If you’re a nurse looking to bring in additional income, you’re not alone. According to one survey, 50% of nurses in the US have a side hustle. For many workers, picking up even a small side gig can make a significant difference in their budget and savings. Plus, you can expand your skills and explore different fields. It’s a win-win.
Whether you’re looking for extra hours in patient care or hoping to apply your nursing skills to a different line of work, here are some of the best side hustles for registered nurses to explore.
1. Adjunct nursing instructor
Adjunct nursing teachers lead intro-level classes at nursing colleges—typically on a semester-by-semester basis. Teaching nursing students can be incredibly rewarding and a great way to give back to the nursing community. The average pay for adjunct nursing instructors is $40/hour. To become an adjunct instructor, reach out to local nursing schools or online programs to see if they have any open positions.
2. Camp nurse
Camp nurses serve as on-site health care professionals for all kinds of seasonal gatherings—from recreational summer camps for kids to business retreats for adults—and provide basic medical care for injured or sick campers. Enjoy being a nurse in a beautiful, fun, and nurturing environment. On average, you can earn $39/hour as a camp nurse. Submit your résumé online to organizations like American Summer Camps, the Alliance for Camp Health, or Camp Nurse Jobs.
3. Child care worker
Your nursing credentials in life-saving procedures like CPR, first aid, and the Heimlich maneuver make you a standout candidate for babysitting and nannying. Working with children is fun and can be very rewarding. While fun, this work can be tiring and might conflict with full-time nursing shifts. The average hourly rate for child care workers is $16/hour. Offer your services to friends and family or sign up for organizations like Sittercity and Care.com to advertise to parents in your area.
4. Clinical research nurse
Clinical research trials typically need trained health care professionals to help coordinate between researchers and volunteer patients. In clinical research nurse jobs, you may recruit and onboard patients, administer treatment, conduct in-person focus groups, collect and organize data, or oversee compliance with local and federal regulations. You can help develop new treatments that directly support patients and positively impact their lives. On average, you can make $44/hour as a clinical research nurse. To get started, look for job boards at health care facilities where you’ve worked to see what clinical trials are being done in your area.
5. Nurse consultant
With your experience as a registered nurse, you have valuable insights about best practices in the health care industry and the nursing field. Many teams seek medical expertise to improve their operations. Health care organizations, colleges and universities, and even screenwriters on medical-based films and TV shows can all benefit from a nurse’s expertise. Nurse consulting is flexible nursing work that pays well. You can expect to earn an average of $44/hour as a nurse consultant. First, ensure you have the necessary certifications and education required for the type of nurse consulting work you’re looking for. Then, advertise your services on places like LinkedIn.
6. CPR/first aid instructor
Many workplaces and organizations require their employees to receive CPR certification or training in first aid, creating many opportunities for you to teach. The classes are usually only an hour or two and often follow the same curriculum each time. You’ll need to find transportation to each class and travel time could be long. Expect to make between $37/hour on average. With your clinical experience, you can advertise your services to local businesses, offering to visit and provide lessons and demonstrations.
7. Health coach
Health coaches work one on one with clients to help them set and achieve personal health goals. Being a registered nurse gives you a major advantage as a health coach. Health coaches enjoy flexibility. They can set their own hourly rate and build followings on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram—potentially earning money as an influencer. Hourly, the reported average is $20/hour, though your total earnings can vary widely depending on how you market yourself. Complete a health coaching certification to boost your services. Then, start by advertising your services online on sites like LinkedIn, build a website for your business, and create a social media profile.
8. Health writer
If you have a knack for writing, use your nursing background to position yourself as a freelance writer for health websites, blogs, journals, magazines, or social media pages. You can also serve as a subject matter expert—a medical professional who reviews health-related content written by others to verify its accuracy. Freelance writing boasts flexible hours and fully remote work, making it a great choice as a side business. It’s also a great side hustle if you’re an introvert, allowing you to earn money from home while spending some much-needed time alone to recharge. Your earning potential as a freelance health writer will vary based on the clients you work with, the type of projects you take on, and the payment structure you ask for. On average, you can make $39/hour as a health writer. Look into online job boards, Slack groups, or communities for freelance writers. Superpath is a great option for looking for freelance work within the health care or nursing niche. Post on LinkedIn to see if any companies are looking for freelancers with your expertise, or reach out directly to companies in the health and wellness space.
9. Home care nurse
Many nurses provide health care services to patients outside of a hospital context, administering care and assisting with daily life. In-home patient care is especially common among elderly people, people with long-term illnesses, and people with disabilities. You can offer your expertise in particular treatments or conditions to find patients in need. Create patient relationships, work with a diverse group of patients with different needs, and make a true impact on your patients and their quality of life. You can expect to make around $36/hour as a home care nurse. Join an organization like the Home Care Association of America or the National Association for Home Care and Hospice.
10. Immunization nurse
Immunization nurses administer routine vaccinations to patients, offering their services part-time in hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies. You can pick up more hours during spikes like flu season, where vaccination spots see significant walk-in traffic. The average hourly rate for immunization nurses is $39/hour. Aside from staying up-to-date on vaccine information, apply for a role as a vaccination nurse online at sites like Vivian.
11. Medical transcriber
Many businesses employ transcribers to turn audio or video into written documents. With your nursing education, you are uniquely capable of decoding medical terminology, jargon, and acronyms in healthcare recordings and medical records. The average hourly pay for medical transcribers is approximately $21/hour. To get started, apply to be an in-house medical transcriptionist for a hospital, build a website advertising your services as a freelance transcriber, or apply to a medical transcription firm.
12. Medical survey taker
For an especially flexible schedule that lets you work from the comfort of your couch, consider answering paid medical surveys. Survey websites like ZoomRx and MedSurvey want survey takers with experience as healthcare providers. Taking surveys allows you to earn a little bit of extra money without leaving home. While rates seem to range quite a bit, one source quotes $1 to $6/minute for computer surveys. Sign up on a platform that offers medical surveys, like ZoomRx, MedSurvey, InCrowd, Focus Group, and M3 Global Research.
13. Per diem nurse
Per diem nurses (meaning “by the day” nurses) are supplemental staff who pick up shifts at hospitals, often on short notice to respond to higher patient traffic. Because the requests are often last minute, per diem nurses typically receive a higher wage than permanent nurses—so it’s a great way to make some extra cash. Nationwide, the average hourly salary for per diem nurses is $33/hour. To become a per diem nurse, talk to fellow nurses and supervisors at hospitals in your area, or register with a per diem staffing agency like Nursefinders.
14. Telehealth nurse
If you want to continue your nursing career from home, try telehealth nursing. Telehealth nurses use video conferencing to assess and assist patients remotely, often working with patients in the healthcare system who live far from the hospital or who struggle to afford in-person appointments. Telehealth nurses have the highest average take-home pay of any other nursing side hustle on this list, making it an excellent option as a nursing side job. Telehealth nurses can earn higher wages per hour, with the average take home at $89/hour nationally. To become a telehealth nurse, look for telehealth positions at any previous hospitals you’ve worked at, or apply to telehealth-specific positions at online specialty clinics.
15. Nursing tutor
Did you pass your NCLEX-RN with flying colors? Become a nursing tutor to help future nurses prepare for and pass the exam. You can set your own rates and hours as a nursing tutor, inspire and guide new nurses looking to go into the field, and keep your own knowledge up to date. The average hourly rate for nursing tutors in the US is $20/hour. Advertise your skills at local nursing colleges or online to provide one-on-one or group tutoring services.
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Side hustles for nurses FAQ
Can I work a side hustle with a full-time nursing job?
Depending on your employer’s policies, you can work a side hustle with a full-time nursing job. Your medical training makes you a standout candidate for child care or CPR/first aid instruction, and your excellent communication skills are a great fit for tutoring, teaching, and coaching. For low-key work that lets you set your own hours, try answering medical surveys, working as a health writer, or doing medical transcription. For more scheduled nursing work, you can work as a telehealth nurse or online health coach.
Is it legal for nurses to have side hustles?
Yes, it is generally legal for nurses to have side hustles, as long as they follow their employer’s policies on taking on contract work. You should consult your HR department to make sure that your employer allows for outside nurse consulting and to see whether they place any restrictions on it.
What should I consider before starting a side hustle?
Think about what you’re actually interested in doing, how much you’d like to make per hour, what your skills are, whether you’d like to work from home or in person, the amount of time you have available, and whether you have the energy to do it.
How can a nurse make extra money on the side?
Several side hustles will put your nursing skills to work. For remote options, look into telehealth nursing or answering medical surveys. If you enjoy teaching, try working as a tutor or adjunct instructor for nursing students. For a break from the familiar nursing environment, check out camp nursing or child care.
How can a nurse work from home and make money?
For low-key work that lets you set your own hours, try answering medical surveys, working as a health writer, or doing medical transcription. For more scheduled nursing work, you can work as a telehealth nurse or online health coach.
Do nurses have transferable skills for side hustles?
The skills that you build in the nursing profession are transferable to side hustles. For instance, your medical training makes you a standout candidate for childcare or CPR/first aid instruction, and your excellent communication skills are a great fit for tutoring, teaching, and coaching.
In conclusion, nurses have a wide range of side hustle options available to them, allowing them to leverage their skills and experience in various ways to earn extra income. Whether it’s teaching, consulting, caregiving, or writing, nurses can find a side hustle that suits their interests and schedule. With the right approach and determination, nurses can successfully juggle a side hustle alongside their full-time nursing job.
