The 16 Best Side Hustles for Nurses to Earn Extra Income

Want to increase your income using your nursing skills?

With 54% of Americans taking on extra income streams in their free time just this past year—and 36% already managing side hustles—healthcare professionals are in a great position to join this trend. Registered nurses (RNs) can pick flexible side hustles that fit well with their current full-time jobs.

This is especially important for nurses, given the relatively low pay that they receive compared to doctors for similarly hard, stressful, healthcare work. The average annual salary for RNs in the U.S. is $86,070. In comparison, physicians earn an average of approximately $352,000 to $363,000. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how a side hustle can improve a nurse’s lifestyle. And the benefits don’t stop with extra income.

According to Morgan Geiger, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with years of experience working per diem, “Side hustles not only supplement your income—they help you stay sharp and connected with developments across healthcare fields. It’s a valuable way to build new skills while adding to your earnings.”

With rising living costs, there’s never been a better time. Here are sixteen side hustles for nurses to put their skills to work in creative ways.

Clinical and On-Site Side Gigs for Nurses

1. Administering Vaccines

Flexibility Rating: Medium—You can schedule vaccination clinics around your regular nursing shifts, though seasonal demand like flu season may require specific time commitments.

Mobile and clinic-based vaccine administration gives nurses a practical path to becoming an immunization nurse and earning extra money.

You can create significant earning potential through partnerships with local pharmacies, corporate offices, schools, and travel clinics.

To get started:

• Keep an active nursing license and immunization certification
• Build relationships with local pharmacies and clinics
• Develop a professional service agreement template
• Set up proper documentation systems
• Purchase essential portable equipment

Most supplies are provided by vaccine manufacturers or partner facilities, which keeps your startup costs minimal.

Plus, partnerships help you establish a steady income stream, allowing for repeat contracts and consistent client referrals—even beyond the seasonal flu period.

Running an in-person vaccine administration service involves some risk, but forming an LLC helps protect you from potential liabilities. An LLC is especially beneficial for nurses because it requires less paperwork and lower expenses than other legal structures, making it ideal for a side venture.

Consider it an essential shield between your personal finances and any business-related issues.

Imagine a patient unexpectedly developing an allergic reaction after vaccination. Despite your thorough screening and proper administration, they might still pursue legal action, claiming negligence. Such medical complications can lead to costly legal battles.

An LLC protects your personal savings and property from potential lawsuits, while comprehensive business insurance adds an extra layer of security.

With solid partnerships and risk protection in place, you can build a stable side income that aligns with your nursing expertise.

3. Working as a Home Health Nurse

Flexibility Rating: Medium—While you can often choose your patients and hours, consistent care schedules and emergency availability may be required.

Home health nursing offers flexible income opportunities that create a meaningful impact through personalized, at-home patient care. With over 180,000 RNs in home healthcare as of May 2023, the demand for in-home nursing is strong, highlighting this field’s stability and growth potential.

Geiger notes, “Most home health agencies keep nurses on-call for assignments, which means you’ll often have opportunities ready whenever you have extra availability. It’s an ideal option if you want reliable side income without a strict commitment.”

This side hustle for nurses lets you use your nursing expertise and offers control over your schedule and patient load. Working with families allows for direct relationship-building, while partnering with agencies often provides a steadier flow of clients.

Telehealth platforms enable initial patient assessments and routine check-ins, reducing unnecessary travel while maintaining quality care. To get started:

• Keep your nursing license and CPR certification current
• Join reputable home health agencies to build client connections
• Obtain specific certifications for specialized care, such as wound care, palliative care, or IV administration
• Create professional service agreements that outline services, fees, and confidentiality terms
• Set up reliable transportation and a well-stocked mobile care

With this healthcare services option, consider starting with one or two regular clients and expanding as your availability and comfort level grow.

An LLC shields you from liability for accidents common in home healthcare, such as falls during transfers, medication administration issues, or adverse reactions.

LLCs also allow for deductions on travel expenses, medical supplies, and other equipment costs, potentially reducing taxable income and making these expenses more manageable.

Home health nursing lets you take charge of your schedule while delivering impactful, compassionate care in patients’ homes—making it both a fulfilling and financially rewarding way to use your skills.

4. Picking Up Per Diem Shifts

Photography is a wonderful side hustle for moms with an eye for detail and a passion for capturing moments. You can set your hours, choosing to work weekends, special events, or family photo shoots based on your availability. Photography can be a lucrative endeavor with sessions typically ranging from $100 to $500 each, depending on the event or project.

Challenges: Equipment costs are high, and editing can be time-intensive, especially during busy seasons.

Tip: Cater to niche markets such as bilingual family portraits, eco-friendly shoots, or themed sessions. Partner with local event planners or schools to expand your clientele.

Flexibility Rating: High—Complete control over your schedule with the ability to accept or decline shifts as needed.

Per diem staffing lets you choose when and where you work, setting your hours, often at premium rates. No contracts, no regular schedules—just pick up shifts that fit your life.

The financial advantage is clear:

• Higher hourly rates than staff positions
• Premium pay for holidays and weekends
• Shift differentials for nights
• Crisis rate opportunities during high-need periods
• Facility bonuses for hard-to-fill slots

While many nurses work per diem through agencies, creating your own LLC positions you to negotiate directly with facilities, potentially commanding higher rates. Your business structure also provides protection when working in unfamiliar environments or high-risk situations.

Most nurses start with one facility to learn the ropes before expanding their reach. Each facility has unique charting systems, protocols, and culture—mastering these elements at a manageable pace helps maintain quality care while building your reputation.

Think strategically about your availability. High-demand times like holidays or summer vacation seasons often offer the best compensation. Some nurses exclusively work per diem during these peak periods, maximizing their earning potential.

For those seeking an income boost without a long-term commitment, per diem work delivers. Whether covering occasional shifts or building a full schedule across multiple facilities, you maintain control while earning competitive rates.

5. Administering Cosmetic Injections

Flexibility Rating: Medium—While you can set your schedule, maintaining consistent availability for regular clients is important.

Aesthetic nursing combines clinical expertise with artistic skill. The beauty industry's growth has created a high demand for qualified injectors who can safely administer Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic treatments.

You earn through:

• Initial consultation fees
• Per-treatment pricing
• Package deals
• Membership programs
• Product sales commissions

Beyond technical training, success requires understanding facial anatomy, mastering injection techniques, and developing an eye for aesthetic balance. Many nurses start by joining established medical spas before launching independent practices.

The LLC structure becomes particularly critical in aesthetics. You provide elective procedures where client expectations and aesthetic outcomes can lead to disputes. Your business entity needs to address specific considerations like photography consent, treatment documentation, and complication management protocols.

Establish yourself by focusing on a core group of treatments. Learn the basics like lip enhancement or wrinkle reduction before expanding your service menu. Client satisfaction drives referrals, and word-of-mouth marketing proves especially powerful in aesthetics.

Consider this growing specialty if you enjoy combining medical precision with creative work. While startup costs run higher than many nursing side hustles—including training, supplies, and insurance—the earning potential matches the investment.

Educational and Teaching Nursing Jobs

6. Teaching CPR and First Aid

Flexibility Rating: High—You can schedule classes on weekends or evenings, fitting perfectly around full-time nursing schedules.

Nurses make natural CPR and first aid instructors, bringing real-world medical experience to their teaching. This side hustle combines clinical expertise with community impact, empowering people outside traditional healthcare settings to respond to emergencies.

This opportunity spans various sectors that value health and safety compliance—such as healthcare, corporate offices, and schools—making it a side hustle with steady demand across different environments. Each training session typically runs four to six hours, allowing nurses to schedule sessions on weekends or evenings without disrupting their primary roles.

While a startup requires some investment in equipment and certification, the flexibility and earning potential make it worthwhile:

• Complete instructor certification (AHA or Red Cross)
• Purchase essential teaching equipment (mannequins, AEDs)
• Develop professional course materials including handouts, skill assessment sheets, and post-training evaluation.
• Create tracking systems for certifications to monitor renewal dates and maintain client relationships.
• Build a portable teaching setup.

Specializing in areas like pediatric CPR or wilderness first aid enables you to charge premium rates and attract clients who need specialized skills.

An LLC protects you from liability if a student misapplies CPR skills learned in your class and an incident occurs, despite your accurate training. It also simplifies contracts with corporate clients and allows you to deduct expenses on teaching equipment.

Building relationships with organizations that need regular recertification creates a steady income stream and amplifies your community impact, helping workplaces and schools stay safety-ready year after year.

8. Becoming an Adjunct Nursing Instructor

Flexibility Rating: Low—Teaching schedules are typically fixed and require commitment to specific class times and clinical rotations.

From clinical skills to classroom theory, nursing schools need experienced practitioners to shape the next generation. Adjunct teaching lets you share your expertise while maintaining your primary nursing role.

Here’s what the growth path looks like:

• Start with clinical instruction groups
• Move into lab simulation teaching
• Progress to classroom lectures
• Develop specialty courses
• Lead certification prep programs

Most schools seek adjuncts with current clinical experience—your active practice enriches student learning with real-world insights. While some clinical instruction must be in-person, many programs now offer hybrid models with virtual lectures via telehealth platforms.

Creating an LLC simplifies contracts with multiple institutions. It also enables tax deductions for teaching materials, professional development, and travel between campus locations.

Connect with nursing programs in your specialty area. Many schools need instructors for specific courses or clinical rotations. Some prefer advanced degrees, but robust clinical experience often carries equal weight, especially for hands-on instruction.

Teaching brings different rewards than bedside nursing. You're not just treating patients—you're multiplying your impact by preparing future nurses to deliver quality care.

Consulting and Administrative Nursing Side Jobs

9. Consulting as a Legal Nurse

Flexibility Rating: Medium—While you can often set your schedule, some time-sensitive cases and court deadlines may require specific availability.

The intersection of healthcare and law offers a unique opportunity for nurses to apply their expertise in legal cases. Legal nurse consultants (LNCs) analyze medical records, evaluate standards of care, and serve as expert witnesses in medical-legal cases.

This is one of the most lucrative side hustles for nurses available. Legal nurse consultants can also work exclusively through telehealth platforms, conducting case reviews and attorney consultations virtually while maintaining HIPAA compliance.

Here’s what legal nurses do:

• Review medical records for attorneys
• Identify deviations from care standards
• Prepare chronological timelines
• Research medical literature
• Assist with medical testimony preparation

This isn’t your typical bedside nursing role—you’re piecing together medical puzzles for law firms. The work often involves complex cases ranging from medical malpractice to personal injury claims.

Demand for LNCs comes from various sources: law firms, insurance companies, healthcare facilities, and government agencies. With experience, many LNCs develop specialties in areas like elder law or workers' compensation.

Start by taking consulting cases part-time while maintaining your clinical positions. Law firms value this active link to current healthcare practices, as it strengthens your credibility when reviewing cases.

An LLC structure is crucial when providing expert opinions. Suppose you review a case and conclude there was no deviation from the standard of care. The plaintiff's team challenges your analysis, claiming bias and seeking to discredit your professional reputation.

Your LLC shields you from personal liability related to your expert testimony. It also creates a clear boundary between your clinical work and consulting practice, particularly important when dealing with competing law firms or sensitive cases.

The business structure also helps manage contracts with multiple law firms, handle confidentiality agreements, and maintain proper professional liability insurance specific to consulting work.

Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and clear communication of medical concepts to legal teams.

For nurses who enjoy investigative work and detailed analysis, legal nurse consulting offers intellectual challenges alongside professional growth. Plus, the flexible nature of consulting work lets you control your caseload and schedule.

11. Medical Billing and Coding

Flexibility Rating: High—This role can be done at any hour of the day, making it ideal for nurses working various shift patterns.

Nurses are uniquely positioned for medical billing and coding, where clinical knowledge and insurance expertise combine to streamline claims and improve accuracy. With modern healthcare software and secure remote access, medical billing, and coding can be done entirely via telehealth platforms from anywhere with internet access.

Geiger shares, “Medical writing, billing, and coding are excellent options if you’re looking for flexible nursing side hustle. You can leverage your nursing experience and EMR skills right from home without needing to be on-site or in the community.”

Unlike many coding professionals who learn solely from textbooks, nurses bring practical insights:

• Comprehend complex medical procedures
• Know typical treatment progressions
• Understand documentation requirements
• Recognize coding irregularities
• Apply real-world clinical context

Your clinical experience reduces the chance of coding errors and missed documentation, directly impacting revenue by ensuring accurate reimbursement.

Start by obtaining certifications such as Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Certified Coding Specialist (CCS). Use your nursing expertise to secure contracts with smaller practices looking to optimize claims processing. Remote work options make this an ideal side hustle for maintaining a work-life balance.

An LLC provides legal protection if your findings lead to an investigation, allowing you to report issues without risking personal liability while maintaining the professionalism required to handle sensitive information.

Picture this scenario: While reviewing claims for a medical practice, you identify potential fraudulent billing patterns. Your LLC protects you when reporting such findings and maintains professional distance if investigations ensue. It also helps manage contracts with multiple practices and maintain appropriate liability coverage for consulting work.

Focusing on a familiar specialty, such as cardiac coding or obstetrics, adds credibility and increases your expertise, making you a go-to resource for practices in that area.

Medical billing and coding offers a steady, flexible side hustle for nurses who prefer working behind the scenes. It combines clinical insight with business skills to optimize healthcare operations from anywhere.

Online and Remote Nurse Side Hustles

12. Health Coaching

Flexibility Rating: High—You can schedule client sessions around your full-time nursing shifts, even during lunch breaks or before/after work.

As the wellness industry grows, nurses are perfectly positioned to use their clinical expertise as health coaches. You can offer a level of credibility and depth that sets you apart.

Remote health coaching allows you to:

• Guide clients through lifestyle changes
• Develop personalized wellness plans
• Monitor health metrics and progress
• Provide evidence-based recommendations
• Support behavioral modifications

Remote health coaching allows you to work entirely via telehealth platforms and conduct virtual sessions with clients worldwide using secure video conferencing and health-tracking apps.

Nurses can recognize early signs of health complications, which is essential when supporting clients with chronic conditions. This expertise helps you identify red flags and make appropriate medical referrals when needed.

Most health coaches find their flexible schedule which allows them to work with specific populations. Some focus on weight management for busy professionals, while others specialize in supporting patients with diabetes or autoimmune conditions. Your nursing background helps you safely navigate these specialized niches.

The fine line between coaching and medical advice makeshaving an LLC essential in case a client misinterprets wellness guidance as medical advice, especially in cases where a client attempts to self-medicate or adjust prescriptions without consulting their physician.

Suppose a client with high blood pressure adjusts their medication based on their interpretation of your general wellness guidance. Your LLC documentation should clearly define your role as a coach rather than a healthcare provider, protecting you from liability while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Starting on established wellness platforms helps you gain experience, build a client base, and hone your coaching style without the initial pressure of client acquisition.

You can blend one-on-one coaching with group wellness workshops, digital courses, or partnerships with corporate wellness programs to diversify income and reach more clients.

Health coaching lets you make a lasting impact on clients’ well-being, focusing on preventive care and lifestyle changes with complete flexibility.

14. Transcribing Medical Records

Flexibility Rating: High—Transcription work can be done at any time and fits around even the most demanding nursing schedules.

Medical transcription lets you monetize your clinical knowledge without direct patient care. Healthcare facilities need professionals who understand medical terminology and can accurately translate provider notes into clear documentation.

Small practices, specialist offices, and telehealth providers often outsource their transcription needs.

Why nurses excel at this work:

• Clinical knowledge helps catch potential errors
• Familiarity with medical terminology speeds up work
• Understanding of healthcare workflows improves accuracy
• Experience with EHR systems provides the technical foundation
• The clinical background adds value beyond basic transcription

Remote work makes this an attractive option for nurses seeking schedule flexibility or those unable to perform bedside care. Most transcriptionists work independently and choose their hours and workload.

Setting up a transcription business requires protection different from that of clinical work. While not providing direct patient care, you're handling sensitive health information. Your LLC structure needs to address HIPAA compliance, data security, and professional liability specific to documentation services.

Many transcriptionists find job opportunities through job boards or begin with small physician practices. The key to success lies in accuracy, reliability, and maintaining strict confidentiality standards.

For nurses with strong attention to detail and typing skills, medical transcription offers a way to use clinical knowledge from home. Whether it's supplementing regular income or transitioning away from direct patient care, this role keeps you connected to healthcare while providing schedule freedom.

16. Chart Reviewer

Flexibility Rating: High—Reviews can be completed at any hour, making this perfect for nurses working various shifts.

Think of chart review as healthcare detective work. Insurance companies, law firms, and healthcare organizations need experienced nurses to analyze medical records for quality assurance, legal cases, and billing accuracy.

Remote opportunities include:

• Disability claim reviews
• Legal case assessments
• Quality improvement audits
• Insurance claim validation
• Clinical documentation improvement

Your clinical background helps you spot inconsistencies, identify care gaps, and understand complex medical scenarios that might confuse non-clinical reviewers. Most positions offer schedule flexibility, letting you work when it suits you.

Setting up an LLC for chart review work helps manage multiple client relationships and protects you when handling sensitive documentation. Since you're providing professional opinions that may impact legal or insurance outcomes, proper business structure becomes essential.

Many nurses begin with insurance companies, which often have established review programs. As you gain experience, legal consulting can offer higher compensation rates. Some reviewers specialize in specific areas like workers' compensation or medical malpractice cases.

This role suits detail-oriented nurses who enjoy analytical work. While it lacks direct patient interaction, chart review lets you apply your clinical knowledge in a new way while maintaining work-life balance through remote, flexible scheduling.

Build a Sustainable Future Through a Nursing Side Hustle

Protecting your business is just as important as finding the right side hustle. Whether you’re administering vaccines, offering mobile IV therapy, or creating healthcare content, each nursing side hustle comes with unique risks and responsibilities.

An LLC protects you by separating personal and business assets, improving insurance options, and building credibility with partners. Setting up your nursing side hustle properly is more than paperwork—it’s the foundation that lets you focus on using your skills in rewarding ways.