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. The average pay for camp nurses is $39/hour. To get started, 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. 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 make an average of $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. Nurse consulting is flexible nursing work that pays well, with an average hourly rate of $44. To get started, 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 platforms like LinkedIn.
6. CPR/first aid instructor: Many workplaces and organizations require their employees to receive CPR certification or training in first aid, creating opportunities for you to teach. The average pay for CPR instructors is $37/hour. 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 and can set their own hourly rate. The reported average hourly rate for health coaches is $20/hour. Complete a health coaching certification to boost your services, then advertise your services online and on social media.
8. Health writer: Use your nursing background to position yourself as a freelance writer for health websites, blogs, journals, magazines, or social media pages. The average hourly rate for health writers is $39/hour. Look into online job boards, Slack groups, or communities for freelance writers to get started.
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 make around $36/hour as a home care nurse. Join organizations like the Home Care Association of America or the National Association for Home Care and Hospice to get started.
10. Immunization nurse: Immunization nurses administer routine vaccinations to patients, offering their services part-time in hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies. The average hourly rate for immunization nurses is $39/hour. 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 in healthcare recordings and medical records. The average hourly pay for medical transcribers is approximately $21/hour. 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: Consider answering paid medical surveys for a flexible schedule that lets you work from home. Survey websites like ZoomRx and MedSurvey want survey takers with experience as healthcare providers. Rates for medical surveys can range from $1 to $6 per minute. Sign up on platforms like ZoomRx, MedSurvey, InCrowd, Focus Group, and M3 Global Research to get started.
13. Per diem nurse: Per diem nurses pick up shifts at hospitals on short notice to respond to higher patient traffic. They typically receive a higher wage than permanent nurses. 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: Telehealth nurses use video conferencing to assess and assist patients remotely. They have the highest average take-home pay of any other nursing side hustle on this list, with an average hourly rate of $89/hour. Look for telehealth positions at previous hospitals you’ve worked at or apply to telehealth-specific positions at online specialty clinics.
15. Nursing tutor: Become a nursing tutor to help future nurses prepare for and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. You can set your own rates and hours as a nursing tutor. The average hourly rate for nursing tutors in the US is $20/hour. Advertise your skills at local nursing colleges or online to provide tutoring services.
In conclusion, there are plenty of side hustle opportunities for nurses to explore, whether they want to work in health care settings or branch out into different fields. From teaching and consulting to writing and caregiving, nurses can leverage their skills and experience to earn extra income and make a positive impact in various roles. Consider your interests, skills, and availability to find the perfect side hustle that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.
