Are you a nurse looking for a side hustle that doesn’t involve direct patient care?
You are lucky : nursing skills are highly demanded, and although nursing jobs pay relatively well in the U.S., earning extra income is always a plus.
Having an additional source of income or a complementary activity can have a considerable impact on your finances. Around half of all working Americans have a side hustles outside their main job. That means around 60 million people work on the side, and most of them do so to try and make ends meet.
Side hustles are like personalized pathways to personal growth; they’re powerful tools for cultivating your existing skills in ways you hadn’t thought of before
You can take on a sideline as a remote nurse, freelance writer or nursing tutor. You can also shake things up and become a camp nurse or nurse of influence.
Read on to discover our list of the 10 best side hustles for nurses and skills to tap into, and our top tips for turning these ideas into reality. Can you imagine what you could do with a little (or a lot) of spare money?
Now let’s take a look at the best side hustles for nurses.
How Your Nursing Skills Can Help You Succeed in Side Hustles for Nurses
Your career as a nurse has given you a set of highly useful skills. And these highly sought-after skills are easily transferable to other positions! Don’t believe us? Here are just a few examples of activities you do every day as a nurse-probably without realizing it that are in high demand and enable you to succeed in side hustles for nurses.
Interaction
As a nurse, you’ve acquired excellent communication skills. Unquestionably, being empowered to communicate effectively with a variety of patients, doctors and team members has saved lives! Thanks to their exceptional communication skills, nurses can succeed in almost any side hustle, connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Solving problems
No matter what path you choose in life, problems will always need to be solved. And nurses are particularly good at it. For a nurse, no issue is too large or too minor. Nurses are creative, astute, and clever; they also know when to ask for assistance. Problem-solving skills that can be applied both individually and together are highly valued.
Paying close attention to details
The ability to notice minute details and subtle alterations that can have a significant impact is a skill that nurses possess. You’re an excellent fit for a lot of side hustles for nurses due to your insight, empathy, and critical thinking abilities! Using your abilities to expand your horizons and take advantage of a variety of chances that may lead to both financial gain and career advancement.
Adaptability
It is difficult to adjust to sudden changes in routine, pattern, or timetable! Even the best-laid plans can change without notice if you’ve worked as a nurse for even one day. Being unplanned is not an anomaly for a nurse; it is the standard. Adaptability is a significant skill that nurses inherently possess.
Finding the Side Hustles for Nurses with the Balance of Income, Flexibility, and Costs
Your choice of secondary activity is influenced by a variety of circumstances. You must take into account your potential for revenue, the flexibility of your work, and the cost of launching your venture. It’s not about idealistic goals but about identifying workable passive income streams for nurses that we could put into practice right now.
You already have to deal with erratic hours and a demanding schedule as a nurse. However, to get a new side business off to a great start, a significant initial commitment is necessary. We have selected side hustles for nurses that take advantage of your experience and medical knowledge to give you a head start because we understand that nurses cannot afford to be unrealistic.
10 Best Side Hustles for Nurses
There is always a side gig out there for you, no matter how broke you are. These are the top side hustles for nurses that can improve your income (especially if you want to retire with more money than a doctor)!
1. Telehealth Nursing: A Flexible Side Hustle for Nurses in Remote Healthcare Services
Telehealth nurses now have more work options due to the growth of telemedicine. These nurses use chat, phone, and videoconferencing technology to give care remotely. They might talk with patients about their medical concerns, provide virtual health evaluations, and suggest when to get in-person care.
According to Payscale, the average income for a telehealth nurse was $83,000 in February 2024. To work as a telehealth nurse, you must have a nursing license; nurse practitioners have even more chances in this regard. Proficiency in technology and effective communication are also beneficial.
Although telenursing is praised by patients in many ways, there may be drawbacks for nurses as well, such as compliance with regulations.
- Advantages: Less exposure to infection hazards; flexible scheduling with the option to work from home; side hustles options with a commission system.
- Cons: Depending on your position, you may have to work unusual hours, including nights and weekends, and regulations may limit you to work exclusively with patients in your state.
How to begin right now (minimum needs) :
- A clean background check, an unrestricted RN license (which may need to be a compact multi-state license), and three to five years of RN experience are prerequisites for becoming a nurse.
- Possess solid computer knowledge and a fast internet connection.
- Utilize well-known nurse employment portals (such as Indeed, Flexjobs, and Nurse.com) to apply for openings.
2. Immunization Nurses: A Vital Side Hustle for Nurses in Vaccine Administration and Public Health Education
When it comes to give vaccinations and shielding patients from contagious illnesses, nurses are essential. Nurses are employed by vaccination clinics, community health groups, and neighborhood health centers to provide vaccinations. Nurses who specialize in vaccinations and immunizations also inform the public about the value of vaccinations.
Immunization and vaccine nurses provide adults with COVID-19 and flu vaccinations while also keeping youngsters up to date on their vaccination schedules. They maintain immunization records and employ safe handling techniques. These nurses support public health whether they are employed by pharmacies, mobile vaccination units, or immunization clinics.
- Advantages: Positive community impact job; flexible scheduling, as most vaccination clinics are open during business hours.
- Cons: During the cold and flu season, side job possibilities may be more available. Patients may display uncertainty or dread of vaccinations.
How to begin right now (minimum needs):
- Candidates must hold a cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate, a nursing or nursing assistant license, and have at least one year’s hospital vaccination experience.
- Possess outstanding computer, writing, verbal, and customer service skills
- Look for open positions on nurse job boards, in medical offices, schools, and specialist clinics (e.g., CVS, Kroger, Walmart).
3. Independent Nurse Author
Strong communication and writing abilities might help nurses find freelance employment as nurse writers. Those nurses write articles that disseminate health-related information for periodicals, newspapers, and websites. Your unique clinical expertise might help you distinguish out as a self-employed nurse writer.
Depending on the position, you may conduct interviews, work with an editor to polish a pitch, and update in response to editor criticism.
You may write for nurses as a side gig or go full-time as a nurse writer. Additionally, you may want to look into additional freelancing possibilities for nurses if you’re interested in working for yourself.
- Advantages: A flexible schedule and many chances are offered, since many organizations are searching for seasoned healthcare writers to contribute to their publications.
- Cons: You’ll probably need to haggle over wages because of the demanding schedule and erratic employment.
How to begin right now:
- Choose the area of specialization you want in nursing.
- Create a Paypal account and an email address.
- Make excellent writing examples.
- guest post on websites related to health and medicine
- Make a website and publish your writings on it.
- Make connections with other nursing writers on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
- Look for employment as a nurse writer on websites like Indeed, Scripted, Upwork, and Freelance Writing Gigs.
4. Becoming an Adjunct Nursing Instructor: A Top Side Hustle for Nurses to Share Their Expertise
There is a scarcity of nursing professors in several states. This implies that nurses with doctoral degrees who want to educate will have options for side gigs. You will oversee nursing students during clinicals and assess their nursing expertise in your role as an adjunct nursing educator. In addition, nursing schools, hospitals, and other locations employ nursing teachers to conduct lessons.
Proficient nursing educators provide their domain knowledge and a kind and supportive teaching style. Aside from adjunct positions, there are a few more opportunities available to nurse educators.
- Advantages: Teaching positions frequently involve less stress than bedside nursing positions; you’ll address a vital need for nurse education; there is still a large need for nursing teachers.
- Cons: The majority of nursing educator positions, even adjunct positions, call for a doctorate degree, and adjunct salaries might be modest.
How to begin right now:
- Speak with your former nursing school professors; ask them if they know of any openings or if they know someone who is in need of a teaching assistant.
- To become a nurse, you must provide documentation of any research you conducted and/or scholarly articles you published as an undergraduate.
- Look through available jobs on Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job search websites. Be careful to focus on the requirements and specifics of the role.
5. Paid Medical Surveys: A Flexible and Time-Efficient Side Hustle for Nurses
A lot of organizations ask medical practitioners to participate in surveys. As a nurse, you may choose to work as a paid panelist for medical surveys on the side.
Survey panels can take many hours or as little as five to ten minutes to complete. Salary also differs greatly. On the other hand, since you may select surveys according to availability, this might be a simple side gig for working nurses. You can earn a sizable check from medical survey panels that demand prior healthcare experience, depending on the opportunity.
- Advantages: You may accept surveys whenever it suits you, and there are high-paying surveys that don’t take a lot of time to complete.
- Cons: Nurses must know how to choose a trustworthy survey because some may pay very little.
- How to begin right now (minimum needs):
- Register to get surveys sent to your email address (credentials are confirmed).
- After receiving an email of approval, make sure your profile is complete.
- Emails for surveys will state the subject, the anticipated time of completion, and the amount of money available.
- The surveys you get will be pertinent to your title and areas of expertise.
- Accept cash or PayPal payments.
Below are a few reputable survey companies to consider:
Other Lucrative and Beneficial Side Hustles for Nurses
6. Transcriber of medical records
Healthcare practitioners’ voice recordings are listened to by medical transcriptionists, who then type the transcriptions into computerized reports. In order to verify their veracity, they also examine medical records.
The voice recordings of healthcare practitioners are listened to by medical transcribers, who then enter the transcriptions into reports. To verify their veracity, they also examine medical records.
You will have to analyze patient data, physical exam findings, and discharge instructions in your role as a medical transcriber. To make drafts, you can utilize technologies like speech recognition software. Your training as a nurse will help you provide a solid grasp of medical language and jargon. Additionally, you’ll understand how to abide with confidentiality laws.
- Advantages: Transcribers can usually work around their schedules, and having nursing experience can help you while drafting.
- Cons: The BLS indicates a decline in the need for medical transcriptionists, and those in the sector often earn less than those in nursing.
7. Influencer Nurse
As a nurse influencer, combine entertaining and education. Influencer nurses use social media to share their expertise and experiences in an effort to promote wellness & public health.
Influencers in the nursing field spread vital information while also increasing public awareness of their field, whether they are posting advice from nursing schools on TikTok or creating “day in the life” videos for Instagram. You must, however, be on the lookout for any possible HIPAA infractions, such as distributing any patient photos or videos without consent.
- Advantages: Maximum adaptability for employed nurses seeking additional income; potential to establish a reputation and network for exchanging concepts.
- Cons: Requires technical expertise; little income potential; difficult to gain a following. Contract provisions pertaining to social media responsibility in some medical facilities may restrict what nurses can post
8. Camp Nurse
Camp nurses provide care for campers at nature camps, retreats, and other outdoor environments. These nurses give patients basic medical care, deliver prescriptions, and counsel patients on whether to seek out more medical care. Independent employment is common for camp nurses in remote areas away from hospitals.
You will work distant from the clinical setting as a camp nurse. Rather, you’ll have opportunities to enjoy your distinct environment and the beauty of nature right outside your door.
- Advantages: Easygoing, outdoors setting for nursing practice; chances for travel and adventure; intimate connections with patients; possibility of free or heavily reduced camp fees for children of nurses.
- Cons: You’ll frequently work alone without the assistance of other healthcare workers; job prospects may be seasonal, with fewer positions during the off-season.
9. Home health or private duty nursing
Patients are cared for in-home by home health nurses. They run medical equipment, take medication, and keep an eye on vital signs. Some may even employ a private PICU or NICU nurse to assist keep an eye on babies while they sleep. You may work under the supervision of a physician, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse, depending on your licensing. There are many of chances for home health nurses as the need for in-home care continues to rise.
Those nurses assist patients in returning home after being discharged from the hospital, give palliative care, and tend to patients with impairments. Find out more about entering the field of home health nursing.
- Advantages: Strong ties with your patients will be cultivated; home health care settings offer a less clinical environment than hospitals; there is a significant need for home health nurses.
- Cons: You might have to travel between several houses; there may be fewer medical equipment and assistance available in a home environment for emergency scenarios.
10.Travel Nurse
Travel nurses take on temporary work in hospitals and clinics throughout the country. They get to see new places, practice their abilities, and assist businesses of all kinds in creating better work environments for their staff members.
Travel nurses are often filled by staffing companies, which also have the ability to send them to necessary locations. Strong interpersonal and critical thinking abilities are required for this position, as well as the capacity to swiftly adjust to unfamiliar surroundings. Language or cultural proficiency is also a huge plus.
The Significance of Having a Side Hustles for Nurses
We now have a new way for nurses to earn passive income: starting a side hustle. Building a solid financial foundation for ourselves and our family is comparatively simple because of the abundance of side gigs that are available online. That can relieve you of a great deal of tension and improve your performance at work.
Many people ignore the benefits of developing business leaders’ thinking skills. It cultivates a self-reliant, goal-oriented mindset that can improve all facets of your nursing profession. Entrepreneurs face a sink-or-swim situation where they must use their imagination to come up with novel solutions to the biggest issues.
Establishing a medical staffing company might be a profitable side hustle for nurses who have strong connections in the medical field. Although it requires excellent organizational and communication skills to coordinate between personnel and healthcare facilities, it provides a chance to link healthcare facilities with competent temporary staff.
Exploring Specialized Side Hustles for Nurses
One of the most talked about subjects on Reddit is side hustles for nurses. Despite the fact that nurses are highly represented in large healthcare facilities, there is an increasing need for their services across all health-related industries, including those that are just tangentially connected to it. If you don’t know where to begin, there are countless opportunities for side gigs.
One of the greatest ways for existing RNs to pursue a new career path is to enroll in the National Society of Health Coaches’ Health Coaching Certification for Nurses & Clinicians, for instance. Only this program offers certificates specifically designed to meet the requirements of licensed health professionals. Nurses with extensive experience in clinical practice can succeed in our Health Coaching program and acquire the knowledge and abilities necessary to further their careers.
Many resources exist that promise to assist in locating remote side hustles for nurses, but they are full of arbitrary ideas that may work for anyone. Who wants to launch another blog? Ours focuses on assisting working registered nurses in finding viable side projects that they may use to further their professional aspirations.
Concluding Remarks on Side Hustles For Nurses
Finding a lucrative and fulfilling side hustle for nurses is difficult due to the abundance of options. Take your time and thoroughly consider your alternatives because many of them won’t be the ideal fit for your skills and interests.
By offering insightful feedback to healthcare organizations, taking part in medical surveys may be a flexible and profitable side gig that lets you make the most of your nursing expertise while earning additional money.
Travel nursing with Trusted Health may open doors to profitable side gigs that enhance your nursing profession in addition to allowing you to see and experience new things. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to combine the thrill of travel with the rewards of career and personal development.
