Intensive Care, Outpatient Surgery, Aesthetics, Education, and Nursing Leadership
Need a break or a boost from your day-to-day nursing gig? Need some extra cash flow? Maybe you need a vacation, want to save for an emergency fund, or want a little more financial freedom and flexibility? Nurse writing jobs can provide it all!
Get a side hustle…and not the type that falls into a pyramid scheme or one that will fade as a trend in six months.
Nursing as a broad career field has an abundance of possibilities when it comes to specific career trajectories. The field of nursing continues to grow and subsequently offers new avenues for nurses to explore. Getting a side hustle in a nursing-based area is now an easy way to boost your income and diversify your professional background, all while sticking with what you know and enjoy during the day.
Whatever your nursing background and interests may be, there are several different nursing side hustles out there. Although many nurses share similar foundational knowledge, many of us work in various specialties and have our own strengths, schedules, and lives. Some nurses work three 12- hour shifts, while others work a Monday through Friday, 9-5. Some are single, and others married with three kids.
With the varying degree of professional and personal demands, you’re probably thinking, “Ok, then what is the most flexible side hustle that will conform and meet the needs of my schedule, that pays me pretty well, and allows me to use the knowledge I already have?”
This answer is simple. Nurse writing jobs.
You can write on your own time, whether it’s after the kids go to bed, on your days off, or at 2 a.m. when you can’t sleep.
To start- convenience. Many working nurses are going for advanced degrees, which already involve mounds of writing. Other nurses may just enjoy the creative process of writing from home on their downtime and were good at writing in school. Nurse writing jobs are a super flexible way to write about things that you are passionate about, use your expertise in a new way, and share your knowledge and experiences with others.
You can write on your own time, whether it’s after the kids go to bed, on your days off, or at 2 a.m. when you can’t sleep. Nursing writing jobs also give nurses the power to determine their pay, their clientele, and how many projects they take on. Many companies seek out nurse writers for their skills, experience, and individualistic. invaluable knowledge in their field.
If you know you are good at it, why not try making some extra money from it?
Companies need fresh and new content for a variety of areas:
These are just a few examples of mediums a nurse could potentially write for. Nurses can even go as far as developing advertising material.
Blogging
If you are an ideas machine and don’t want someone else dictating what you write about, you can find more freedom (along more risk) in starting a nursing blog. Bloggers can make money blogging about all sorts of different topics. Start by choosing a topic you are passionate about. There are so many different nursing blogs out there. It can be a highly lucrative way to show your creative side, use your nursing expertise, and have fun in the process!
As for the part I mentioned about a little bit more risk…
If you choose to start a blog, don’t expect to start earning cash right off the bat.
Blogging will take time, dedication, and research…potentially even a small investment. Results will not happen overnight. However, if you have the drive and a passion for writing and sharing life with other people, this aspect of nurse writing could be perfect for you!
Content Writing
If the whole blogging thing doesn’t seem right for you, and you are not willing to wait out the potential monetary return, content nurse writing may be a better option.
There are many different companies and clients out there wanting to boost their brand, increase their content, and need someone with expertise in the field that they are trying to market.
Content nurse writing jobs are not as time-consuming as operating your own blog, however, they do include blog writing opportunities for an already established site. Instead of crafting your own nursing blog, you can help others contribute content to their blogs or websites. Write journal articles, test questions for companies, educational pieces, and a variety of other things.
The pay for this type of writing varies, and can range from $ 0.02 cents a word to $1.00 a word. The pay is also based on the topic of the article, the company you will be writing for, and your personal experience.
You will more than likely be working as a contractor- meaning you will need to be the one figuring out what you’ll owe (the IRS) on the side.
As a nurse writer, there are some things to keep in mind that could be considered a downside to the side hustle game as a whole.
1. Taxes: One downside of having a side hustle is having to pay self-employment taxes. You will more than likely be working as a contractor- meaning you will need to be the one figuring out what you’ll owe on the side. It won’t be taken out of your paycheck. SO…keep that in mind when tax time comes around and you’re slapped with an amount you owe the IRS. Take this into account when budgeting your new spending money.
2. Deadlines and Time Crunches: Yes, when you are a nurse writer you can make your schedule and write on your own time. Just remember to factor in deadlines and your reasonable availability in whatever job you decide to take from a client or company. You don’t want to be stuck with a three-day turnaround time for a 5,000-word article, and you’re in the middle of a four-day stretch.
3. Consistency: You may have times where the clients are throwing more opportunities and work at you than you can handle or have time for, or they may have a slow time with nothing to offer you. Nurse writing jobs can be feast or famine. If you are looking for steady income on the side, make sure you take this into account when choosing who to work with and for.
If you think this sounds more and more like a great area to jump into, here are the first steps you’ll take into your new side hustle as a nurse writer.
1. Brush up on your skills: Unless you were the type who got straight A’s in English class, you might want to review composition, grammar, and punctuation before you dive into a nurse writing job. It will be worth your while and save you time in the long run, along with multiple edits and revision requests from your new employer.
2. Determine where your strong points are: I strongly encourage you to look back on your career as a nurse and your personal experiences. This will help you focus on the best nurse writing jobs for you. Have you worked in many different specialties, or just one? Which one do you have the most expertise and knowledge in? Once you determine that, you’ll a good foundation for the interview process. It is also a good rule of thumb to learn how to research and find credible, evidence-based, up-to-date articles to base your writing on. Knowing how to research and apply the findings on your writing topic is half the battle.
3. Market Yourself: Marketing is a crucial element in starting and maintaining a career, or side-career, as a freelance writer. This may mean reaching out to individuals or companies that you think would hire you on a PRN basis. Participate in social media networking such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and actively look for freelance nurse writing jobs on job searching platforms to see what is available.
Having a side hustle nursing career as a nurse writer is a lot easier than you may think. If you are great at writing, passionate about the field of nursing, and have even a sprinkle of creative talent, this could be the perfect gig for you! It may take a bit of organization, dedication, and research to get up and going. However, with a little effort, you can maintain a flexible ‘work when you want’ side hustle that can bring more financial freedom, while sticking to what you love and know. BEING A NURSE!
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