I just received an e-mail from Pat Viro, a reader who has a job in an interesting new field known as “nurse consulting.”

You’ve probably heard of the growing need for health professionals to care for a quickly expanding number of senior citizens.  This demographic shift has been well documented.  For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, every eight seconds an American baby boomer (those born between 1946 and 1964) turns fifty.  By 2030, one in every five Americans will be a senior citizen, and Americans 85 and older are the faster growing segment of the national population and are the heaviest users of long-term health services.

One emerging career is nurse consultant. At a time when baby boomers are caring for their aging parents and staying in the job market longer than any other generation in our country’s history, along comes the nurse consultant.  The Support Nurse, provided by organizations such as Care Support of America, was developed from the realization that time and distance often come between caregivers and their aging or ailing parents, and that a nurse consultant can ease this by coordinating parent care.

Nurses provide emotional support, guidance and education to adult children and their elderly parents. S/he assists in developing a plan that reduces stress and enables caregivers to keep loved ones home longer. This results in a higher quality of life for both the caregivers and older relatives. The field encourages creativity, efficient problem solving, and thinking outside the box.   It’s an ideal position for the professional nurse who enjoys being on the cutting edge of new trends.  Think this career could be for you?  Check out Care Support for America.  You certainly wouldn’t have a problem finding work!