8 In-Demand Skills Bedside Nurses Should Develop to Expand Their Career Options
Many bedside nurses eventually start wondering what other career options are out there. Whether you’re ready for a change or just want to keep your options open, your skills matter more than your job title.
The good news is that bedside nursing gives you daily opportunities to build in-demand skills that transfer to a wide range of roles, including education, informatics, quality improvement, leadership, and healthcare technology.
You don’t need to leave bedside to start preparing for what comes next. By developing the right skills now, you can expand your career options and create more flexibility for your future. Below are some of the most valuable skills bedside nurses can start building today (and how they can open new doors when you’re ready).
Why Skills Matter More Than Job Titles for Nurses
Many nurses assume their next career step is determined by their job title or specialty. But in reality, employers are hiring for skills.
Two bedside nurses with the same role can have very different career opportunities depending on the skills they’ve developed along the way. For example, a nurse who has precepted new hires, helped implement a new charting system, or participated in a unit-based project has built skills that transfer directly into roles like education, informatics, or leadership.
This is important because you don’t need a new job title to start building those skills. By being intentional about what you learn and participate in, you can begin expanding your career options right where you are.
8 In-Demand Skills Bedside Nurses Should Start Building Now
The most valuable nursing career skills aren’t limited to a specific job. They’re transferable skills that make it easier to move into roles like education, leadership, informatics, quality improvement, and other non-bedside positions. The good news is that many of these skills can be developed during your normal bedside work.
Below are some of the most in-demand skills for nurses and how building them can expand your career options over time. The goal isn’t to develop all of these at once. Instead, focus on the skills that align most with your strengths, interests, and long-term career goals.
1. Teaching and Education Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Teaching is one of the most transferable skills nurses can develop. Healthcare organizations need nurses who can support onboarding, train staff, and help others adapt to new systems and processes. Even outside of formal educator roles, the ability to teach clearly builds communication skills, leadership potential, and professional credibility.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
Many nurses are already building this skill without realizing it. This can include:
Precepting new nurses or students
Helping coworkers learn new equipment or workflows
Sharing knowledge during shifts
Educating patients and families
These experiences develop your ability to explain complex information, assess understanding, and support others’ learning.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Teaching skills are valuable in many roles, both inside and outside the hospital. Nurses with strong education skills may move into positions such as:
Clinical educator
Nurse residency or staff development roles
Academic faculty or clinical instructor
Clinical applications specialist
Medical device educator
Patient education roles
Healthcare technology training roles
This skill is also valuable in leadership, consulting, and other roles that involve supporting others’ learning and growth.
→ Curious what a nurse educator does? Check out my Nurse Educator Career Spotlight, where I break down what the role actually looks like and how to break in.
2. Technology and Informatics Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Technology skills are increasingly in demand across healthcare. As hospitals and healthcare companies rely more on electronic health records, data, and digital tools, nurses who are comfortable learning and using technology have access to a wider range of career opportunities. These skills are especially valuable for roles in informatics, healthcare technology, quality, and education.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
You don’t need a technical background to start building this skill. At the bedside, this can include:
Becoming confident and efficient with your electronic health record
Helping coworkers troubleshoot or learn new features
Participating in the rollout of new technology or equipment
Serving as a superuser or resource person on your unit
Staying open to learning new systems and tools
These experiences help you understand how technology supports clinical work and how nurses interact with these systems day to day.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Technology skills can open doors to a wide range of roles that focus on improving how healthcare systems and tools support patient care. Nurses with this skill may move into roles such as:
Nursing informatics specialist
Clinical applications specialist
Electronic health record (EHR) trainer
Healthcare technology implementation specialist
Clinical systems analyst
Digital health or healthcare technology roles
Clinical educator, especially for new systems or equipment
These roles allow nurses to combine their clinical experience with technology and often involve improving workflows, supporting staff, or helping implement new tools across organizations.
→ Interested in transitioning to tech? Check out my post 7 Tech Careers for Nurses Without Experience (and How to Get Started).
3. Leadership Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Leadership skills are highly transferable and signal that you can guide, influence, and support others. These are qualities employers value in both bedside and non-bedside roles. Developing leadership abilities doesn’t just prepare you for management; it also strengthens communication, problem-solving, and team collaboration skills.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
You can start building leadership skills in your current role through:
Serving as charge nurse or shift coordinator
Mentoring or precepting new staff
Leading small unit projects or committees
Helping implement new protocols or workflows
Advocating for patients or team needs
Even informal leadership experiences help you learn decision-making, delegation, and how to manage multiple priorities under pressure.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Leadership skills prepare nurses for roles where they can guide teams, support staff, and influence patient care beyond individual assignments. Nurses with leadership experience may move into roles such as:
Charge nurse or team lead roles
Nurse manager or supervisor
Clinical coordinator
Clinical educator or staff development roles
Quality improvement or patient safety roles
Healthcare administration or operations roles
Program coordinator roles within hospitals or healthcare organizations
Leadership skills are valuable in both clinical and non-clinical career paths and often create opportunities for growth over time.
4. Quality Improvement and Process Improvement
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Quality improvement (QI) skills are essential for improving patient outcomes, streamlining workflows, and making healthcare systems more efficient. Nurses who understand how to identify problems, track metrics, and implement changes are highly sought after in roles beyond bedside care.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
Even in a bedside role, you can start developing QI and process improvement skills by:
Participating in unit-based projects or committees
Helping implement new policies, protocols, or workflows
Tracking outcomes or identifying areas for improvement
Collecting data to support changes in practice
These experiences teach you how to analyze systems, communicate findings, and make evidence-based recommendations.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Quality improvement skills allow nurses to contribute to safer, more effective systems. Nurses who develop this skill may transition into roles such as:
Quality improvement nurse or coordinator
Patient safety specialist
Infection prevention roles
Clinical risk management
Healthcare accreditation and regulatory roles
Performance improvement specialist
Clinical operations roles
These positions focus on improving patient care at a system level and are available in hospitals, clinics, healthcare organizations, and corporate settings.
5. Communication and Presentation Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Strong communication skills help you share ideas clearly, build trust, and influence others. As nurses move into roles beyond bedside care, communication often becomes an even bigger part of the job. Whether you’re educating staff, presenting information, or collaborating with different departments, the ability to communicate effectively makes you a stronger candidate.
Presentation skills are especially valuable because many non-bedside roles involve teaching, leading meetings, or explaining changes.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
You may already be building these skills in ways like:
Giving shift report
Participating in staff meetings or huddles
Explaining changes to coworkers
Educating patients and families
Sharing information or answering questions on your unit
These experiences help you learn how to organize your thoughts, adjust your message for different audiences, and communicate with confidence.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Strong communication and presentation skills support career paths that involve education, collaboration, and sharing information. Nurses with these skills may move into roles such as:
Clinical educator or staff development
Academic clinical instructor
Nurse residency coordinator
Clinical applications trainer
Case management
Nurse leadership roles
Healthcare consulting or professional development roles
These skills are valuable anywhere nurses need to educate, influence, or support others.
6. Data and Analytical Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Healthcare runs on data. Hospitals track metrics related to patient outcomes, safety, staffing, and performance, and nurses who understand how to interpret and use this information bring valuable perspective. Data and analytical skills are especially important for roles in quality improvement, informatics, leadership, and healthcare technology.
You don’t need to become a data analyst, but being comfortable working with data helps you understand the bigger picture and contribute in new ways.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
Bedside nurses are exposed to data more often than they may realize. This can include:
Reviewing unit dashboards or performance metrics
Participating in audits or chart reviews
Tracking quality indicators like falls, infections, or patient experience
Noticing patterns or trends in workflows or outcomes
These experiences help you develop the ability to connect day-to-day work with larger system goals.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Data and analytical skills help nurses move into roles that focus on improving outcomes, evaluating programs, and supporting decision-making. Career paths may include:
Nursing informatics
Quality improvement and performance improvement
Clinical research coordinator
Healthcare data or clinical analyst roles
Patient safety roles
Leadership and management positions
Healthcare technology and digital health roles
These roles allow nurses to use data to improve patient care and healthcare systems.
7. Project Management Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Project management skills help you plan, organize, and follow through on initiatives. Many non-bedside nursing roles involve implementing new programs, improving workflows, or supporting organizational changes. Nurses who can manage projects are valuable because they understand both the clinical environment and how to move work forward.
These skills are useful even if you don’t have “project manager” in your job title.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
Bedside nurses often build project management skills through everyday experiences like:
Helping implement new equipment, documentation, or workflows
Participating in unit-based initiatives or committees
Taking responsibility for improving a process on your unit
Supporting changes led by leadership
These experiences help you learn how to coordinate tasks, communicate with others, and follow a project from start to finish.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Project management skills prepare nurses to take on roles that involve planning, implementing, and supporting new initiatives. Nurses with these skills may pursue roles such as:
Clinical project coordinator
Quality improvement or performance improvement roles
Healthcare implementation specialist
Clinical educator
Healthcare operations roles
Program coordinator roles
Healthcare technology implementation roles
These positions focus on helping organizations successfully introduce and manage change.
8. Professional Writing and Documentation Skills
Why This Skill Is Valuable
Strong writing skills are important in many nursing roles beyond bedside care. Education, leadership, quality improvement, informatics, and corporate roles often involve creating emails, policies, educational materials, and other written communication. Being able to write clearly and professionally helps you share information effectively and builds credibility.
Writing is also a skill that translates well to roles that offer more flexibility, including some remote positions.
What This Looks Like at the Bedside
Bedside nurses use professional writing skills more often than they may realize. This can include:
Writing clear and thorough patient documentation
Communicating with providers and other departments
Creating reference materials or tip sheets for coworkers
Contributing to policies, protocols, or unit resources
These experiences help you learn how to communicate important information in a clear, organized way.
Where This Skill Can Take You
Professional writing skills support roles that involve creating educational materials, policies, and other resources. Nurses with strong writing skills may move into roles such as:
Clinical educator
Academic instructor or faculty
Quality improvement roles
Nursing informatics
Clinical policy or protocol development
Healthcare content creation
Healthcare corporate or professional development roles
These skills are especially valuable in roles where clear communication supports education, training, or system improvements.
How Bedside Nursing Helps You Build Career Options
Seeing a list like this can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re already busy and not sure what direction you want to go next. The goal isn’t to learn all of these skills at once. It’s to start paying attention to opportunities to build skills that interest you.
Small experiences, like precepting a new nurse, participating in a unit project, or learning more about the systems you use every day, can add up over time. You don’t need a new job title to start building skills that expand your career options.
This also isn’t about taking on extra work for the sake of it. Be intentional about where you direct your energy. When you understand which skills are valuable, you can choose opportunities that help you grow in ways that align with your future goals.
Bedside nursing gives you exposure to patients, systems, technology, and teamwork in a way few other roles can. When you view your current role as a place to build career capital, it becomes a powerful foundation for whatever you decide to do next.
Want Help Building Skills and Exploring Your Next Career Move?
Building new skills is one of the most effective ways to create more flexibility and career options as a nurse. But it can also be hard to know where to focus or how to take the first step.
If you’re starting to think about your next move, I’ve created resources to help you reflect on your strengths, build valuable career skills, and explore new possibilities with intention.
You can start with my workbook, Own Your Career: A Nurse’s Guide to Growth & Change, which walks you through how to identify your goals, recognize the skills you’re already building, and take practical steps toward a career that fits your life.
You can also join my email list for regular insights and practical guidance to help you navigate your nursing career and continue building new opportunities over time.
Disclaimer: The content shared here is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your personal needs.