33 Side Hustles For Nursing Students That PAY WELL in 2023!
Are you looking for side hustles for nursing students to earn extra money?
It’s no secret that nursing is a fulfilling yet demanding job. It can be downright stressful, catering to the demands of doctors and patients.
This survey from Nurse.org shows just how burnt out nurses have been.
But the survey also shows how much strength and passion you have to have chosen nursing as a career.
So don’t feel bad for looking to earn some extra money on the side as a way to boost your income.
Whether you want to gain more clinical and caregiving experience or simply looking to take a break from your job, there’s an option for you.
I’m here to help you with the best side hustles for nursing students that you can do in your free time. They are flexible, pay well, and some can even be done remotely.
33 Side Hustles For Nursing Students
- Medical Transcriptionist
- Phlebotomist
- CPR/First Aid Instructor
- Clinical Education Instructor
- Medical Content Writer
- Medical Blogger
- Health Coach
- Immunizations Nurse
- Telehealth Nurse
- Per Diem (US) Nurse
- Medical Surveys
- Clinical Trial Nurse
- Part-time Caregiver
- Lactation Consultant
- Maternal Care Provider
- Door-to-Door Nurse
- Cosmetic Injector
- Create Online Courses
- Dog Walking/ Pet Sitting
- Babysitting
- Selling Crafts on Etsy
- Photographer
- Talk To People Online
- Social Media Manager
- Virtual Bookkeeping
- Voice-over Actor
- Translation Work
- Delivering Groceries
- Affiliate Marketing
- Rent Out A Spare Room
- Meal Prep Service
- Start a YouTube Channel
- Start a Podcast
Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.
33 Side Hustles For Nursing Students
1. Medical Transcriptionist
A medical transcriptionist is someone who takes audio transcription from the dictated recordings of medical personnel and transfers it into text files.
For example, when a doctor has completed a medical examination of a patient, they often dictate their report into the software to be sent for transcription later.
This is a time-saving exercise for medics and can be an excellent side hustle for nurse practitioner staff.
Somebody needs to:
- receive that file,
- listen to it,
- and create a written report containing the doctor’s words.
Transcribing is a specific skill set that requires some training. However, having a medical background is a huge advantage due to your familiarity with medical terminology and phrasing.
Transcribing is a job that can easily be done remotely due to it simply being a matter of requiring a computer, headset, and audio file.
Many transcription companies have minimum hours requirements, so this may be a good role to explore if you are looking for a part-time income to sit alongside a part-time nursing role.
You can take the opportunity to become a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) or a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), which will give you an additional qualification to hold alongside your nursing.
Companies offering transcription services include:
More to read:
- This is an excellent article about how to get started in medical transcription services.
- And have a read of my article about how to find great training for transcription roles.
- FREE Transcription Workshop
- FREE 7-Lesson Transcription Mini Course
2. Phlebotomist
A phlebotomist is a medical professional you see when you have to take a blood test.
They are sometimes independently qualified healthcare staff but can also be nurses who have moved from ward-based or community nursing into something more specialized.
Phlebotomy is not a remote position, but it can be flexible work across seven days in fixed or rotating locations.
Nurses moving into phlebotomy are not required to complete the usual (average six months) training and often only need to shadow a phlebotomist for a day to gain their phlebotomy qualification.
Phlebotomy can also open the door to work with insurance companies, covering their medicals as well as drawing blood.
It makes it one of the top side jobs for nurse practitioners, due to it being something that qualified nursing staff can shift into without requiring significant additional training or unpaid experience.
Medical companies hiring phlebotomists include:
3. CPR/First Aid Instructor
Many companies and healthcare institutions require their staff to receive regular and ongoing CPR and first aid training as an essential part of their job.
Your role would be to teach other people how to provide first aid or CPR in an emergency whilst waiting for emergency services to arrive, as well as offering training in related community healthcare topics.
Courses that you teach can vary from essentials such as how to use a defibrillator in the community, to treating wounds, as well as what to do when someone is having a medical emergency.
You could also look into working at your area’s Red Cross or YMCA, or in a community health clinic.
Your expertise will determine what you can realistically teach, but you could also cover areas such as nutrition, basic first aid, child safety, and other related topics.
You could work for one of the larger healthcare agencies, such as the American Red Cross or the American Heart Foundation.
Or you might end up working as a freelancer offering courses and classes to schools, community organizations, parents, or gym coaches.
Teaching for these agencies could easily turn into one of the best side hustles for nursing students. This article is a great place to start and learn about additional training and further requirements.
Have a look at relevant companies including:
Always do a job search for your preferred job title on sites such as Indeed.com, where many companies choose to list their current vacancies.
4. Clinical Education Instructor
If you love to teach and pass on your knowledge and expertise, you could look for a role tutoring students wanting to qualify as nurses, healthcare staff, paramedics, or other related medical professions.
Being a tutor or instructor is a great opportunity to work with the next generation of nursing and healthcare staff.
Another name you may see in job listings for this role could be Clinical Adjunct Instructor, so it’s always worth looking into alternative names for roles you have an interest in.
These jobs make good side hustles for nursing students and could bring some much-needed flexibility into your working week, as you are usually able to select the classes that you are able to teach.
It could also enable you to work across a range of settings including nursing schools, community colleges, universities, and even medical facilities.
Companies offering roles in this field include:
And remember, it’s always worth looking up this role on Indeed.com.
5. Medical Content Writer
Medical writing is a booming niche right now.
What do you do when you or one of your loved ones gets sick? I know what I do – look up their symptoms or diagnosis online!
So many people do this that Google now works with the Centers for Disease Control to monitor spikes in search terms, so as to inform current healthcare trends.
Getting into medical writing is an excellent way to take advantage of these widespread behaviors.
Health is a popular and lucrative freelance writing and blogging niche right now. That’s why it’s great for a side hustle nurse practitioner.
If you love to write or have a passion to share your knowledge and expertise you could start your own blog providing advice or find a role writing for online publications as a healthcare specialist.
Clients you could write for can include:
- medical publishers,
- medical journals, and
- online publications, as well as medical websites.
As a registered nurse, you could also write about products within your field of expertise.
Naturally, this kind of role would require you to ensure you are not breaking patient confidentiality or giving advice outside of your training and expertise.
You will need some proficiency in word processing and using Google docs.
Of course, basic writing skills are essential, but it is not difficult to find free writing resources and training online to help you along the way.
And don’t forget, you can get started where you are now and increase your skills and expertise as you go.
This is my freelance writing library of articles and advice, including links to the writing course that I recommend to all of my readers and coaching clients.
This is the course that got me started when I decided to become a freelance writer.
This is the list of articles I have collated about how to get started in health writing as a freelancer, along with some places to pitch to for work:
If you are having trouble knowing how to apply to freelance writing websites and how to come across as more experienced, so you can get paid higher.
I can recommend a super-duper freelance writing course I took, which helped me land 3 new clients in 3 weeks.
I spent ages googling FREE information and googling articles (like you are doing now) and I needed to keep my costs down as I wasn’t being paid for my writing just yet.
But I got sick of reading conflicting or confusing information and took the freelance writing course.
It taught me how to pitch to new clients and come across as experienced. Just look at this review:
I also learned how to set up a freelance writing website, where to find jobs, and what to charge.
The Write to $1K course has a 30-day template you just need to follow to get to your first $1k from writing.
If you are ever going to invest in one writing course – please let it be this one. It’s the most useful thing you can do if you want to know how to be a freelance writer with no experience.
There is no way you will finish the 30 days and not win a new client. Her training is THAT good. And I am not making this up, because I took the course myself.
6. Medical Blogger
Blogging is an excellent side gigs for nurses and can be done alongside a full-time job, but please note that blogging is a long game and won’t make you money quickly.
It takes time and investment to create and maintain a blogging income. Freelance writing would be a quicker way to bring in a cash return for your expertise.
But if the thought of blogging in the health and wellbeing niche is something that gets you excited, you could look to set up your own blog.
I took this blogging course that taught me how to make my first USD1,000 from my blog. Immensely useful.
Naturally, this side job involves less contact with people, so could be a great re-energizer for you after long days on the wards or in clinics.
I’ve written a guide to getting started in blogging, which will help you to work through the basics.
Once your blog is live on the internet, you can get started working on creating and publishing content and working towards monetizing your blog.
I have a post about how to make money blogging, even as a beginner.
And earlier in the 2020 pandemic, I added in video content on the same topic. Go here to watch my guide.
Moz (a market leader in online content marketing and writing) has a really clear and simple guide to getting started in the health blogging niche.
He gives specific examples of the topics within that niche that are lucrative and other aspects of blogging that you will need to bear in mind as you work towards launching your blog.
Leesa Klich is a great example of how you can dive into the health niche and make a fantastic income using the starting point of your knowledge, skills, and experience to benefit your readers and clients.
Also have a look at The Niche Blogger’s Health, Wellness and Fitness Niche Report 2020 for a more in-depth analysis of the health niche for bloggers.
It’s crammed full of information, advice, and strategy for those of you who are already thinking that health blogging may be the way you want to go.
Ever wondered how the HECK all these bloggers make money?
I share ALL my blog income sources and how you can get started with a profitable blog.
Check out : How to make Money Blogging For Beginners!
7. Health Coach
A health coach is a professional who supports people as they make lifestyle changes, especially related to nutrition and exercise.
You would work one-to-one with clients to help them as they strive to improve their health.
Note that this would not usually include mental health or wellbeing, which would fall within Wellness Coaching.
You would need to work on gaining certification from one of the organizations running training and qualifications, such as Integrative Nutrition.
These tend to be short-form courses that are achievable within your spare time.
Here are a couple of websites that will help you to find more details and training as you begin your search into health coaching:
After all, who would you trust more to support you in improving or guarding your health than a nurse!
8. Immunizations Nurse
Immunization nurses are responsible for giving immunizations in seasonal or infant clinics. It is an especially needed role with the Covid vaccine almost ready for release to the general public early in 2021.
These nurses also give shots in schools as needed in part-time roles during the school day and often work seasonal roles as well.
This work usually occurs between September and December, when flu shot season is in full swing.
For any role involving vaccinations, you would be required to be a fully qualified and fully licensed nurse.
Companies to look out for:
9. Telehealth Nurse
Telehealth is the first line of triage for non-emergency patients wanting to access healthcare and is offered as either a telephone or video service.
Telehealth nurses evaluate the needs of each patient and help them to manage their health problems, medications, or injuries.
Even prior to the 2020 pandemic, telehealth was increasing at a rapid rate, as it made a wider range of healthcare options available to those who find it difficult to access mainstream services.
It also enables healthcare providers to increase the number of patients they can treat within their working hours and prevent unnecessary patient visits to physical locations.
Telehealth nursing is one of the obvious nurse practitioner side jobs, which can be a work-from-home position but sometimes occurs within a call center.
Telehealth is increasingly being used as an alternative or addition to traditional healthcare models in 2020.
Dissent Magazine published an excellent article detailing examples of how this is being played out during this worldwide pandemic.
Requirements to work as a telehealth nurse vary depending on the service provider, but an unrestricted nursing license is vital, along with 3-5 years of practice experience.
Companies include:
10. Per Diem Nurse
Per diem (Latin for ‘by day’) shifts are those you sign up for on a shift-by-shift basis.
You are basically on standby on those days or hours that you make available and help to cover areas where hospitals and clinics are understaffed at any given time.
This way of working attracts higher pay than regular nursing, as you are being compensated for your flexibility and the loss of contracted employee benefits.
However, it can be last-minute, and you need to be able to be responsive.
Per diem is also an excellent way to try out a new discipline within the field before you decide whether to switch.
Nurse Money Talk has an excellent article about what it means to work per diem.
You can sign up with an agency or sometimes directly with a healthcare provider itself. Some examples of per diem agencies are:
- Nurse Finders
- ClearlyRated has a detailed list of the top 20 per diem agencies, as well as geographically arranged lists per state.
11. Medical Surveys
Doing medical surveys is a great side hustle for nursing students because you can easily complete online surveys in your free time.
Many medical and healthcare companies value the opinions of healthcare workers and offer a decent reward in return.
Here are some sites that you can start with to look for this side job for nurses:
12. Clinical Trial Nurse
Universities and pharmaceutical companies hire clinical trial nurses to monitor patients, help administer drugs, and collect data.
You can earn some extra cash while gaining valuable experience in research doing this side hustles for nurses.
13. Part-time Caregiver
Offer your medical knowledge and care for the elderly, disabled, or infirm in their homes.
This side hustle for nursing students offers flexible hours and a reasonable hourly rate.
Make this your side hustles for nurse practitioners and find work on:
14. Lactation Consultant
This is a perfect side hustle for nursing students if you love babies.
A lactation consultant guides and supports new mothers through the breastfeeding process.
You can choose to find work at hospitals and birthing centers or become a freelance lactation consultant.
15. Maternal Care Provider
If you want to gain more experience in maternal and child care, consider becoming a maternal care provider as your nurse practitioner side hustle.
You will look after pregnant women and new mothers postpartum to ease them into their new role.
Find work doing this rn side jobs at local hospitals and clinics.
16. Door-to-Door Nurse
Being a home health nurse are good side hustles for nurses and is a great way to gain practical experience.
You visit patients in their homes to provide medical care, such as:
- deliver and administer medication
- monitor vital signs
- bathe and wash the elderly
Find this side hustles for rns from:
17. Cosmetic Injector
Nursing students can find nurse side jobs by carrying out non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as Botox and fillers.
There is a growing demand for cosmetic injectors at medical spas and aesthetic centers.
You can find this side business for nurses at:
18. Create Online Courses
You don’t have to teach in person to share your knowledge and expertise with others.
An online course can become a lucrative side businesses for nurses once you put in the hard work to create it.
Create an online course on nursing-related topics and sell it on Udemy or Teachable, and watch it earn you some passive income.
19. Dog Walking/ Pet Sitting
This is a great side hustle for nursing students who love animals.
Pet sitting involves feeding and playing with pets, and looking after them while their owners are away.
You can look into this easy side jobs for nurses on:
20. Babysitting
If you love being around kids, babysitting is an easy way to make extra cash in your free time.
You can ask around your neighborhood and community if they need a babysitter or check out Sittercity and UrbanSitter.
21. Selling Crafts on Etsy
Show off your creative skills and sell your handmade goods on Etsy.
If you need ideas on what to sell, find more ways for nurses to make extra money from this list of Etsy best sellers.
22. Photographer
One of the best side jobs for nurses is to turn your photo-taking hobby into a legit money-making side hustle.
Whether it’s everyday moments or medical-related images, you’ll find a place to sell your photos on these best stock websites.
23. Talk To People Online
Extend your caring nature to those who are looking for emotional support and be their listening ear.
You can become a virtual friend from anywhere. Do these side jobs for nurses from home and get paid to chat.
24. Social Media Manager
If you have a finger on the latest social media trend and news and love creating content for your followers, why not put your skills to use for others?
Many companies are hiring social media managers to engage with their customers and boost sales.
You can become a freelance social media manager even if you have no experience.
25. Virtual Bookkeeping
This side hustle for nursing students is great for those of you who are organized and good with numbers.
Help small businesses manage their daily financial records and transactions remotely.
Find out the exact steps you can take to become a virtual bookkeeper.
26. Voice-over Actor
Use your voice to provide narration and voiceovers for audiobooks, commercials, and video games.
All you need is a microphone and computer, and you’ve got yourself a sweet side gig making money with your voice.
27. Translation Work
Do you know more than two languages? If yes, start making some money off of your skills now.
Companies like Gengo and TranslatorsBase offer remote jobs you can do anytime and anywhere.
28. Delivering Groceries
Another side hustle jobs for nurses is to help people with their groceries.
Many large stores like Costco are using services such as Instacart to deliver groceries to their customers.
29. Affiliate Marketing
Promote and recommend products that you’ve tried and love and earn a commission while you’re at it.
You don’t even need a website to do affiliate marketing. This is a great side jobs for nurses online.
30. Rent Out A Spare Room
If you really don’t have the time for a side hustle, take advantage of the extra room in your house and rent it out on Airbnb or Vrbo.
You won’t need to spend much time and energy and still get to make some extra income every month.
31. Meal Prep Service
Meal prepping for others is a great idea if you’re already doing it for yourself.
You can take orders from friends and family or offer your services on TaskRabbit.
32. Start a YouTube Channel
Create content about nursing-related topics or document your nursing journey and post it on YouTube.
You can stand to make a lot of money through ads and channel membership once you join their YouTube Partner Program, making this one of the best side hustles for nurse practitioners.
33. Start a Podcast
If you’re camera-shy, consider starting a podcast instead as side hustles for nursing students.
Take inspiration from these top nursing podcasts, and start sharing your insights with your audience.
Once you have a loyal following, you can monetize your podcast through ads, sponsorships, and Patreon support.
How Can A Nursing Student Make Extra Money On The Side?
All of us want to be in a place where we are financially secure. This can be difficult to ensure when your chosen career or vocation will never feature in the world’s top highly-paid roles in the job market.
Nurses are an essential part of our healthcare systems, whether in publicly-funded or private healthcare. And yet they are often woefully underpaid and incredibly over-worked.
They are vital to maintaining our nation’s health and don’t always have the time or energy to work on ways to increase their income or widen the scope of their influence.
Sometimes nurses need to make a chunk of extra money to stay afloat.
At other times they want to save for something special.
And some simply have the desire to expand their knowledge and experience something different.
There are thousands of side jobs for registered nurses that nursing staff can step into if they only had the tools and advice to make informed choices without having to worry about making the wrong choices or losing precious family or social time.
That’s why I came up with this list of the best side hustles for nurses.
Please remember whenever you are looking to increase your income or diversify your income streams, you will need to consider the tax implications of your decisions.
FAQ On Side Hustles For Nursing Students
What Is The Easiest Nursing Job That Pays Well?
These are the easiest nursing jobs available that also pay well, according to Glassdoor:
- Informatics nurse (USD154,951/year)
- Hospice nurse (USD137,304/year)
- Case management nurse (USD119,195/year)
- Ambulatory care nurse (USD117,661/year)
- Nurse educator (USD116,861/year)
- Research nurse (USD103,530/year)
- Nurse administrator (USD99,826/year)
- Occupational health nurse (USD95,665/year)
- Public health nurse (USD93,185/year)
- School nurse (USD85,576/year)
What Is The Easiest Career In Nursing?
According to Nurse.org, these specialties are the most satisfying:
- Nurse educators work in academia, teaching nursing students
- Home health nurses experience more flexibility and autonomy in a home environment
- Nurse managers oversee staff and face less bedside time
- OR-Perioperative nurses care for patients before, during, and after surgery
- Pediatric nurses specialize in caring for children and their families
What Are The Lowest Paying Nursing Jobs?
The lowest paying nursing jobs, according to ZipRecruiter are:
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs): USD51,853/year
- Certified nursing assistants (CNAs): USD33,371/year
- Home health aides (HHAs): USD27,921/year
These jobs don’t require a college degree and have fewer responsibilities than higher-level nursing jobs. Your location and experience will also determine your salary.
What Is The Most Profitable Nurse?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most profitable nurse are Certified registered nurse anesthetists, who earn an average salary of USD195,610/year. They are considered Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and must earn at least a master’s degree, be licensed in their state, and pass a national certification exam.
How To Make Extra Money As A Nurse Practitioner?
You can consider these options to make extra money as a nurse practitioner:
- Offer telehealth services from home
- Freelance health writer or blogger
- Become a health coach
- Pick up per-diem shifts
- Become a first-aid instructor
- Immunizations nurse
- Medical transcriptionist
- Tutor nursing students
- Participate in research studies or clinical trials
- Be a part-time caregiver
What Are Good Side Jobs For Nurses?
These are ten good side jobs for nurses looking to supplement their income:
- Freelance health writing or blogging
- Become a health coach
- Working as a medical transcriptionist
- Be a part-time caregiver
- Tutor nursing students
- Take on per-diem shifts
- Offer telehealth services from home
- Be an immunization nurse
- Provide first-aid/CPR training
- Work in childcare
Jobs For Nurses Who Don’t Want To Be Nurses?
Consider these career options if you’re a nurse who no longer wants to be in a traditional nursing role. They don’t involve direct patient care but still make use of your nursing skills.
- Freelance medical writer or blogger
- Medical biller
- Lactation consultant
- Nutritionist
- Health coach
- Nursing recruiter
- Medical transcriptionist
- Medical sale representative
- Nursing informatics
- Healthcare consultant
How To Make Extra Money As An Rn?
Here are 10 ways to make extra money as an Rn:
- Pick up per diem shifts
- Tutor nursing students
- Start a medical-related blog
- Work as a freelance medical writer
- Offer caregiving services to patients at their home
- Participate in clinical trials
- Create online nursing courses
- Work as a door-to-door nurse
- Become a health coach
- Work as a legal nurse consultant
Final Thoughts On Side Hustles For Nursing Students
And there you have it, my full and varied list of side hustles for nursing students, which you can use as a starting point when looking to diversify or increase your income.
It’s always good practice to diversify and to have something that offers you another income stream of point of interest.
With vocations such as nursing, it’s often helpful to have something else in your life that lightens the mental and physical load created by your main nursing role.
None of these roles are easy side hustles for nursing students, as they all require time, effort, and experience. However, they are inherently doable for someone who has the drive to launch out on a new path.
I hope the roles I’ve discussed will be a valuable starting point for you as you begin to explore other roles to supplement your nursing role.
Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
I’d love to hear from nursing staff who have diversified their skills and found good healthcare side hustles or have branched out into something related but different.
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