The 10 Least Stressful Nursing Jobs in 2023

You might assume that all nurses work in fast-paced environments like hospital emergency rooms and ICUs. But nursing doesn’t always have to be so high-stress. Nurses that are seeking a workplace environment that is less taxing and nerve-wracking can still find well-paying jobs in the healthcare industry. 

Home care nurse

Home care nurses typically provide care to elderly or terminally ill patients in their homes, including provision of medication and medical aid and helping with daily activities like going to the bathroom or bathing. This allows nurses to work more closely with less patients than they would in a busy hospital or clinic. 

Occupational health nurse

Occupational nurses work in business settings, caring for minor injuries, managing employee rehabilitation, and promoting employee well-being. In addition to handling occupational injuries and disability, they may be tasked with creating health and safety educational programs for company employees. 

Nurse educator

Nurse educators are responsible for training other nurses and healthcare staff on patient care and medical procedures. They may work at colleges or universities or on-site at medical facilities. Many nurse educators have a higher degree and many years of experience that can help them guide new nurses. 

School nurse

School nurses handle minor student health issues in educational settings. In addition to providing first aid and administering medication, they may provide health education to the academic community. School nurses’ schedules run according to the academic calendar which is typically easier than typical nursing schedules.  

Nurse researcher

Nurse researchers or clinical research nurses work in academic settings such as universities or research facilities, participating in important medical research and monitoring patients who are participating in clinical trials. These nurses help improve the healthcare field overall by studying health, diseases, and experimental treatments. 

Nurse informaticist

Nurse informaticists work with medical records and medical software to improve patient health outcomes. They may manage information systems, analyze data, and generate reports, bridging the gap between IT and healthcare providers. 

Nurse administrator

Nurse administrators hold a leadership role in traditional healthcare settings. While they still work in busy hospitals or clinics, their duties involve planning schedules and budgets, coordinating tasks and delegating more difficult work to the nursing staff. This gives them more flexibility and independence.

Case management nurses

Case management nurses oversee treatment plans for patients who require ongoing medical attention. Their day-to-day work is more structured and involves seeing fewer patients at a time, making it less stressful. 

Public health nurses

Public health nurses work at the community level to improve health and wellness through education and outreach. They monitor health trends and design health education campaigns to reduce the spread of disease in the community. 

Aesthetic nurses

Aesthetic nurses work with patients who are seeking elective beauty-enhancing treatments such as liposuction or laser hair removal. These nurses work in more relaxed settings according to scheduled procedures.

You can have the fulfilling career of a nurse without stressful work conditions. These low-stress nursing careers can provide you more relaxed working environments and better working hours.