The 15 Best Side Hustles for Nurses

1. BLS/PALS/ACLS Instructor  

Working as a BLS, PALS, or ACLS instructor is an easy way to earn some extra cash. RNs must be certified for most jobs, so transitioning to an instructor role is easy. 

You will need to complete an online course and then work with a preceptor to teach several classes. Once completed, you will be able to teach on your own.  

Instructors are responsible for teaching new certification and recertification classes.  

• Expected earnings: $32 / hour 
• Requirements: Instructor certification from the American Health Association (AHA), including successful completion of the Instructor Essentials Course and the hands-on sessions with a qualified instructor  

2. Nurse Writer  

With the rise of the internet, online media sources, and laypeople turning to the internet for health and medical advice, nurse health writing is becoming increasingly popular. 

It is a difficult field to break into and can be oversaturated at times. However, nurse writers can work for a variety of online and print publications, depending on your availability, and the schedule is usually extremely flexible.  

• Expected earnings: $23 / hour
• Requirements: RN license   

3. Vaccine Nurse  

An easy way to earn extra cash is to work as a vaccine nurse. Consider working for a large pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens and administering different vaccines. 

This position will have increased hours, especially during the fall and winter when there is an increased need for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. 

• Expected earnings: $39 / hour
• Requirements: Minimum ADN and RN license   

4. Nurse/Health Interpreter  

This side hustle might be a little more difficult as it requires proficiency in another language. Ideal for those who are bilingual, a health interpreter may be an easy nursing side hustle for some. 

Healthcare interpreters are in high demand, especially those with a nursing background.  

• Expected earnings: $28 / hour
• Requirements:  ADN, RN license, Language Proficiency, and completion of required interpretation training  

5. Nursing School Tutor  

Working as a tutor to nursing students is an excellent way to earn some extra cash, especially if you have a strong grasp on the foundations of nursing. You can work directly for a company that offers tutoring services or independently for your own students. 

Start by reaching out to local nursing programs or put your information on nursing student Facebook groups! With the increase in online learning, it’s easy to utilize platforms such as Zoom to tutor students from anywhere in the country.  

• Expected earnings: $20 / hour 
• Requirements: Minimum ADN and RN license    

6. NCLEX RN Instructor  

NCLEX instructors are specifically needed to assist nursing students and graduates in passing the NCLEX. 

NCLEX tutors focus specifically on practicing questions and the process of understanding how to answer the questions, especially if you do not know the answer. 

• Expected earnings: $48 / hour 
• Requirements: Minimum BSN and RN license  

7. Itemized Test Writer   

Some nursing programs will utilize experienced nurses to create practice tests for students, especially NCLEX practice questions. Other companies, such as Kaplan, will hire freelance itemized test writers to develop practice questions for students for both online and print books. 

Depending on your education and experience, you may even be able to obtain a position writing for the NCLEX. 

• Expected earnings: $39 / hour 
• Requirements: Minimum MSN and RN license  

8. Doula  

Unlike other side hustles, becoming a doula takes additional education and certifications. 

In this capacity, you will not be working as the bedside nurse during the labor and delivery process. Instead, you will be directly supporting the mother in obtaining the best birth experience as well as supporting their birth plan.  

• Expected earnings: $24 / hour 
• Requirements: Doula Certification from an accredited institution  

9. Health Proofreader/Fact Checker  

Slightly different than a nurse writer, a health fact checker will specifically read through other writers' work for factual information. 

Oftentimes, the writers are non-medical individuals who are writing about health topics. To add legitimacy and ensure factual corrections, websites and blogs will hire nurses to read through drafts and identify any inaccuracies.  

• Expected earnings: $28 / hour  
• Requirements: Minimum BSN and RN license  

10. Nurse Podcast Host  

Perhaps one of the more difficult nurse side hustles, being a podcast host has its positives and negatives. This side hustle requires more leg work than others on the list. If being a podcast host is in your future, you will need to have the proper equipment, recording capabilities, and a viewpoint.  

There are countless nurse podcasts currently available, but that doesn’t mean you won’t succeed. Find your niche, volunteer to be a guest on other podcasts to get your feet wet, and understand your audience. This will help you know what content your demographic wants to hear so you know what to produce.

• Expected earnings: $16 / hour 
• Requirements: RN license  

11. Lactation Consultant  

Any nurse can be a lactation consultant, but it does require additional training and certification. Becoming an IBCLC requires not only didactic education but also in-person clinical hours. Responsible for helping new mothers breastfeed and pump, most private lactation consultants can provide at-home or telehealth visits and charge per session.  

Lactation consultants are desperately needed as most first-time breastfeeding moms require some support once discharged from the hospital. More than 80% of babies born each year are breastfed at some point in their life, so this side hustle is a great way to earn some extra cash on your day(s) off.  

• Expected earnings: $42 / hour
• Requirements: Certification as an IBCLC, CLC, or CBC  

12. First Aid Instructor  

Similar to a CPR instructor, a first aid instructor is responsible for teaching basic first aid skills to a class of students. These students seek certification and might be lifeguards, security guards, teachers, or even grandparents. 

After obtaining a teaching certification through the American Red Cross, you are eligible to teach classes. This nursing side hustle will require you to work for an organization rather than as an individual employee, but that also means someone will handle all of the paperwork for your students.  

• Expected earnings: $28 / hour  
• Requirements: Certification from the American Red Cross  

13. Legal Nurse Consultant  

Becoming a legal nurse consultant might seem scary or not a side nursing hustle, but it absolutely can be! For some nurses, this is a full-time career, but others will consult with local law offices to earn some extra cash. Perhaps you are a trailblazer in your nursing specialty, have a specific skill set, or have advanced nursing certifications that would be a perfect fit for a specific case. 

As a legal nurse consultant, you will work closely with a legal team, including lawyers looking over relevant health information and providing insight. You may have to give expert witness testimony in court, depending on the situation. Independent legal consultants can set their own rates, which means the sky’s the limit.  

• Expected earnings: $41 / hour
• Requirements: Minimum BSN and RN license, Certification encouraged 

14. Nurse Blogger/Influencer  

Similar to a nurse podcast host, this is one of the more difficult nursing side hustles, especially if you are not already well-versed in social media. Becoming a successful blogger/influencer takes time and can be frustrating. You will need to reach out to companies, form partnerships, and follow social media algorithms. 

Some would say this field is oversaturated, but social media and blogs are going to continue to be the go-to places where nurses get information, scrub reviews, and even breaking news. 

• Expected earnings: Unlimited – Dependent on advertisements and collaborations  
• Requirements: RN license    

15. Camp Nurse   

Becoming a camp nurse is an interesting nurse side hustle. Being a camp nurse might be difficult if you already have a full-time position, but short-term camps or working per diem to fill needs might be a viable option. 

Camp nurses are responsible for caring for campers and the staff during camp days. This can look different depending on the type of camp. It could be a day camp, overnight camp, a camp specific for patients with disabilities, etc.  

Camp nurses are responsible for patients, maintaining camp records, ordering supplies, transporting patients to higher levels of care as needed, and supervising ancillary staff.  

• Expected earnings: $30.10 / hour
• Requirements: Minimum ADN and RN license