Pros and Cons of a Nurse Liaison Career
Nurse liaisons, also called liaison nurses, serve as contacts between healthcare staff, patients, patient families and insurance companies. Check out some pros and cons to see if a nurse liaison career might work for you:
| Pros of a Nurse Liaison Career |
|---|
| Above-average salary (about $66,640 median annual earnings as of May 2014)* |
| High growth field (19% employment increase projected during 2012-2022)* |
| Provides many different opportunities to advocate for patients during their time of need** |
| Can work in variety of facilities across the nation, including hospitals and urgent-care facilities* |
| Cons of a Nurse Liaison Career |
|---|
| Licensure required to practice* |
| Work may include nights or weekends* |
| The need to meet health insurance deadlines can create stress** |
| Susceptibility to medical malpractice actions if patient care goes awry** |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **Nursing Journal
Essential Career Info
Job Description
A nurse liaison's role is to facilitate communication among various parties at a healthcare facility. Specifically, the liaison advocates for a patient's needs by talking to doctors, insurance companies and the patient's family. Nurse liaisons typically work in long-term care, hospice or rehabilitation facilities as well as in hospitals. One of their main job tasks is assessing whether patients will benefit from a stay in the facility.
In this position, you work to build relationships with healthcare staff so that you can provide the best care for and information to your patients. Depending on the facility in which you work, you may have nighttime, weekend or holiday shifts. Because this is a communication-based job, much of your time may be spent on the phone, and you may sometimes be responsible for meeting insurance companies' deadlines for providing patient information to determine the type of care necessary for treatment.
Salary Info and Career Prospects
Although salary figures specifically for nurse liaisons are unavailable, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that, in May 2014, registered nurses earned a median annual salary of about $66,640, and that licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earned a median salary of about $42,490 (www.bls.gov). The BLS also projects a 19% increase in employment for registered nurses during the 2012-2022 decade, which is much faster than average. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing states that there is a nursing shortage, which may lead to increased job opportunities in this field.
Education and Licensing Requirements
To work as a nurse liaison, you must be either a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN). The difference between the two designations is established by the types of clinical procedures you are permitted to perform, which varies from state to state. To become an RN, you can enroll in a 1-year diploma, 2-year associate's degree or 4-year bachelor's degree program. To become an LPN, you can enter a 1-year certificate program. All of these nursing programs combine classroom learning with supervised clinical experience.
Licensure
After completing your nursing program, you sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses or the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses, depending on your level of education. Your license must be maintained by completing a certain number of hours of continuing education every few years. Be sure to check with your board of nursing for rules and regulations specific to your state.
Skills
As a liaison nurse, your communication skills are important. You should feel comfortable talking on the phone as well as dealing with patients and their families, who may not agree on certain issues. A calm, compassionate manner is also helpful for this career. Finally, you should also have enough computer skills to allow you to input patient information and send it to insurance companies.
What Employers Are Looking For
Job postings for nurse liaison positions usually mention what type of nursing license and experience the company seeks in applicants. Some postings mentions that travel is involved. These summaries of job postings found in June 2012 provide an idea of what some employers look for:
- A hospital in Michigan sought a part-time nurse liaison with an RN license and previous experience in marketing or working in a nursing home. Strong assessment, communication and computer skills were necessary.
- A rehabilitation center in California wanted to hire a clinical nurse liaison with an RN or LPN license and two years of experience. The position required some travel.
- A long-term care facility in Maryland sought a nurse liaison for the surrounding area in a position that required traveling most of the day. The company preferred to hire someone with an RN license and one year of experience, but would consider LPNs with two years of experience.
How to Stand Out in the Field
Because a nurse liaison position involves some marketing as well as nursing skills, you may want to take courses in marketing while completing your nursing degree program. Part of your job could include promoting your facility, so knowledge of how to get the word out about your company would also be beneficial. In addition to marketing classes, you may want to complete computer classes so that you feel comfortable inputting data, emailing and using various industry-specific programs.
Other Careers to Consider
If you enjoy working with people, but want a career with more hands-on patient care, you might consider a career as a dental hygienist. Dental hygienists clean patients' teeth and educate them about proper dental hygiene. You can begin working as a dental hygienist after completing an associate's degree program in the field. The BLS reports that, as of May 2011, dental hygienists, who have a projected employment growth of 38% during 2010-2020, made a median annual salary of about $69,000.
If you'd like to work in healthcare in an administrative role, but don't want to go to nursing school, you could become a medical assistant. Medical assistants take patient histories, help with physicals, make appointments and generally help out in a physician's office. You can start working as a medical assistant after completing some on-the-job training. The BLS projects a 31% employment increase for medical assistants, who made a median annual salary of about $29,000 as of May 2011.
