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Last Updated on August 2, 2021 by Daniella
Making some extra money through side hustles is always nice. And, even if you’re working in a growing, well-paying and reputable industry like nursing, having a little more money is definitely a plus.
What can nurses do to make a little extra money on the side? Are there side hustles for nurses?
Yes, there are!
In this article you’ll read about some of the best side hustles for nurses. These are great if you work as a nurse or have a nursing background.
The list is varied and great to keep in mind for current or former nurses. Keep reading.
Table of Contents
Side Hustles for Nurses: 11 Different Ideas
We’ve got 11 side hustles for nurses in this roundup:
- Freelance medical writer
- Triage nurse
- Telehealth nurse
- Blogging
- Selling your scrubs
- Seasonal flu shot administrator
- Medical transcriptionist
- Etsy seller
- Babysitter
- Personal care aide
- CPR instructor
1. Freelance Medical Writer
A freelance writer makes money writing for their clients. With a nursing background you can secure freelance medical writing work.
You’re in a more niche pool of writers since everyone can’t be a medical or healthcare writer. That means you’ll be more in demand and can make more money than a traditional general freelance writer.
You’ll be able to write for companies like:
- Medical journals
- Health publications
- Health guides
To find out more about freelance writing as a nurse for a side hustle, check out these resources:
What are the requirements for a medical writer?
The requirements for a freelance medical writer will vary based on your client but in general, they’re looking for health professionals.
So, if you work as a nurse then that means you have a medical background and medical education, which would make you a strong contender for a position as a freelance medical writer.
You’ll be able to make up to $128,500 per year on the side as a freelance medical writer.
2. Triage Nurse
A triage nurse is a nurse that helps in an emergency room or urgent care setting. People call triage nurses to determine if they need to make a trip to the ER or not.
Triage nurses are responsible for asking the right questions and interviewing the patient to figure out if they need immediate care or not.
This can be a phone or chat position with flexible hours that allows you to work remotely.
Where to find triage nurse jobs?
You’ll conduct a job search to find open positions in places like:
According to this source, triage nurses can make up to $100,000 per year.
3. Telehealth Nurse
Telehealth is a growing industry, expected to reach $460 billion by the year 2030.
You can think of it like online healthcare.
A telehealth nurse is a nurse that works, helping deliver care from a remote location. They will use technology to deliver care over the phone, email, chat, and using other tech.
This is a specialized position in demand and you’ll work for hospitals, trauma centers, surgical centers, poison control centers, outpatient care facilities, and other places.
How much do telehealth nurses make?
According to Glassdoor, a telehealth nurse salary is estimated to be around $70,000 per year.
4. Blogging
Blogging is a side hustle that will bring you perks like working a flexible schedule, working from home, being the boss, and making an additional income stream.
Building a blog about nursing or healthcare is a great idea for a niche blog that will serve a specialized audience.
You can make money blogging with:
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsorships
- Advertising
- Selling your products
As a nurse blogger you’ll be writing to a very specific audience and this is an excellent opportunity to partner with health brands that will pay you to blog about them!
How much do bloggers make?
Starting out, some new bloggers may not earn their first $100 for months or longer while others can make six figures their first year.
The key to making the most from blogging is to diversify your income streams. Because of multiple income streams, this blogger makes $10,000 a month with their business.
To connect with other nurse writers and learn about growing your income as a medical writer or blogger, check out this community on Facebook.
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5. Sell Your Scrubs
Did you know you can make money selling your used scrubs?
Nurses know, you can build up a huge collection of scrubs quickly. If you’ve got extra scrubs, you can sell them online.
Check out places like these for selling your scrubs:
- Poshmark
- Mercari
- Ebay
- Facebook Marketplace (and post your listings to groups like Nursing Scrubs-Buy Sell Trade)
Poshmark and Mercari have more of an active role in the selling process, giving you a lot of support during the transaction and even providing you with a shipping label.
Ebay is great because they pay you on the spot once the buyer makes their purchase. Then, you’ll ship the scrubs to the customer and you’re done!
Facebook Marketplace is good for local selling where you can ship or hand deliver your scrubs that you sell to buyers.
Test out all these places and feel free to explore them all for selling your scrubs.
6. Seasonal Flu Shot Administrator
Work at a flu clinic as a seasonal flu shot administrator. You’ll give immunizations to patients at places like Walmart, Kroger, CVS, and Walgreens, among others.
This is a good opportunity for part-time work during flu season.
Where to find jobs as a seasonal flu shot administrator?
You can check job banks. Health staffing agencies are also a good place to find jobs like this. You can earn up to $40 per hour doing this on the side.
7. Medical Transcriptionist
A medical transcriptionist gets paid to transcribe voice recordings made by doctors and medical staff. You’ll listen to audio and type what you hear.
You may also review previously transcribed material to ensure accuracy and understanding.
Where do you find medical transcriptionist jobs?
Job banks online are a good place to look for medical transcriptionist jobs as well as health staffing agencies.
This job pays an average of just under $58,000 per year.
8. Etsy Seller
Etsy is a handmade marketplace home to thousands of sellers that create and sell tons of different things from hand knitted blankets to pillow cases, rugs, coffee mugs, custom artwork, and more.
With your nursing background you’ll know just what nurses need to keep them organized and happy at work.
Why not open an Etsy store and create nurse products?
Examples include lanyards, lunchboxes, garments, name badges, name plates, gear, etc. You’re also not limited to just selling nurse-related products. You can sell anything you’re passionate about that you can hand make like baby clothes, teacher gift bundles, tumblers, handbags, digital templates, etc.
How much can you make as an Etsy seller?
You can make an unlimited amount of money on Etsy. The sky’s the limit.
Keep in mind though, they do charge a $0.20 listing fee per item you sell on the platform along with processing fees when you make a sale.
Still, it can be a profitable venture for many, like this seller who makes $2,000/month on Etsy.
To get started, head to Etsy and start your seller account.
9. Babysitting
Nurses make an excellent choice for a babysitter, since they have a medical background. Also consider children that have special needs or need medicine administered. Parents will feel comfort in leaving their child with a professional in the healthcare industry and if you love kids, this will be a great side hustle to take up.
Where can you find babysitting jobs?
You can look at babysitting sites like:
How much do babysitters make?
You can earn up to $25 per hour as a babysitter, possibly more with a nursing background.
10. Personal Care Aide
A personal care aide is someone who assists others with personal care services like bathing, meal preparation, and other daily activities.
Here are some places you can find personal care aide jobs:
- Indeed
- Zip Recruiter
- Glassdoor
- Simply Hired
How much do personal care aides make?
You can earn around $30,000 per year working as a personal care aide.
11. CPR Instructor
As a CPR instructor you’ll teach others about CPR and first aid. While this isn’t an at-home job like many of those on this list, it’s a good opportunity to earn a side hustle as a nurse.
The Red Cross offers CPR instructor training and certification.
Where to find CPR instructor jobs?
You can head to the job banks and websites we’ve mentioned like Indeed or Glassdoor. You can also look at starting your own CPR instruction business where you teach classes of students CPR.
This could be a profitable and rewarding venture but be prepared for startup business costs like renting a space to teach in, materials for students, etc.
How much do CPR instructors make?
The pay varies according to the state you live in but, the average seems to be around $40,000 per year.
Final Thoughts
What do you think about these side hustles for nurses?
They’re a good source of additional income and could be a fun venture to take on which could even lead to an exciting career change.
Are there any nursing side hustles that we’ve missed? Comment below to share.
Related:
- 8 Side Hustles for Teachers
- How To Balance a Side Hustle With a Full Time Job
- Tips to Pay Off Debt: How Side Hustles Can Fast Track Your Success
- How My Side Hustle Income Helped Me Buy My First House
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