Side Jobs For Nurses – The 12 Best To Make Extra Money Right Now

Written by Jason Michaels Last Updated: May 8, 2024

Finding the best side jobs for nurses can be difficult because the nursing profession typically requires working for long hours.

Furthermore, we also know that finding a great side gig as a nurse can be a tedious and mind-numbing task after spending too much time at your full time day job.

That’s why we’ve tested over 120 different side hustles for nurses and found the top 12 to help you narrow down your search for ways to earn an extra income.

12 Best Side Jobs For Nurses To Make Extra Money

Here’s our list of the 12 best side jobs for nurses. Each side hustle includes a detailed description of how to get started and how much money you can make.

Let’s get started.

1. Online Surveys For Quick Cash

Would you like to monetize your time online? You don’t have to be a nurse to do just that.

This is an easy side gig as all you need to do is complete online surveys.

So, this is an easy side job for anyone, including nurses, and one of the ways to earn extra cash.

Survey sites won’t make you rich in any way, not even if you make filling out surveys your full time job.

Yet, they are a great work from home gig and a way to spend your time during your breaks or while waiting in line.

All you need is a good internet connection and a valid email account.

Expect to make anywhere between $10 – $17 per hour depending on the survey site. While it may not be as much as a nurse’s hourly rate, it’s an easy way to bring in some extra income.

Most of the time the only thing you need to join survey sites is a valid email address.

Here’s a quick list of our favorite surveys:

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the most popular survey sites on the web. It comes with a high payout rate and a strong reputation.

You get a 25 point signup bonus upon registration, and most surveys can pay at a rate of $8 – $17 per hour.

Earn points and cash out for free PayPal cash or Amazon or Target gift cards.

Try Survey Junkie Free

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is becoming increasingly popular as an online rewards site due to the fact that there are so many different ways to earn money.

You can earn cash by watching videos, taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, surfing the web, and much more.

This site comes with a $5 registration bonus as a new user. You’ll most likely enjoy using this site for the wide variety of options they have to make some extra side hustle cash.

Try Swagbucks Free

LifePoints

LifePoints is known for being both a great survey site and one of the best survey apps. It comes with a 10 point signup bonus, and you can expect to earn around $10 per hour.

The great thing you’ll love about this side hustle is that most of the surveys are fairly quick. If you only have 5 – 10 minutes to spare, it’s enough to increase your points.

Once you earn enough points, cash them out for a free gift card of your choosing.

Try LifePoints Free

2. Freelance Writing or Start a Health Blog

One thing that a lot of nurses don’t realize is that they have a specialized set of skills that most people don’t have.

By becoming a health writer you are also becoming a health coach, which is a great way to influence people.

Healthcare writers can actually make a change in the world as they have many things they can write about.

A great way to start freelance writing is by posting your background and setting up an account with Upwork. This site allows you to search for companies looking for writers specialized in health. You can quickly build up a strong profile and charge more over time.

Many blogs are looking for experienced nurses to write about health concerns.

You have the opportunity to write about the industry, new nursing products, flu clinics, coronavirus vaccines, or to share your experiences while on the job.

For that reason, we think this is one of those awesome side hustles for nurses.

However, by starting your own blog, you can design your own website content and count on additional cash affiliate marketing income.

Although it can be only a side job at the beginning that allows you to earn extra cash, you can quickly become a writer passionate about whatever area draws your attention.

Plus, you will develop your communication and writing skills, and secure a steady income; all these are excellent benefits of being a health writer.

And honestly, there aren’t many side jobs that can bring you the same flexibility that freelance writing can.

Why Should I Start a Health Blog?

Here’s a question: Why should I engage in healthcare writing?

Firstly, you already have the expertise and right skill set to become a freelance writer.

It may start as your side job but become your full time job, as it has for some people.

You see, while it may seem like blogs can’t make money, top bloggers are making over 6 figures!

So, a steady income stream might be a good encouragement to start your own freelance healthcare writing career.

Secondly, with blogging, you might consider getting an affiliate marketing income bonus.

Besides, nurse writers have much to offer to readers, as nurse writers already have much practical experience.

Based on your experiences and education, you have the freedom to write about anything.

Articles related to health, nursing career, encounters with patients, different conditions, healthcare products, flu shots, and vaccines, or how to become a health coach are all good topics to attract the audience.

Also, as many people do not know what the job of a nurse entails, your website content could include articles about different nursing jobs and job opportunities in various healthcare centers.

Similarly, you could write an article in which you share your own thoughts on the good and the bad side of healthcare services in the country, healthcare products, benefits of essential oils, eating habits, student loans, and many other controversial themes.

The difficult thing about blogging is that you might not know where to begin. If this is the case, you can join our FREE 5-Day Money Making Blog Crash Course.

In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose a blog niche and name that attracts an audience
• Set up a blog with your own domain, hosting, and WordPress
• Create a beautiful design for success
• Write content and drive traffic to your blog through Google and social media
• Make money through affiliate marketing and advertising

And the great thing about nursing blogs and education articles is that there are so many different affiliate programs available to make extra cash.

So freelance writing is a side hustle that has many benefits; it can be very fulfilling and rewarding.

3. Telehealth Nurse

Apart from being a freelance writer and write about wellness coaching, people’s well being, you can use your knowledge and experience to engage in other types of caregiver jobs that are great for a long term extra income.

Being a telehealth nurse is another great way to extra cash.

Although caregivers mostly work at a call center, many companies offer work from home positions; so, this is a really great side hustle for nurses, especially with the limited job opportunities you have with your regular work hours at your full time position.

Regardless of where you work, as a professional nurse, you have direct experience with patients, which is your biggest asset.

By becoming a telehealth nurse, you will have to exhibit great communication skills while gathering important information about the patient’s symptoms, needs, allergies, etc.

They help determine the patient’s level of need so the patient can receive medical assistance.

The average salary of a telehealth nurse is around $28 an hour.

According to the American Hospital Association, 76% of hospitals in the U.S. connects with telehealth services.

Telehealth nurses mainly work over the phone (or video service) and their job is to evaluate patients and provide proper medical advice on treating those symptoms.

Therefore, you are not stepping away from your nursing career but are using all your experience and knowledge from the comfort of your home to help others and, of course, to make some extra money.

This career also follows procedures and protocols, documents their calls as required, and usually reports to a manager or the head of a unit or department.

Some available part-time and full-time Telehealth positions include:

• US Dept. of Veteran Affairs – $29 to $54 per hour
• Carenet Healthcare –  $19 to $31 an hour
• Amerisource – $37 an hour
• Oculus Health – $18 per hour

Some of these require a set schedule.

However, if your regular job is already on a schedule, this shouldn’t be a problem.

This side job is one of the most popular ways for nurses to make extra money.

4. Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription implies converting audio recorded by a medical professional to a text file.

Yes, it is true that many medical professionals turn to voice recognition software, but that’s not the best idea and they realize it all too quickly.

Voice recognition software makes a lot of mistakes; it is unreliable, cannot interpret abbreviations and spell them out, and cannot make a distinction between two words that sound the same but are spelled differently.

For that reason, many people still turn to transcriptionists.

A medical transcriptionist’s job is to listen to the recorded dictation of a doctor or other healthcare worker, interpret and transcribe the dictation.

The average salary of a medical transcriptionist is $15 an hour.

However, an experienced nurse can expect a pay of around $25 to $30 an hour.

This is one of those nursing jobs that won’t put you in direct contact with patients but is an excellent side gig with good pay.

It only takes about six to nine months to train to be a medical transcriptionist.

However, with your expertise and the many medical areas you are already familiar with, you fill all the requirements necessary for such a job and have much more chances to work as a medical transcriptionist than someone else who has completed training.

This is a really good side gig that pays well and will bring you a steady income.

Some companies that hire remote medical transcriptionists include:

• Amphion Transcription – $11 to $19 an hour
• Net Transcripts – $10 an hour
• NThrive – $11 an hour
• Nuance – $9 an hour

Since you already have a nursing background and are well versed in medical terminology, you have the right credentials and a way to monetize your experience in the nursing field.

For that reason, we believe that this side gig is a great way for nurses to make extra money.

5. Medical Coding

Medical coding is similar to medical transcription, but instead of transcribing text, you’re rendering it into code.

A medical coder deciphers the different healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and equipment into a specific medical alphanumeric code and enters them into a computer program.

This is one of those great side hustles for nurses as they already have the right knowledge to do such a job.

Besides, this type of nursing side hustle is a fantastic opportunity to get a steady extra income long term.

The diagnoses and procedure codes are taken from medical record documents, transcriptions, laboratory and radiologic results, and so on.

A medical coder can make anywhere from $15 to $30 an hour.

This is quickly becoming a high-demand job, so the salary will continue to climb slowly.

Many online certificate programs can be completed in less than a year to become a medical coder.

Medical Coding is a great work from home job and you can apply at these companies:

• Aviacode – $27 an hour
• Humana – $22 an hour
• UnitedHealth Group – $23 an hour
• iMedX – $25 – $29 an hour

Again, having a nursing background will help with the medical terminology and codes used in this field.

This is a great gig for those who are looking for some serious extra cash.

6. Phlebotomy Work

Phlebotomy is a term that denotes a procedure during which blood is drawn from a patient for testing, transfusions, donations, or research.

A phlebotomist works in a lab or clinic and simply draws blood, verifies patient data, prepares the blood specimens for lab testing, and performs screening procedures.

As a phlebotomist, nurses can earn $15 an hour or more.

Since you already have the necessary training, all you need to do to meet the requirements to apply are shadow a phlebotomist for a day to learn the routine to qualify for the job.

Otherwise, it’s a 4 to 8-month training program.

This is not a remote position, so you’ll need to look at staffing agencies, your hospital, independent medical labs, and clinics.

Yet, this is one of the good ways to earn extra cash and still remain completely within the boundaries of your nursing career.

Some popular medical labs hiring phlebotomists include:

• Quest Diagnostics – $11 to $20 an hour
• LabCorp – $16 an hour
• ProMedica – $19 an hour
• BioLife Plasma Services – $13 an hour

Many phlebotomist positions are part-time work and there’s no shortage of positions as lab work is always in demand.

For that reason, this nursing side hustle is another way to secure yourself a reliable income stream.

7. First Aid or CPR Instructor

A First Aid or CPR instructor works to teach others how to apply for medical first aid assistance and/or breathing techniques until the proper medical staff arrives on the scene.

An aid instructor can make about $25 an hour.

You’re already knowledgeable in medical care and CPR and would only require a teaching certificate to work as an instructor.

The American Red Cross offers a Licensed Training Provider (LTP) Certificate and usually only takes 2 days to complete and costs roughly $200.

Once you become first aid or CPR instructor you can then begin teaching:

• Company employees
• Community courses
• Social and Community Groups
• Event volunteers

Your working hours will depend on where you will work, some part-time positions can be found with:

• American Red Cross
• National Safety Council
• American Heart Association
• American Safety and Health Institute

8. Personal Care Aide

A personal care aide helps clients, the elderly, sick, or disabled, with their self-care and everyday tasks they cannot complete themselves.

A personal care aide earns around $10 an hour.

Nurses already meet most requirements since they have experience in the field, but the difference is that you’re working at your client’s home.

Many positions don’t require any formal training to work as a PCA, especially as you already have the right skills and knowledge.

For that reason, this side hustle is a good way to earn extra money.

But, if you’re working for a federally funded agency or working for Medicare, they require a Personal Care Assistant license.

You’ll just need to take a skills evaluation and show you’ve worked at least 75 hours in the field.

After you have gotten your license, you might turn to staffing agencies to help you find a suitable position.

As the population ages, there’s more demand for personal care aides.

Here are a few examples of positions and their salaries:

• HomeNurse Inc. – $9 an hour
• The Wright Care LLC – $15 – $17 an hour
• Visiting Angels – $11 an hour
• Professional Case Management – $10 an hour

These are part-time jobs and you can probably find a client that fits into your schedule and is particularly great for a registered nurse.

9. Camp Nurse

A camp nurse works at various day camps, residential camps, and other events that vary in length of stays.

This position makes sure campers of all ages are well enough to attend camp events as well as provide any medical help for injuries or illnesses during the camp’s period.

The salary depends on the size and duration of the camp but averages $28 an hour.

As long as your nursing license is active and you’ve got clinical experience, you can easily apply for camp nursing jobs.

Most camp nursing positions last anywhere from 1 to 7 weeks and either is daytime only jobs or require you to stay on site.

A few camps even allow you to bring your own kids, so you may want to apply to camps that your kids are interested in.

Some example positions in this field include:

• Timber Lake Camp, NY – $4,000 a month
• The Salvation Army – $1,000 a week
• YMCA Camps – $300 – $400 a week
• Girl Scouts – $106 a day

This would be a great job for a school nurse to make extra money during the summer when school is out.

10. Immunization Nurse

The immunization nurse is a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who gives flu shots and other immunization shots in a seasonal flu clinic, hospital, and other settings.

Immunization nurses give flu vaccines, and other required immunizations for work, school, and health issues.

By working at this position, you’d make roughly $20 an hour, which is good compared to other side jobs.

You’re required to be a licensed nurse to attain a position in this field.

Many immunization nurses only work part-time and others only work seasonal during flu season.

Many positions are available in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and even private companies.

Some companies and salary samples include:

• OccuVax – $26 an hour
• Maxim Healthcare Services – $19 an hour
• State Health Department – $2,900 – $3,700 a month
• County Health Department – $19 an hour

This position is largely seasonal and work is from September to December.

11. Nursing Tutor

A nursing tutor works to help new nursing students with their class assignments and answer any questions they may have.

Health coaching allows you to either work remotely, online, for a school’s tutoring department.

A tutor can make an average of $30 an hour, depending on how they want to work.

If you choose to work independently for yourself, you can easily set your own hours and price to suit your work schedule and lifestyle.

Otherwise, some online nursing tutoring positions available are:

• Brainfuse – $15 an hour
• Wyzant – $24 – $30 an hour
• Community Colleges – $15 – $25 an hour
• Pearson – $18 – $23 an hour

Being an online tutor enables you to share your nursing experience and help those entering the field get off to a good start.

This is probably the simplest way to earn extra money from home and in-person because, as a nurse, you will be teaching someone about things you already know so well.

12. Expert Witness

Have you ever watched those TV shows in which an expert witness comes to the stand to testify?

Nurses can apply as expert witnesses due to their proficient knowledge in a particular field.

You can offer insight into the field of medicine and your specialty.

How to Get Started?

Use the company Seak, which will help you get set up as an expert witness.

This resource has it all.

They offer training to become an expert witness, help connect you with expert witness opportunities, and much more.

Besides, this is one of the most interesting side jobs you can find.

What are the Qualifications for Becoming an Expert Witness?

To become an expert witness, you must be a nurse.

Here are some other qualifications that may be required:

• BSN degree or higher
• Certification in a specialty (if required)
• 5+ years experience in the nursing field
• Strong communication skills
• Critical thinking and/or organization skills

How Much Can You Make As An Expert Witness?

You can expect that your fee as an expert witness starts at around $555.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of different side jobs you can do to bring in an extra income and make money as a nurse. You just have to look for the best side hustles for nurses.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of 12 flexible side jobs for nurses.

Sometimes having a side job not only helps us earn extra cash, but also gives us a nice mental and physical break from the “regular” job.

You can also check out this long list of nursing jobs near me to search by location.

If you know about a flexible side job for nurses that you’d like to add to this list, let us know in the comments below.