Side hustles for nurses
Side hustles for nurses and RNs
that use your clinical experience.
Your clinical judgment, your calm under pressure and your ability to explain health to worried people are worth more than one paycheck. Here are the best side hustles for nurses, from extra shifts to remote work from home, and how to start without burning out.
Free · No card needed · Results in a few minutes
Why nurses
Extra income without more exhaustion.
Many nurses look for side gigs because they're overworked and underpaid for what they carry every shift. The obvious answer, picking up more shifts, pays quickly but adds to the exhaustion that made you look in the first place.
The good news: nursing experience is valued well beyond the bedside. Lawyers, health companies, publishers, schools and patients all pay for what you know. Some of the best side hustles for nurses can be done from home, on your own schedule, and a few can grow into a business of your own.
Your options
9 of the best side hustles for nurses.
From the fastest extra money to side gigs that can become a new path away from the bedside.
1. Per diem and PRN shifts
Extra shifts at other facilities or through an agency, on the days you choose.
- Best for: the fastest way for nurses to make extra money
- Watch your rest: it adds hours, not freedom
2. Telehealth and remote triage
Phone and video triage, follow-up calls and patient education from home, part-time or per shift.
- Best for: RNs with strong assessment experience
- Check license rules for where your patients are
3. Health and wellness coaching
Help clients build healthier habits around sleep, stress, nutrition or managing a long-term condition, within your scope of practice.
- Best for: nurses who love the teaching side of care
- Can grow into an online business of your own
4. Medical writing and content review
Write or review patient education, health articles and training material for health companies and publishers.
- Best for: nurses who write clearly and accurately
- Fully remote, deadline-based work
5. Legal nurse consulting
Review medical records and explain clinical care to attorneys in injury and malpractice cases.
- Best for: experienced RNs with an eye for detail
- Optional training and certification help you stand out
6. CPR, BLS and first aid instructor
Teach certification courses to companies, schools, community groups and other healthcare workers.
- Best for: nurses who enjoy teaching groups
- Requires an instructor certification
7. Tutoring and teaching nursing students
Tutor nursing students, help with exam preparation, or create an online course on your specialty.
- Best for: nurses with a specialty others want to learn
- Works online, evenings and weekends
8. Clinics, events and camp nursing
Vaccination clinics, health screenings, school and event nursing, or summer camp nurse roles.
- Best for: nurses who want short, varied assignments
- Seasonal: book summer camps in spring
9. EHR go-live and informatics support
Short contracts helping hospitals train staff when they launch or upgrade electronic health record systems.
- Best for: nurses who are the go-to person for the system
- A first step towards nursing informatics
Not sure which side hustle fits you?
The free Reset Profile looks at your experience and shows which skills people would pay for, who needs them, and a first offer you could test.
From home or in person
Remote side hustles for nurses and in-person options.
From home
- Telehealth and remote triage
- Medical writing and content review
- Legal nurse consulting
- Online tutoring and courses for nursing students
- Health and wellness coaching online
In person
- Per diem and PRN shifts
- CPR, BLS and first aid classes
- Vaccination clinics and health screenings
- School, event and summer camp nursing
- EHR go-live support contracts
Before you start
Three things to check to protect your license.
Your license and scope
Stay within your scope of practice, and check license rules for the state or country where your patients or clients are.
Your insurance
Independent work may not be covered by your employer's insurance. Look into your own professional liability cover.
Your employer and your rest
Check your employer's policy on outside work, and protect your sleep. Patient safety comes first, in every job.
Step by step
How to start a nursing side hustle this month.
Find your strongest skill
Your specialty, the patients you know best, or what colleagues ask you about. The free career assessment helps you choose.
Pick one side hustle
Decide what you need most: fast money, work from home, or something that can grow. Then pick one option above.
Check the requirements
Licenses, certifications and insurance for that option. Sort them out before your first client or shift.
Find your first clients
Former colleagues, nurse networks and LinkedIn. Many nursing side gigs are filled through people you already know.
Protect your schedule
Fix the hours you give it each week, and keep your days off truly off. Burnout ends side hustles fast.
Start with step 1 today
Find out which of your skills people would pay for. Free, in a few minutes.
What comes next
From side gig to a path away from the bedside.
For some nurses, a side hustle is welcome extra income. For others, it's a way to test a new direction before leaving bedside nursing. If that's you, see our guide to non-bedside nursing jobs.
If you'd like to build something of your own, like coaching, courses or consulting, read about freelance side hustles for experienced professionals or a career change at 40.
Silvio Paiva · Founder, The 40s Reset
Who wrote this
Why I wrote this guide.
I'm not a nurse. My background is in health psychology and business, followed by over two decades in enterprise B2B sales and consulting.
I built The 40s Reset to help experienced professionals, nurses included, see the value in what they already know and turn it into income of their own.
Free career assessment
Your clinical experience is worth more than you're paid.
Find out which of your skills people would pay for, who needs them, and what your first side hustle offer could be.
Free · No card needed · Results in a few minutes
Questions
Side hustles for nurses: common questions.
What are the best side hustles for nurses?
Per diem shifts, telehealth and remote triage, health coaching, medical writing, legal nurse consulting, CPR and BLS instructing, tutoring nursing students, clinic and camp nursing, and EHR go-live support.
What side hustles can nurses do from home?
Telehealth and remote triage, medical writing and content review, legal nurse consulting, online tutoring and courses, and health coaching online can all be done from home.
What is the fastest way for nurses to make extra money?
Per diem and PRN shifts usually pay soonest, because the demand already exists. Remote side gigs take longer to start but are easier to fit around full-time shifts.
Can RNs have a side hustle while working full time?
Usually yes. Check your employer's policy on outside work, stay within your scope of practice, and protect your rest so neither job puts patients at risk.
Do I need extra certification for nursing side gigs?
For some. CPR and BLS instructing requires an instructor certification, telehealth may require a license where your patients are, and legal nurse consulting benefits from optional training. Medical writing and coaching usually need none beyond your nursing background.
Are there side hustles for LPNs too?
Yes. Per diem shifts, vaccination clinics, camp and event nursing, medical writing and, with the right certification, CPR instructing can all suit LPNs, depending on local scope-of-practice rules.