patient’s insurance companies.

You may also work on the other end of the medical payment continuum - for the medical or workmen's compensation insurance provider. In this role, you will help insurance companies determine if medical bills are reasonable and related to the medical problem that they insure.

In both roles, you will spend a lot of time in front of a computer in an office. The schedule is daytime hours, and the pace should never be frantic. Many times, you can work remotely or in a hybrid option.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Do people push your buttons and cause you to pull out your hair? If so, choosing independent work that is not at the bedside such as a utilization review nurse may be your idea of a low-stress nursing job.

As a UR nurse, it is unlikely that you will be rushed, feel out of control, or have to deal with high patient loads and complaining families. You can quietly sit at your desk with a cup of coffee and do your job without a lot of interruption. This scenario may sound heavenly for some; especially for those who cannot deal well with stress or people.

As a UR nurse, I sat in a corner of a room in an insurance office with a computer and a pile of bills. I was able to use the restroom when I wanted and take my full lunch break. The phone was not ringing off the hook and the day was calm. I know that this description is rare for most nurse jobs, thus I recommend that UR nursing is one of the best jobs for nurses with anxiety.

Potential Earnings:

$87,946 is what the average utilization review nurse makes per year (ZipRecruiter).

JOB #3: Office Nurse

About The Job:

One of the great jobs for nurses with anxiety is that of an office nurse. Office nurses work in private practices such as pediatrics, family practice, orthopedics, and internal medicine. In this role, you may room patients, perform some procedures, administer injections, take vital signs, assist the providers, and teach patients about their medications, conditions, and treatment.

Office nurses work regular office hours with an occasional evening or Saturday (in some instances).

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Do you perform best in a more intimate environment where you know the staff well? If so, a job as an office nurse may be just what the doctor ordered to help your anxiety.

As an office nurse, you will not need to worry about working with strangers or the hustle and bustle of a busy hospital floor. You should be able to settle into your position and become confident in your skills in your particular niche.

Potential Earnings:

According to ZipRecruiter, on average an office RN makes $80,321 annually.

JOB #4: Private Duty

About The Job:

As a private duty nurse, you can work in a hospital, assisted living facility, school, or a patient’s home. In most instances, private duty jobs are in homes and the nurses are hired by an agency. However, some RNs are hired directly by patients and families.

You can work a wide variety of hours as a private-duty RN. In this role, you will provide full care for your charge which typically includes medication administration, medical monitoring including vital signs, all treatments required, safe transfers, bathing, and feeding.

Although most private duty assignments are with adults, you can be requested to work with all ages. At the school where I was the nurse, certain medically complex students were assigned a private duty nurse. For example, those who were ventilator dependent typically were required to have a highly trained one-on-one nurse with them at all times due to their fragile nature.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

If you are uncomfortable working with many patients and in an environment that requires a lot of staff, you may want to consider private duty nursing. This option is one of the best jobs for nurses with anxiety; especially for nurses with people-related trepidation.

Here you work with one patient, possibly for years. You can develop a close relationship with your patients and families and feel at ease while in their homes. You do not have the stress of running from one patient to the next. Your charge will have your full attention and you still have time to properly document care. The pace is generally slow and methodical.

Potential Earnings:

According to ZipRecruiter, a private duty RN makes an average wage of $73,917 /year.

JOB #5: Health Writer

About The Job:

As a health writer, you can write about anything related to health. You can work freelance or be employed by health organizations, medical product companies, pharmaceuticals, ad agencies, universities, and health publications.

Copy that you can write about can include:

• Medical textbooks
• Nursing courses and CEUs
• Medical product descriptions
• Advertising for healthcare companies
• Health blogs
• Nursing and health publications/journals
• University nursing departments
• Pharmaceutical sales
• Research studies
• Healthcare apps

The list of writing options for health writers is unlimited.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Being a health writer is definitely one of the best jobs for nurses with anxiety because you can make your own hours and you are not dealing with needy patients and family.

As a freelance writer, you work from home and are your own boss. You can take a break or vacation when you want and even bring your work with you if needed. This flexibility is a breath of fresh air for nurses.

When I began writing, I was working on a Covid unit and trying to care for my father who was dying of cancer. The stress of these 2 taxing roles eventually took a toll on my own health. I needed to care for my dad but still had to work. So, I realized that something needed to change. My nursing job was what needed to give, and writing seemed like the perfect option.

Pivoting my career direction to writing has allowed me the flexibility to be a caregiver for my parents and still remain in an indirect nursing role (and receive a paycheck).

Potential Earnings:

Many nurses begin a career in writing as a side hustle. Once you are established as a full-time writer, you can expect to make $80,000 to $100,000 annually.

JOB #6: Occupational Health Nurse

About The Job:

Occupational health nursing is a wonderful option for anxious nurses. As an occupational health nurse, you deal with healthy adults who typically are pleasant and cooperative.

In this role, you may perform some of these duties:

• Health assessments
• Weight and nutrition guidance and monitoring
• Safety inspections
• Run health fairs
• Vaccinations
• Diabetic monitoring
• Emergency care for acute illness and injury
• Other health promotion programs

Although certification as an occupational health nurse may not be required, many nurses in this field hold this distinction.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

You may agree that occupational health nurse positions can be one of the great jobs for nurses with anxiety. This conclusion is because you will work day office hours and with employees who may actually appreciate your input.

Your day-to-day stress is minimal in this role due to the low medical acuity of your patients. Some days may be slow-paced, and your structured day may even turn out as planned!

Potential Earnings:

Per ZipRecruiter, occupational health nurses earn an average salary of $86,380.

JOB #7: Nurse Navigator

About The Job:

Nurse navigators are employed by hospitals, insurance companies, HMOs, Medicaid/Medicare, and private physician practices. In this 9-5 job, you are an advocate for patients as they try to navigate the complex healthcare landscape that can be overwhelming for many.

As a nurse navigator (NN), you are a liaison between all parties that are involved in your patient’s care. You help to decipher bills, answer medical questions, set up appointments, and arrange for resources, all the while trying to keep medical expenses within reason.

There is no specific certification or requirements needed to become a nurse navigator besides an RN degree. Typically, expertise in a field where nurse navigators are in demand (such as cardiology) is a plus.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Working with one patient in a non-bedside role removes much of the typical stress of a nursing job. Most patients are very grateful for the help that you provide as a nurse navigator during this stressful time in their lives.

Another aspect of this job that you may find comforting is that many positions are remote. Working from the comfort of home may be just what you need to help you relax while working.

Potential Earnings:

A nurse navigator makes an average wage of $82,498 annually (ZipRecruiter).

JOB #8: Hospital Nurse Educator

About The Job:

A job as a nurse educator utilizes your medical experience to teach other health professionals in a hospital. In this role, you may teach clinical skills, CPR, safety protocols, and new procedures and policies. Some hospital nurse educators are involved in orienting new nurses and support staff.

Your hours are typically day shifts. However, some nurse educators are willing to do some staff in-services during the evening and night shifts on occasion.

You do not need any special type of background for this position. Experienced hospital nurses are especially well-suited to teach other nurses.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

I have a friend who worked as a nurse educator in her hospital for years. She came from an ICU environment and was burned out from the intensity of her job. She found that her new role as a nurse educator was just what she needed to once again love nursing. Her stress level decreased, and she enjoyed working with nurses and support staff instead of very sick and dying patients.

The pace as a nurse educator is regulated by a schedule that you prepare. At work, you have plenty of downtime to prepare for classes. Your day-to-day job is not pressurized, which should be a relief for nurses who are anxious in a hectic environment.

Potential Earnings:

According to Salary.com, a hospital nurse educator averages $124,934 per year.

JOB #9: Professor

About The Job:

Nursing professors teach student nurses in various types of programs. Opportunities in this role can be found in university MSN and BSN programs and college and nursing school ADN and LPN programs.

You may want to strictly teach class coursework or be onsite as a clinical instructor. Your work hours are mainly a typical office schedule. However, there may be variations for evening classes.

Fortunately, for those who work far from a nursing program, you can work remotely. You may even pre-record classes at times.

To be a nursing professor, you must hold a nursing degree that is one level higher than those that you teach. For example, you must be at least master’s prepared to teach BSN students.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Depending on what triggers your anxiety, a job as a nursing professor may suit your career well. If you are confident standing in front of a room of fledgling nurses, teaching at this level could be the perfect solution to your work anxiety concerns.

As a clinical instructor, you may enjoy working with smaller groups of students. This role is more personalized and can be fulfilling as you get to know your students.

Potential Earnings:

Nursing professors make an average salary of $78,221/year (ZipRecruiter).

JOB #10: Telehealth

About The Job:

One of the best jobs for nurses with anxiety is working in telehealth. As a telehealth nurse, you will work remotely performing virtual assessments, health teaching, medication monitoring, and scheduling appointments.

Although there are virtual jobs for all shifts, most are regular office hours. You may work in private offices such as psychiatry or in urgent care, substance abuse facilities, private telehealth organizations, and hospitals.

At the initiation of the recent telehealth boom, the majority of nurse virtual positions were in private offices and telehealth companies. However, hospitals have fully jumped on this option of late, offering telehealth positions to nurses in all departments.

Why this is a Great Job for Nurses With Anxiety:

Does leaving your house or working face-to-face with people make your pulse race and cause you to sweat? If so, you can still utilize your nursing skills in a telehealth role.

Working at home surrounded by your creature comforts may be the solution to your work anxiety woes. In this role, you can stay in your specialty but create a home work environment that makes you happy.

Potential Earnings:

Most telehealth jobs pay the same salary as those that are onsite. Thus, if you are a psychiatric nurse working remotely, your salary is similar to that of a psych nurse who is onsite in a facility which is $86,659 /year.

My Final Thoughts

Now that I have answered the question “What are the best jobs for nurses with anxiety?”, can you picture yourself plugged into a position that will suit your personal emotional needs? With ideas for the 10 best jobs for nurses with anxiety, you can breathe a sigh of relief that you do not have to suffer through the rest of your nursing career in a position that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Stress triggers are different for everyone. Some nurses find comfort in working with patients while others operate best in a cubicle crunching numbers. By evaluating your emotional triggers, you can determine which nursing jobs cause you to feel anxious. These positions are not your best career choice.

Rest assured, there are nursing jobs out there that blend with your disposition. Your best career destiny awaits you!