Nurses are highly trained professionals, but with salaries comparable to the national average, sometimes nurses need extra money. If you’re saving for a special vacation, a home down payment, or working to pay off debt, these nurse side hustles can offer lucrative part-time options along with your nursing career. Read on for 28 ideas to start making more this month. 

Are Nurses Allowed to Do Side Hustles?

Yes, nurses are allowed to take on side hustles. Like any other professional, if they need income in addition to their full-time employment, nurses can use their skills and training to earn more, work part-time, become nurse entrepreneurs, or even just work a few extra hours a week. They can start a small business, consider seasonal business ideas, or learn to start businesses with $1,000 or less.  

Why Should You Start Doing Side Hustles as a Nurse?

Common reasons why nurses start side hustles include:

• Career moves: Explore new work areas before making a career transition.
• Giving more: Use your skills to help more people. 
• Learn new skills: Side hustles can be a way to develop valuable skills that can increase earning potential and/or job security. 
• Extra income: Extra income can help you reach your financial goals. 
• Diversify income streams: Allowing you greater flexibility and security. 
• Retire early: With the additional income, nurses could build more savings and consider an early retirement

28 Best Side Hustles for Nurses

Side hustles for nurses can offer additional part-time income, a creative outlet, or even become a lucrative full-time business. Remember that if you make at least $600 in this side hustle working for someone else, you will receive a form 1099. You can set up an LLC for the legal protection of your work and to write off material or expenses used for the side hustle. 

Ready to get started? Learn more about how to start a successful business, and then get started with these ideas!  

Telehealth Nurse

Telehealth nursing is a way you can work from home and improve efficiency in the healthcare industry. You can work evenings, on your days off, or flexible hours. As a telehealth nurse, you could earn hourly compensation like your full-time job while working from home. 

Clinical Trial Nurse

Clinical trial nurses are usually hired directly by the universities or companies conducting the trial. Clinical trial nurses can be well-paid for the duration of a study, which can range from a month to a year. While clinical trial nurses are well paid, this is a short-term position. You’ll usually need to work a few hours a week at most during the study, but that varies according to the study design.  

Take Medical Surveys

Medical surveys can offer consistent, steady income in your off hours or weekends. Taking medical surveys allows you to offer your opinion as a nurse on medical devices, diagnostic tests, drugs, and healthcare technologies. These opinions are highly valued by companies who want to improve their products or services. While regular surveys pay $1 to $3 per survey, medical surveys may pay more. 

Door-to-Door Nurse

As a door-to-door nurse, you can set your own hours and work as a mobile nurse that travels to patients’ homes or works at sporting events or other large venues. Door-to-door nurses also help elderly patients with bathing needs, medications, blood tests, or other basic medical needs. You could build a regular clientele and flexible hours as a door-to-door nurse. Compensation is similar to other nursing positions, around $40 an hour. 

Phlebotomist

A phlebotomist draws blood. It’s a career that’s both in high demand and well paying. Nurses can do this as a side hustle after their normal work hours to earn extra easily.  Hourly pay is usually around $15 to $20. 

Of course, if you earn more than $600 a month as a phlebotomist, you’ll receive a 1099 tax form from the hiring company. You can reduce your legal liability and deduct applicable expenses by forming an LLC for your nursing and phlebotomist business. 

Join Focus Group Discussions

Focus groups pay people for their opinions, and nurses’ opinions are highly valued, especially for medical equipment or processes. Most focus group studies pay between $70 to $250, and you can choose to participate whenever you have time. 

Nurse Blogger

A nurse blogger is someone who blogs about their experience as a nurse or provides patient education. Many hospitals and clinics hire nurse bloggers to build patient resources. Startup costs as a blogger are low, you can work on it whenever you want, and earning potential is unlimited, making it a fulfilling side hustle for nurses. 

Birth Doula

Working as a birth doula means you can help leading up to the birth and be present for the birth to support the birthing process. While hours are highly unpredictable due to the nature of births, this can be a fulfilling career or side hustle if you want to help families. A doula working full-time can earn around $45,000 per year, but that varies by experience and location.

Setting up an LLC for your birth doula business will provide legal protection and build the client’s trust. In addition, if you earn more than $600 from a single company, you will be issued a 1099 form. Having the LLC will allow you to deduct expenses, including materials and transportation costs. 

Maternal Care Provider

Like a birth doula, maternal care providers offer support to pregnant mothers and further care for the mother and baby after birth. Also called postpartum doulas, these nurses can help with all aspects of motherhood, including nursing and health of both the mother and the baby. You can also set your own hours and earn similar salaries to other nursing careers.

Freelance Medical Writer

Being a freelance medical writer can be a fun side job as it allows you to share your expertise writing for blogs and magazines in your off hours. You can leverage your expertise and make between $20 and $100 an hour on a flexible schedule. 

Setting up an LLC for your freelance writing business will protect you legally and build trust from clients. In addition, if you earn more than $600, you will receive a 1099. The LLC will facilitate you to deduct expenses, including office materials and supplies. 

Proofreader

If you have strong attention to detail, working as a proofreader offers flexible hours and competitive pay. You could earn $50,000+ full-time once you become established, or work around your nursing career. 

Medical Transcriptionist

As a medical transcriptionist, you listen to audio and transcribe it into written content. Nurses are specially qualified to work as medical transcriptionists. You can work in your free time, and consider it a full-time career as you could earn between $36,000 and $60,000 as a medical transcriptionist. 

Cosmetic Injector

If you have experience with cosmetic fillers and are comfortable administering them, you can offer cosmetic injections as a side hustle on an individual basis or as a regular career. You can set hours, from a few hours a week to a full-time career. You could even host spa parties. Salaries range based on location and services offered.

Per Diem Shifts

Nurses can also choose to take extra per diem shifts. You can work as much or as little as you like, whenever you choose. High-demand nursing positions include:

• Certified Nursing Assistants
• State-Tested Nursing Assistants
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Registered Nurses

Remember that if you take per diem shifts from any company other than your regular employer, you’ll be issued a 1099 and need to report appropriate taxes. If you create an LLC for your nursing business, you gain legal protection and can deduct materials and other expenses from the income. 

Create and Sell Online Courses

Nurses can create and sell unique health educational courses online. Set your own hours and build a following to create passive income through course sales. Earnings may start small based on how you price the courses, but the income potential is unlimited. 

Health Coach

Coaching careers are on the rise. A health coach assists individuals in making lifestyle changes to improve their overall well-being and usually includes nutrition, daily eating habits, and exercises. Health coaches charge an average of $31 an hour. You can set your own hours and work as much as you want. 

Part-Time Caregiver

Nurses are uniquely qualified to be highly-paid, part-time caregivers. You will work caring for different people, including the aged or the infirm. You can work either as a registered nurse or PSW (personal support worker) and earn an average of $16 per hour. 

Start a Medical Podcast

Medical podcasts can be a way to educate, inform, and entertain patients. You can start a medical podcast for the clinic or hospital where you work or on your own. If you start on your own, earning potential is unlimited, although it will be low until you build a following or listener base and can secure sponsorship. 

You can ask your current employer if they would like to advertise on the podcast. Time commitment is low and can be adapted around other commitments. 

CPR Instructor 

If you’re certified to teach CPR, you can start a side hustle as a CPR instructor. You can offer these short classes at schools, health education centers, sports complexes, companies, and other venues. You can work a couple of hours a week and make some extra money. Based on the venue, you’ll usually be paid for the course rather than hourly. 

Lactation Consultant

Lactation consultants are always in high demand. You’ll work to help moms having trouble lactating or with babies having difficulty latching on. You can offer home visits part-time on your own schedule or build it into a full-time career.

You can also work as a part-time lactation consultant for hospitals or clinics. In that case, if you earn more than $600 a month, you’ll be issued a form 1099 (assuming you’re an independent contractor). You can set up an LLC for your consultant business to offer legal protection, demonstrate credibility, and deduct business expenses like supplies and transportation.

Immunization Nurse

As an immunization nurse, you’ll be responsible for providing immunizations. This career is in high demand, especially at companies that prefer to bring in a nurse to offer company-wide vaccinations. You can also travel to offer immunizations to communities in need. 

This can be a part-time side hustle around your career or a full-time job. You can set your hours. Earning potential is higher than other nursing positions as companies are willing to pay more for the convenience of having you on-site. 

First Aid Instructor

As a nurse, you don’t need much additional training to become a first aid instructor. In this role, you will help others learn proper first-aid techniques. This can be a profitable side hustle if you market your services to companies and offer training on-site. You can work a few hours a week or turn it into a full-time job.

Nurse Vlogger

Like a nurse blogger, a nurse vlogger can create educational videos for patients or vlog their experience working as a nurse (while protecting patient privacy). This can be a fun way to share what you know and what your life looks like for others, including prospective nursing students. 

It’s inexpensive to get started as a nurse vlogger. While you probably won’t make much initially, you can offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to local hospitals and clinics to build a revenue stream. You can set your own hours as a nurse vlogger. 

Tutor Nursing Students

Nursing students need extra support to understand roles, responsibilities, and procedures. This can be a fulfilling way to give back to nurses just starting their careers. You could earn $10 to $30 per hour or more for tutoring services, depending on where you offer tutoring and the subjects covered. You can set your own hours with this side hustle. Learn more about starting a tutoring business here. 

Travel Nurse

Travel nurses were in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a travel nurse, you will travel to an area that is short-staffed for as little as a few weeks to a few months. In return, the hospital or clinic usually offers you a generous housing and travel budget plus a higher salary. This is a great way for nurses to earn a significant amount as long as they are flexible to travel. 

Self-Publishing

You can self-publish a book on your experience as a nurse or create educational materials that hospitals and clinics can use to educate patients. While there are some initial upfront costs, you could earn thousands of dollars if your books become popular and you get purchasing commitments before self-publishing.

Health Virtual Assistant

A health virtual assistant (VA) will interface with clients and provide a face and voice to patients reaching out. Like other VA roles, you can work on scheduling, promotion, responding to emails, and more. This could be a part-time or freelance career or a full-time work-from-home job. The average salary in the US for health virtual assistants is about $31 per hour. Learn more about starting a virtual assistant business. 

Nurse Consultant

Consulting is a growing career that can mean different things to different people. You can offer health consultations on various subjects, from private health advice to medical equipment purchasing, and establish yourself as an expert in the field. There is no limit to how much you can earn as a nurse consultant. You can also set your own hours and work as a side hustle or full-time career. 

You can protect yourself legally in your consulting business by establishing an LLC. Then, you can also deduct business expenses and even hire employees as your company grows. 

How to Start a Side Job for Nurses in 5 Steps?

If you’re ready to start a side hustle as a nurse, follow these simple steps:

1. Choose a Side Hustle Idea

Choose whichever side hustle idea makes sense for your interests and qualifications. You can also start with one side hustle and add more over time. 

2. Create a Business Plan

A business plan should include your vision, mission, goals, business structure, market analysis, and legal structure of the business. If you’re just starting out, this can be a simple one-page document with projected income and expenses along with growth opportunities. Learn more about creating a business plan.

3. Consider Setting Up a Business Entity

A business entity like an LLC is simple to set up and adds legitimacy to your business. In addition, if you’re earning more than $600, you will get a 1099 from the companies you work for. You can invoice from the LLC and write off any business expenses. An LLC also allows you to expand the business or hire employees. 

4. Determine Your Finances and Tax Obligations

Determine any initial startup costs, as well as company tax obligations. You don’t need much money; you could even start a business without money. 

If you set up an LLC, you can opt for pass-through taxation and report any business income on your individual tax return. Speak to a CPA for additional personal tax advice. 

5. Obtain and Maintain Licenses and Permits

You may need additional licenses or permits for certain side hustles, especially those that involve medical care or advice. Check your state and local rules to obtain the necessary permits. 

Final Tips On Starting a Side Hustle

Remember that a side hustle isn’t another full-time job. It’s something that you enjoy doing and can bring in extra income. A side hustle can build financial freedom through multiple income streams. Doola can help you launch your side hustle business with exceptional bookkeeping services designed for founders. Take the confusion out of managing finances by getting Doola bookkeeping services here!

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