As a dedicated registered nurse, your work often doesn’t leave much room for extra cash. But, many nurses are looking for ways to make more money because of rising costs. Luckily, your nursing skills can lead to many side hustle options. These can help you earn more without giving up the job you love.
This guide will show you 15 side gig ideas that use your nursing skills. You can try telehealth nursing, freelance health writing, or even medical surveys. By earning more, you can feel more secure financially and enjoy new experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Nurses can explore a variety of side hustle opportunities to supplement their primary income.
- Side gigs allow nurses to utilize their specialized skills and expertise in flexible, non-traditional settings.
- Pursuing side hustles can provide nurses with additional income, new experiences, and greater financial security.
- The article covers 15 top side hustle ideas for registered nurses, including telehealth, freelance writing, medical surveys, and more.
- Diversifying income streams can empower nurses to achieve their financial goals and unlock their full earning potential.
Leveraging Nursing Skills Beyond the Hospital
Nurses have skills that are very useful in many side jobs. These transferable nursing skills include being great at talking to people, solving problems, paying attention to details, and being flexible. Nurses are good at handling fast-paced situations and connecting with people from different backgrounds. These skills are perfect for side jobs like telehealth nursing, writing about health, and teaching.
Transferable Skills of Nurses
Many nurses are looking for side jobs to make extra money. They’re into health coaching, making content, and teaching special courses like BLS and ACLS. Websites like FlexJobs and Remote Nursing offer jobs for nurses in healthcare. Nurses who write or create content can make a few hundred to thousands of dollars per project. Some even make as much as their main job by teaching courses and doing telemedicine.
| Transferable Nursing Skills | Potential Side Hustles |
|---|---|
| Communication Expertise | Telehealth Nurse, Health Coach, Instructor |
| Problem-Solving Abilities | Freelance Health Writer, Medical Biller and Coder |
| Attention to Detail | Immunization Nurse, Private Duty Nurse |
| Adaptability | Camp Nurse, Childcare Provider |
“Nurses are adapting to various side hustles to maximize earning potential and contribute to healthcare through education, content creation, and remote patient care.”
Telehealth Nurse
The telehealth industry is booming, offering a great side hustle for registered nurses. As a telehealth nurse, you can work from home, using video calls and online tools. You’ll check on patients and help them manage their health without leaving your house. This job is flexible, lowers the risk of getting sick, and lets you use the latest tech to help patients.
Requirements and Rewards of Telehealth Nursing
To be a telehealth nurse, you need 3-5 years of nursing experience, a nursing license, and good computer skills. In February 2024, the average telehealth nurse salary was $83,000, says Payscale. Salaries vary, from $53,500 for 1-4 years of experience to $110,993 for over 20 years.
Telehealth nursing has many benefits:
- Work from anywhere with internet
- Lower risk of getting sick
- Use new tech to help patients
Telehealth nursing can be a rewarding remote nursing job and virtual healthcare side hustle. But, it may require working odd hours, like evenings and weekends. Nurses might also face pressure to see many patients, which can be stressful and require a lot of paperwork.
The rise in telehealth nursing shows how healthcare is moving online. Nurses need to keep learning about telehealth tech and how to communicate well. By using their nursing skills in this area, nurses can earn more and make a big difference in patient care.
Freelance Health Writer
Nurses with great writing and communication skills can find exciting work as freelance nurse writers. They create content for websites, news, and magazines. Their clinical knowledge helps them teach and inform readers. This job lets nurses choose their work hours, set pay, and work with clients they like.
To start, freelance nurse writers often begin by writing for health websites. They build a portfolio and network with other writers to find steady work. They can earn $100 to $800 a month or more, based on the projects and clients they get.
The rise of telehealth and the need for health content online has opened up many medical writing side jobs for nurses. Freelancers can write blog posts, articles, and educational materials for healthcare clients. Working from home and setting your own hours makes this job appealing to nurses looking for extra income or a new career.
| Freelance Writing Opportunity | Potential Earnings |
|---|---|
| Blog Post (500-800 words) | $100 – $400 |
| Article (1,000-2,000 words) | $400 – $800+ |
| Case Study | $500 – $1,000 |
| Professional/Technical Writing | Varies |
Freelance nurse writers use their nursing knowledge and communication skills to find flexible jobs. These jobs let them earn extra income and share their knowledge with more people.
Immunization Nurse
As a vaccine nurse or immunization clinician, you are key to keeping people healthy. You give out flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and routine shots to kids. You work in places like vaccination clinics and health centers. These jobs offer flexible hours that fit your life.
Flu shot administrators can earn a good income, making $20 to $45 an hour or more. To be one, you need a nursing license, CPR training, and a year of vaccine experience. This job lets you use your nursing skills to help others and make extra money.
- Administer a wide range of vaccines, including flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and routine childhood immunizations
- Work in diverse settings such as vaccination clinics, community health organizations, and local health centers
- Enjoy flexible schedules that accommodate your lifestyle, with most vaccine clinics operating during regular business hours
- Earn competitive hourly rates, typically ranging from $20 to $45 per hour or more
“Immunization nurses play a vital role in safeguarding public health and keeping communities safe from infectious diseases. It’s a rewarding side hustle that allows you to leverage your nursing expertise while earning a supplemental income.”
If you’re a registered nurse wanting to earn more, think about being an immunization clinician. This job is flexible and needed. It lets you help public health and add to your nursing income.
Sell Your Scrubs and Nurse Gear
As nurses, we often have scrubs, jackets, books, and medical equipment we don’t need anymore. Instead of letting them sit idle, why not sell them? You can make money by selling your gently used nursing gear.
Preferred Platforms for Selling
There are great places to sell your nursing scrubs, jackets, and gear. Here are some top choices:
- eBay: A well-established marketplace for selling a wide range of items, including used nursing uniforms and equipment.
- Poshmark: A popular app and website for buying and selling pre-owned clothing, accessories, and even medical uniforms.
- Mercari: A user-friendly platform that makes it easy to list and sell your used nursing items to a growing community of buyers.
- Facebook Marketplace: A convenient option for connecting with local buyers and selling your nursing gear within your community.
When setting prices, look at similar items to see what they’re selling for. Think about the condition, brand, and how much people want your scrubs and equipment. Use clear photos and detailed descriptions to draw in buyers. Answer quickly to make selling easier.
Using these platforms, you can turn your unused nursing gear into a profitable nurse resale side hustle. With some effort, you can sell your nursing scrubs and other used nurse gear for extra cash.
Paid Medical Surveys
As nurses, your unique clinical expertise and healthcare insights are crucial for medical research and market studies. Survey companies look for nurses to join their panels. They want your opinions through paid online surveys, focus groups, and telephone interviews. By joining these surveys, you can make extra money that fits your nursing skills.
Earn Top Dollar for Your Opinions
Medical surveys pay between $60 to $300 per hour. Some people make up to $30,000 a year from them. Doctors can earn $1,000 to $2,000 a month too.
Reputable Survey Companies for Nurses
- M3 Global Research: A panel of over 2 million healthcare professionals, including nurses, who participate in paid online surveys, forums, and interviews. Compensation is typically received within two business days.
- FocusGroup: This company has 14 offices across the United States and offers well-paid medical surveys, particularly related to various healthcare topics.
- InCrowd: With access to over 2 million healthcare professionals and patients, InCrowd provides a platform for nurses to share their insights and earn up to $500 per survey.
- ZoomRx: This survey platform allows for voice responses and instant PayPal payments, making it a convenient option for nurse participants.
- MedSurvey: Offering free membership with no fees, MedSurvey incentivizes survey completion with monthly prizes and quick compensation.
By joining these survey companies, nurses can get invites to paid medical surveys and studies. This way, you can earn extra money and share your valuable expertise.
“Participating in paid medical surveys has been a game-changer for my nursing income. The flexibility and compensation make it an ideal side hustle.”
– Jane Doe, Registered Nurse
rn side hustle
As registered nurses, you have skills that go beyond the hospital. By looking into side hustles, you can make more money, learn new things, and feel more secure financially.
There are many side jobs for nurses, like telehealth nursing and freelance health writing. These jobs can help you meet your financial goals, pay off debts, or just live better.
First, pick a side job that fits your interests and schedule. If you love teaching, coaching, or giving special healthcare, there’s a job out there for you.
Earn Extra with These Nurse Side Hustles
- Telehealth Nursing: Provide healthcare services online, making up to $32 per hour.
- Freelance Health Writing: Write for healthcare magazines, earning up to $23 per hour.
- Immunization Nurse: Give vaccines and make up to $39 per hour.
- Nurse/Health Interpreter: Help patients with your language skills, earning up to $28 per hour.
- Nursing School Tutor: Assist nursing students, earning up to $20 per hour.
- NCLEX RN Instructor: Prepare nurses for their exams, earning up to $48 per hour.
These are just a few ways nurses can earn more money and find new opportunities. By using your nursing skills, you can find jobs that are rewarding and help your main nursing career.
Remember, the main thing is to find a side job that matches your interests and goals. With the right choice, you can earn more and grow personally as a nurse.
Health Tutor or Instructor
As nurses, we have a lot of knowledge and experience that can help others. You can use your nursing skills to make extra money by becoming a health tutor or instructor. You can either tutor one-on-one or lead group workshops. This way, you can share what you know and help the next generation of healthcare workers.
One-on-One Tutoring
Being a nursing student tutor lets you help students get ready for exams, go over course material, and get better at clinical skills. You can make learning fit what each student needs. This is especially helpful for students who are finding certain subjects hard or want to do better in their studies.
Group Instruction and Workshops
You can also teach nursing topics, do CPR training, or run seminars for healthcare workers in nurse educator side jobs. By making learning fun and interesting, you can share your knowledge with more people. This can really help them grow personally and professionally.
| Tutoring Service | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Nursing Student Tutor | $20 – $60 per hour |
| Healthcare Tutoring | $20 – $60 per hour |
| Nurse Educator Workshops | Varies based on scope and duration |
To be a great health tutor or instructor, you need to be a good teacher, know your stuff well, and know how to make learning fun. This side job lets you work when you want and get paid well. Plus, you get to help the next generation of nurses.
“The demand for experienced tutors, especially in healthcare professions, is on the rise. Nurses exploring side hustles can aim to earn an additional $50 to $100 per hour leveraging their nursing skills.”
Adjunct Nursing Instructor
With a growing need for nurses, experienced nurses can now become adjunct nurse faculty or part-time nursing instructors. This nursing education side job lets you guide nursing students in clinical settings, check their knowledge, and teach classes in various places.
Successful adjunct instructors use their clinical experience and a caring teaching style. Even though they earn less than full-time teachers, there’s a big need for them. This makes it a great side job for nurses with experience.
To be a top adjunct instructor, you need a graduate degree and a love for teaching. Many places want a master’s in nursing, a nursing license, and years of real-world experience. You should also be good at communicating, think critically, and give helpful feedback.
| Key Requirements for Adjunct Nurse Faculty | Typical Responsibilities |
|---|---|
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If you’re a nurse with a love for teaching, think about becoming an adjunct nursing instructor. It’s a great way to share your knowledge, help shape future nurses, and earn extra money.
Private Duty or Home Health Nurse
As a registered nurse (RN), you can use your skills and experience in new ways. Working as a private duty or home health nurse is a great option. You’ll give care at home, check vital signs, give medicines, and use medical devices.
ZipRecruiter says a home health RN earns about $49 an hour. A private duty RN makes around $36 an hour on average. This job is rewarding because you build strong patient relationships. You also work in a calm, less stressful place than a hospital.
But, you might visit many homes for work. Think about how you’ll get around and handle different home settings.
| Nursing Role | Average Hourly Wage |
|---|---|
| Home Health Nurse | $49 |
| Private Duty Nurse | $36 |
Home health nurses are in high demand. They offer care, help patients with disabilities, and ease the move from hospital to home. If you’re looking for a fulfilling side job, consider being a private duty or home health nurse.
Camp Nurse
Explore the exciting world of camp nursing, where you mix your nursing skills with the outdoors. As a camp nurse, you’ll provide medical care in beautiful outdoor settings. You’ll give out medications and offer basic medical help, keeping everyone safe and healthy.
Working as a camp nurse for outdoor camps means you work on your own a lot. You make decisions and give advice without help from other doctors or nurses. This lets you show off your skills, think on your feet, and solve problems.
The nature-based nursing side job is seasonal but offers great rewards. You’ll get to know your patients well, might get discounts or free camp tuition for your kids, and enjoy a peaceful outdoor setting.
If you want to spice up your nursing job, think about being a camp nurse. With the right skills and a love for nature, you can make your nursing job more exciting and rewarding.
| Key Requirements for Camp Nurses | Desired Camp Nurse Qualifications |
|---|---|
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Ready for an adventure and to boost your nursing career? Consider becoming a camp nurse. This unique job lets you use your nursing skills in a beautiful outdoor setting. You’ll give important medical care and advice to those at camp.
“Being a camp nurse is more than just a job – it’s a chance to combine my passion for nursing with my love for the outdoors. The independent nature of the role and the close-knit community of the camp make it a truly rewarding experience.”
Medical Biller and Coder
As a registered nurse, you have a lot to offer in medical billing and coding. You can use your knowledge of medical terms and electronic health records. This side job lets you handle health insurance records and enter patient info into electronic files. It also helps you spot any mistakes.
This field is in high demand and has good job growth prospects. Some healthcare places even let nurses work extra hours in this role. This makes it a great way to earn more money.
- Leverage your nursing background to excel as a medical biller and coder
- Manage health insurance records and patient data with your healthcare administration skills
- Explore job opportunities as a nurse medical records specialist to supplement your income
Being a medical biller and coder is a rewarding side job for nurses. It lets you use your clinical knowledge in a new way. If you want to earn more or try a new career, this skill set can help.
“As an experienced RN, I’ve found that employers actively seek coders with a medical background. My nursing expertise has been a valuable asset in this field, even if I don’t have direct coding experience.”
The job market for medical billing and coding might seem tough at first. But nurses have a big advantage. By showing off your medical knowledge and detail-oriented skills, you can find great jobs in this field.
Childcare Provider
As a nurse, you have the perfect skills for a side job in childcare. You can work in daycare, as a nanny, or babysit. Your nursing skills help you keep kids safe, healthy, and growing.
Nurses who work with kids are great for this job. They know what kids need and can make learning fun. They also keep parents updated on their kids’ progress, which builds trust.
- Leverage your nursing background to ensure the health and safety of children in your care.
- Implement lesson plans and activities that cater to the developmental needs of your young charges.
- Communicate effectively with parents, sharing updates and addressing any concerns.
Childcare jobs might pay less than hospital jobs, but there’s a big need for good caregivers. This makes it a great side job for nurses, especially those with pediatric nursing skills.
To stand out, think about getting certified in child sleep and safety. Also, check the rules in your area for nurse childcare jobs.
“Nurses have the perfect combination of energy, certifications, and a deep understanding of child development to thrive as childcare providers.”
Using your nursing skills, you can make a good income and feel fulfilled in nurse childcare and nursing-based childcare.
Writing and Blogging: Sharing Your Expertise
As a nurse, you have a lot of knowledge that can be used to make great healthcare content. You can either become a freelance writer or start your own nursing blog. This way, you can share your insights and make some extra money.
Crafting Health Content
If you’re good at writing and talking to people, you can be a freelance health writer. You can write for websites, news outlets, and magazines. This lets you use your medical knowledge to teach and inform others. You can make between $100 to $800 a month or more, depending on the projects and clients you work with.
Starting Your Own Nursing Blog
Starting your own nursing blog is another way for nurse freelance writers to share their knowledge. You can reach more people on your own platform. You can make money through ads, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and paid subscriptions for special content. Both freelance writing and blogging let you work when you want and share your healthcare content creation with the world.
Whether you decide to go into freelance writing, start a nursing blog, or do both, the main thing is to keep making quality, helpful content. This content should connect with your audience. By using your nursing skills and knowledge, you can make more money and have a big impact in healthcare.
“Writing is the strongest form of communication, the clearest way to say what you mean.” – Mary Angelou
Conclusion
As nurses, you have a special set of skills that fit many side hustle options. You can try telehealth nursing, freelance writing, medical surveys, or tutoring. These flexible jobs help you earn more, gain new experiences, and feel more financially secure.
Using your nursing skills in new ways can boost your income. This can help you pay off debts, save for retirement, or just live better. The key is to find a side job that fits your interests, schedule, and nursing goals.
In today’s changing healthcare world, having different income sources is smart. Nursing side hustles, supplemental income for RNs, and diversifying nurse income can give you financial stability and flexibility. With your problem-solving and communication skills, and your love for healthcare, you can succeed in many side hustles. So, take the chance and see where side hustles can take you – your nursing career and finances will benefit.