21 Best Side Hustles for Nurses in 2023

If you’re looking for the best side hustles for nurses, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to outline some of our favorite side jobs for nurses. Many of these opportunities for nurses include work-from-home nursing jobs.

Working as a full-time nurse will pay the bills. But what if you need a little extra money? All of these side job ideas will use your nursing skills to give you that extra money you want.

Look through this list of side jobs for nurses and find one that works for you.

15 Side Jobs for Nurses – Find the Best One

What is a side hustle? You know those surprise bills that come up that you didn’t plan for? Or maybe you just really want to take a trip somewhere and need a little extra cash. Nurse side hustles or side jobs can give you that extra financial security you want.

But a side job can also give you a way to earn extra cash doing something that you love. It can be your creative outlet. A way for a hobby to not cost you money.

Browse this list and find the job that sounds like the most fun. You already work for a living; make your side job something fun, and something that gives you joy.

Remote Side Jobs for Nurses

These nurse side hustles are great for nurses that need the flexibility of working from home.

1. Nurse Blogger or Influencer

After you put in the time and effort to set up a blog, it can earn you a bit of money. But the key here is, it really does take time to set up, create content, and grow a tribe of readers that will follow. I actually wrote a book about how to become a nurse blogger, and I share more great tips in there. But once your blog begins to receive regular page views, you can set up Google Adsense account (or another ad network) and earn a little extra cash.

Another option is to become an “influencer” but this will also take a lot of time. You’ll have to invest energy into creating followers and engaging on social media. If your job wears you out, being an influencer might not be the best option. But if you enjoy photography and building relationships online, you should consider it.

I know many great nurse bloggers who have leveraged their online presence to transition away from direct patient care roles and work full-time in their business. Two of my favorites are Kati Kleber from FreshRN and Kelsey Rowel from Whole Life Nurse.

Kati’s business focuses on new nurses. She started with a blog and has grown into a profitable and impactful professional nursing education business. Her Breakthrough ICU and Neuro Wise courses are phenomenal examples of using your nursing knowledge in non-traditional ways.

Kelsey’s business focuses on experienced and stressed-out nurses looking for new and creative ways to leverage their nursing license and knowledge to earn an income. She also teaches nurses how to land their dream job, negotiation skills, healthy boundaries, and so much more in her Crafting Your Dream Career membership.

2. Health Coach

Another fun way to earn a little extra money on the side is as a health coach. You can read my complete guide to becoming a health coach for all the details.

Basically, you work directly with clients one-on-one to improve their health. Health coaches offer nutrition guidance and fitness inspiration. The goal is to help them improve their overall health.

With health coaching, you’ll earn a fee from each client or you could be paid by an employer for your services to a large group. You’ll earn more money with a larger client base and group services. You can even partner with insurance companies. You can charge per hour or offer a subscription. This is the perfect side hustle for registered nurses who want to promote health, earn additional income, and step away from direct patient care.

3. Legal Nurse Consultant

Do you know any lawyers? If you do, you could offer your expertise as a consultant on any cases they might be working on.

A legal nurse consultant will share health care knowledge with lawyers on cases like:

malpractice suits
insurance fraud cases
toxic torts
personal injury
worker’s compensation

You’ll get paid per case that you help with. It’s a great way to earn extra income because you can take as little or as much work as you need, and leverage your nursing expertise and medical knowledge while helping patients and their families.

Nursing Side Hustles in Nursing Education

4. Nurse Tutoring

3 Hours Study Music Alpha Waves: Relaxing Studying Music, Brain Power, Focus Concentration Music

If you live near a local college that offers any nursing degrees, consider offering your services as a tutor. It’s the perfect nurse side hustle. You’ll earn a little bit of cash and help someone going through exactly what you already went through.

You can charge a fee per semester or charge per hour. That’s totally up to you. A fantastic way to get the word out about your services is to talk to nursing professors and let them know how students can reach you. Tutoring nursing students offers a flexible schedule and good opportunities for a side income stream.

5. Clinical Instructor

Working as a Clinical Instructor can be a fulfilling side hustle for nurses. It allows them to earn extra income, share their expertise with budding healthcare professionals, and stay updated in their field, all while fitting around their primary work schedules. It’s a smart way to diversify income without compromising existing responsibilities. If you want to keep your nursing skills sharp, stay close to direct patient care, and help future nurses, this is a great side gig.

6. CPR Instructor

Becoming a CPR Instructor as a side hustle offers nurses a chance to earn additional income while teaching life-saving skills. It’s a flexible role that can be tailored around a nurse’s main job, making it a practical choice for those looking to boost their earnings without a rigid schedule. Through this endeavor, nurses can share their knowledge, enjoy a sense of accomplishment, and contribute positively to their community.

7. CNA Teacher

Being a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) Teacher allows nurses to leverage their expertise to train aspiring healthcare aides. It’s a flexible side hustle that can be molded around a nurse’s primary job, providing an avenue for extra income. By stepping into a teaching role, nurses can share their practical knowledge, enrich the learning experience of their students, and contribute to the betterment of healthcare services in their community.

This endeavor not only diversifies income but also offers a fulfilling way to give back and stay engaged in the evolving field of healthcare. Some nurses even open their own CNA schools.

Earn Extra Income in or for Healthcare Facilities

8. Travel Nurse or Agency Nurse

One of the best ways to use your nursing background is to work in travel nursing or agency nursing. Nurses working in this capacity usually command higher hourly rates. This can sometimes be two or three times the rate of a traditional employee. One drawback is you may not have benefits. However, you can shop for your own health insurance and fund your own retirement.

9. Per Diem Nurse or PRN Nursing

Per Diem (PD) or PRN (as needed) nursing roles provide a flexible work schedule, allowing nurses to choose when and where they work, which can lead to a better work-life balance. These positions often offer higher hourly pay to compensate for the lack of traditional benefits. Working on a PD or PRN basis can help nurses gain diverse experiences, enhance their skills, and build valuable networks in the healthcare community. It’s a suitable option for those looking to gradually transition into another career or into retirement, or for those seeking to reduce the risk of burnout common in full-time nursing positions.

If your goal is flexible hours, working as a PRN nurse is a great option. You can pick up extra shifts or work a relatively set schedule, but at a much higher hourly rate.

10. Birth Doula

A birth doula is there with the mother through the entire labor, supporting her and helping her have the birth experience she wants. This might be a difficult option if you work full-time since you can’t really plan the mother’s labor in advance. But this can be a really rewarding way to spend a day or two off. There is nothing quite like the miracle of childbirth!

11. Home Health Educator

Additionally, consider the option of freelancing as a home health educator. Charge people a fee for helping them learn how to set up and use their equipment at home. This can include things like CPAP machines, making a home wheelchair friendly, or how to care for bedridden family members.

Healthcare Adjacent Side Hustles for Nurses

12. Camp Nurse

Another popular side job for nurses is working as a camp nurse. The most popular time for camping is obviously the summer. But there are also educational trips that happen in between semesters and during the school year. This will take a little extra planning since camping tends to be more than a few days long.

13. Maternal Care / Babysitting

You can offer services as a maternal care assistant or even part-time childcare. Some nurses will work directly with new moms to help them learn how to breastfeed at home and how to care for their newborn. This is almost like a part-time nanny.

Your skills as a nurse will also make you a popular choice for childcare work. Offer to watch children when the parents need a night off.

Side Jobs Outside the Healthcare Industry

14. Freelance Writer

Freelance writing offers flexibility, allowing writers to choose their hours and projects. It presents a chance to earn a good income, especially with a diverse portfolio. For those with healthcare or nursing expertise, freelancing can be an avenue to delve into medical or health-related content creation. This niche, given its specialized nature, often has a high demand for knowledgeable writers. Freelancing also enables networking with different professionals and continuous skill enhancement, especially when navigating the intricacies of healthcare topics, making it a rewarding and educational venture.

If you want to start with something that leverages your experience from your nursing career, and then eventually transition away from being a medical professional, freelance writing is a great option.

15. Substitute School Teacher

Additionally, if you love working with kids you might consider working as a substitute teacher as a side job for nurses. Check with your local state and/or county for minimum requirements. Most places only require that you have a bachelor’s degree.

You have the option of turning down any calls you receive, so this is a job that can work within your schedule.

16. Retail Sales

Working part-time in a retail sales setting could be a fun and different way to earn a little extra money too. Depending on the season, it could either be low-stress or as busy as a hospital. So keep that in mind. But if you really enjoy clothes and working with people, this might be a fun option to consider.

17. Travel Agent

On the flip side, you can work as a travel agent around your busy work schedule. Travel agents earn a commission on all the sales they make.

As a nurse, you already have organizational skills and the ability to plan and prioritize. You can do this for people as you create their dream vacations. And you can do all this without a dedicated office. All you need is a laptop and knowledge about the travel industry.

This article explains the details of how to become a travel agent – it’s pretty simple.

18. Airbnb Hosting

If you have a finished basement or part of your home that no one is using, consider renting it out via Airbnb. This will supplement your income with very little overhead. While the money won’t be reliable, it’s nice to have that little extra money.

Renting to traveling nurses is a great way to earn extra income, help out travel nurses, and start flexing your passive income muscles.

19. Dog walking/watching

Of course, you can also get away from working with people and instead work with pets! Earn some cash as a dog walker or pet watcher. This could be therapeutic. There are lots of apps you can use to advertise your services. Or, you can just talk to people you know and tell them you’d love to be considered.

20. Sell Art on Etsy

Art is another form of self-care and therapy that can earn you some money. Set up an Etsy shop and sell your creations. You can do all kinds of things on there. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Create handmade cards
Sew blankets
Paint original artwork
Screenprint t-shirts
Create original vinyl-decorated items (like mugs)
Create and sell planner accessories like stickers

You can also use your nursing education here by creating nursing printables, cheatsheets, and study guides.

21. Virtual Assistant

If you love to write, you could offer your services as a virtual assistant to professional bloggers. Some will hire for article writing, others for help with social media posts or content calendar creation.

Invest in learning about search engine optimization to make your skills more marketable.

Low-Stress Side Hustles for Nurses are Best

No matter which job you choose, keep it low-stress. Your job as a nurse demands so much mental and emotional strength. You should keep any extra time you put forth to require less, not more. Some jobs could even be a bit of therapy too.

We have a great list of the least stressful nursing jobs, many of which can be done part-time.

Consider Transitioning to a Remote Nurse Job

Did you know there are many nursing jobs that will let you work from home? Check out our article on work from home nursing jobs and Best Remote Nursing Jobs in the United States to find out if you can transition to a lower-stress job that will give you more time to work on your side hustle.