Best Side Hustles for Nurses Practioners
Nurses are known for their dedication, compassion, and the demanding nature of their jobs. While nursing can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be exhausting and stressful. Many nurses look for side hustles to supplement their income, explore new interests, or even build a career transition pathway. Whether you’re looking to earn extra money, develop new skills, or find a creative outlet, there are several side hustles that are well-suited for nurses.
1. Telehealth Nursing
Telehealth has seen a massive surge in demand, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a telehealth nurse, you can provide medical advice, follow-up care, and support to patients remotely. This role is ideal for nurses because it allows you to utilize your clinical skills from the comfort of your home. You can often set your own hours, making it easier to balance with a full-time nursing job. Platforms like Teladoc and MDLIVE frequently hire nurses for telehealth roles, offering competitive pay for part-time work.
2. Medical Writing
Medical writing is an excellent side hustle for nurses who have strong writing skills and a deep understanding of medical terminology and healthcare topics. Medical writers create content for a variety of audiences, including patients, healthcare professionals, and the general public. This can range from writing patient education materials and medical blogs to creating more technical content like research papers and clinical trial documentation.
Freelancing platforms such as Upwork or specialized medical writing agencies are good places to start. The flexibility in hours allows you to work on your writing projects during your free time. Additionally, this side hustle can significantly improve your communication skills, which are valuable in any nursing role.
3. Nurse Coaching
Nurse coaching is a growing field where nurses use their expertise to guide and support individuals in achieving their health goals. This might include helping patients manage chronic conditions, advising on lifestyle changes, or providing support for mental health and wellness. Nurse coaches can work independently or as part of a wellness practice.
To become a certified nurse coach, you may need additional training, but it’s a rewarding way to use your nursing skills in a more holistic, personalized setting. This side hustle offers the flexibility to work with clients on your own schedule, and it can be done in person or virtually.
4. Health and Wellness Blogging or Vlogging
If you have a passion for educating others and sharing your knowledge, starting a blog or vlog focused on health and wellness can be a lucrative and fulfilling side hustle. Topics can range from fitness and nutrition to mental health and disease prevention. With consistent content, a health-focused blog or YouTube channel can attract a significant audience, leading to income through ads, sponsorships, or even selling your products or services.
While it requires a bit of time to build an audience, the long-term potential is considerable. Moreover, this creative outlet can serve as a stress reliever, allowing you to engage in something you enjoy outside of your nursing duties.
5. CPR/First Aid Instructor
As a nurse, you’re already skilled in CPR and first aid, making it an easy transition to becoming a certified instructor. Teaching CPR and first aid courses is a practical and high-demand side hustle. You can teach classes on weekends or evenings at local community centers, schools, or even online.
Organizations like the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross offer certification programs for instructors. This side hustle not only provides additional income but also allows you to contribute to your community by teaching life-saving skills.
6. Medical Transcription
Medical transcription involves converting voice-recorded medical reports into written documents. It’s a job that requires attention to detail, knowledge of medical terminology, and fast typing skills. For nurses, this side hustle can be an easy way to earn extra income because you’re already familiar with medical jargon and patient care documentation.
You can find work through transcription companies, or you can freelance and take on clients directly. This job is particularly appealing because it can be done from home and offers flexible hours, making it easy to fit around your nursing schedule.
7. Home Health Care
For nurses who enjoy providing direct patient care but want to supplement their income, offering home health care services can be an ideal side hustle. You can provide services like wound care, medication management, or general health monitoring to patients in their homes.
This role allows you to build stronger relationships with your patients, as home health care often involves ongoing, personalized care. The demand for home health care is growing, especially as the population ages, making this a reliable side hustle with plenty of opportunities.
8. Nurse Consulting
Nurse consulting is a diverse field where you can use your expertise to advise legal teams, businesses, or healthcare organizations. Legal nurse consultants, for example, work with attorneys to evaluate medical information in legal cases. Other areas of consulting might include advising on healthcare policies, workplace health and safety, or patient education programs.
To get started, you may need additional certification depending on your area of interest. However, consulting can be highly lucrative and offers the flexibility to choose the cases or projects you want to work on.
9. Tutoring Nursing Students
Nursing school is challenging, and many students seek additional help outside of the classroom. If you have a knack for teaching and a solid grasp of nursing concepts, tutoring nursing students can be a rewarding and profitable side hustle. You can offer one-on-one tutoring sessions, create study guides, or even develop online courses for broader reach.
Tutoring can be done in person or virtually, giving you the flexibility to choose your working hours. Plus, by helping future nurses succeed, you’re contributing to the profession in a meaningful way.
10. Creating and Selling Digital Products
With the rise of online platforms like Etsy and Gumroad, creating and selling digital products has become an accessible side hustle for many. As a nurse, you can create products that cater to healthcare professionals, such as printable planners, study guides, or educational materials.
This side hustle has the potential for passive income, as you can create the product once and sell it repeatedly. It also allows you to tap into your creative side and develop products that are useful to others in the healthcare industry.
Balancing a Side Hustle with Nursing
While these side hustles offer great opportunities for extra income, it’s essential to find a balance that doesn’t lead to burnout. Nursing is already a demanding job, so it’s crucial to choose a side hustle that aligns with your interests, offers flexibility, and adds value to your life without overloading your schedule.
Before starting a side hustle, consider how much time and energy you realistically have to dedicate to it. Setting clear boundaries, planning your time effectively, and choosing something you’re passionate about can make your side hustle not just a source of extra income, but also a rewarding and enjoyable part of your life.
In conclusion, side hustles offer nurses a way to diversify their income, explore new career paths, and engage in activities outside of their primary job. Whether you’re interested in telehealth, writing, coaching, or another field, there’s a side hustle out there that can fit your skills and schedule.
