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Whether you’re looking to pad your savings, pay off student loans, or simply fund your next beach vacation, there are plenty of ways to bring in extra cash without clocking another 12-hour shift. Imagine leveraging your nurse practitioner expertise to earn an extra $1,000 per week while maintaining a work-life balance.
The growing demand for healthcare services has created numerous opportunities for nurse practitioners to supplement their income. You already have the skills. Now it’s time to play smart with your time, get creative, and build something that works best for your financial goals.
This comprehensive guide explores the most rewarding and flexible side hustles for nurse practitioners, helping to maximize your skills, boost earnings, and optimize fulfillment.
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Don’t discount traditional healthcare side hustles, as they can be lucrative and flexible.
1. Per diem and PRN work
Working extra shifts per diem or PRN (meaning “pro re nata” or “as needed”) means you can choose when and how much you work—and which shifts you accept. You’re paid per hour versus a salary, so every minute counts. If you have a free weekend and need extra cash, say yes. But you also have the opportunity to say no if you have previous plans or simply need a day to rest.
Which traditional healthcare settings offer this type of work? Think urgent care centers, emergency rooms, imaging centers, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, weight loss centers, wellness clinics, surgery centers, schools, correctional facilities, addiction centers, home health care, dialysis centers, hospice care, intravenous (IV) clinics, medical spas, or mobile clinics.
2. Specialty certifications
Having a specialty certification allows additional opportunities for specialized side hustles. Consider certifications in Botox® and dermal fillers, other aesthetic procedures, cannabis nursing, diabetes education, dialysis, forensic nursing, surgical nursing, radiology, rehabilitation, dermatology, holistic health, flight nursing, mental health, obstetrics, and others.
Remote and telehealth opportunities
Remote and telehealth nursing opportunities allow the flexibility needed to earn extra cash while maintaining a fulfilling work-life balance.
1. Telemedicine consultations
Telemedicine is in high demand due to its convenience, flexibility, and affordability. Offering telemedicine services means you can schedule appointments when convenient and make extra cash.
Health insurance case managers are often nurses or social workers who coordinate exceptional care between healthcare providers, patients, and insurance companies. They ensure timely, appropriate, cost-effective services that optimize patient outcomes.
Because these positions often involve remote work, they make excellent side hustles for nurse practitioners.
Some health insurance companies also offer opportunities to provide virtual health education to policyholders from the comfort of their home offices.
3. Medical writing and content creation
Love to write? Take a course in writing, earn a writing certificate, or simply use your medical expertise and advanced credentials to gain experience as a medical writer or healthcare content creator.
Start your own blog or become an independent contractor to create content for hospitals, clinics, dental offices, rehabilitation centers, weight loss clinics, or other healthcare providers. You can also simply work part-time for an online content-writing company that allows you to set your own hours and work at your own pace.
Educational and training roles
Love to train other healthcare professionals? Consider these training and educational roles often available to nurse practitioners.
1. Clinical instruction for nursing programs
Being a clinical instructor for a nursing program is an excellent way to earn extra side-gig cash. You might need a master’s degree in nursing and several years of clinical experience to be considered for this role, but requirements vary.
2. BLS and ACLS certification training
Basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) are credentials many healthcare professionals need or desire. Being a trainer for these certifications is an excellent way to boost your cash flow. Follow the American Heart Association (AHA) instructions to find out if this organization is accepting new instructor candidates.
3. Pharmaceutical company training
Whether you want to mentor and train pharmaceutical employees or desire to be a part-time sales rep to boost cash flow, consider the pharmaceutical industry as a potential side hustle. Pharmaceutical company training jobs may be per-diem and allow you to travel locally, with the flexibility to work around a full-time nursing schedule.
Specialized assessment and evaluation gigs
Here are some examples of evaluation and assessment side hustles nurse practitioners might consider.
1. Disability and insurance evaluations
Evaluations for disability and insurance are a nurse practitioner side hustle that offers job security. Many Americans are interested in health insurance or disability benefits. In fact, one in four Americans (61 million people) live with a disability. You can often complete medical evaluations for these groups via telemedicine, taking advantage of flexibility while boosting your income.
2. Legal nurse consulting
Being a legal nurse consultant is a side gig many nurse practitioners don’t think about, but this income opportunity can be lucrative. Legal nurse consultants assist attorneys and other legal professionals by giving expert opinions that might be used in depositions and trials.
Legal nurses may evaluate testimonies and facts. They also perform critical analyses of medical records, client interviews, healthcare practices, and other clinical-related issues. Legal nurses serve as liaisons between healthcare providers, clients, other experts, and attorneys.
3. Workers’ compensation assessments
Completing workers’ compensation assessments or being a claims analyst is often hybrid work, allowing you the flexibility to travel onsite or complete virtual assessments from home and set your own hours. While you may need additional certifications, this side hustle can earn you the big bucks necessary to meet your financial goals.
Entrepreneurial ventures for nurse practitioners
Want to be your own boss? Consider these entrepreneurial ventures for nurse practitioners.
1. Starting a mobile health service
Creating a mobile health service is an excellent way to earn extra cash without having to clock into a clinic. You might visit patients in their homes for sick visits, have a mobile IV therapy service for enhanced sports performance or illness recovery, offer home-based cosmetic injections and other aesthetic procedures, or provide newborn care to new parents who prefer not to leave home with their little ones. The opportunities are endless.
2. Developing a health and wellness coaching practice
Obtain a wellness or health coaching certificate to meet with clients in their homes, your office, or remotely. Provide advice about nutrition, fitness, stress reduction, weight management, sleep, and other healthy lifestyle habits that expand life expectancy and overall quality of life while reducing the need for costly medical care.
3. Offering weight loss services
Weight loss services are in high demand, as nearly 75% of Americans are classified as overweight or obese. Who better to create personalized weight loss programs than a nurse practitioner?
Consider becoming a certified nutrition specialist to create custom meal plans and give credible advice about dietary supplements. Use your nurse practitioner credential to prescribe highly popular weight loss injections to qualified candidates.
4. Creating and selling online courses for healthcare professionals
Creating and selling online continuing education (CE) courses for healthcare providers may eventually turn into a source of passive income. Simply identify your niche, create learning content, and become accredited by a state medical society or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
Bonus: Make Fullscript your side hustle!
Are you familiar with Fullscript? It’s the leading platform for delivering whole person care by giving providers a single platform that brings together industry-leading labs, clinically effective supplements, and an intuitive suite of tools to promote adherence and outcomes. 100,000 nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals trust Fullscript to manage and prescribe high-quality supplements and industry-leading labs. Fullscript is free to use and delivers patients’ products to your office or their doors.
Once you start a Fullscript account, you will be able to offer a safe and convenient source to patients for trusted wellness products and have access to time-saving features—such as a patient mobile app and auto refill discounts that boost patients’ adherence—helping them stay on track with their wellness journey.
Learn how other nurse practitioners like Dr. Aubrey Balmer, NP use Fullscript to grow their practice and improve patient outcomes.
Best of all, Fullscript is a great option for running your own supplement store and earning passive income on every sale! When you open a Fullscript account, you can:
Send online supplement recommendations. Once you set up your Fullscript account, you can begin to send online supplement recommendations to your patients. Fullscript provides you with tools to craft your online treatment plans with personalized instructions, wellness products, and educational resources.
Offer your patients discounts. With Fullscript, help grow your patient base by offering deep discounts.
Get quality you can trust. Fullscript makes it easy for all healthcare providers to confidently recommend the optimal ingredient intake for the intended outcome — one that is safe, effective, and delivered through the highest-quality products.
Expand your care with lab testing. With Fullscript Labs, you can seamlessly integrate functional lab testing into your care model. This new offering allows you to order diagnostic lab tests directly through Fullscript and use the results to create highly personalized, supplement-inclusive protocols. It’s another powerful way to support clinical decisions, monitor progress, and elevate the level of care you provide—all in one platform.
Have questions about making Fullscript your side hustle? Reach out to our Fullscript Support Team. We’ll be happy to help you get set up on Fullscript and start running your own online supplement store.
FAQs
Consider the following answers to frequently asked questions to aid in developing new side hustle ventures for extra cash.
How many hours should I dedicate to a side hustle as a nurse practitioner?
The first step in determining how many hours you should dedicate to a side hustle is to create a budget. This will help you determine how much additional income you need to live comfortably and meet your financial goals.
Then, determine how many work hours are appropriate to balance making money with your social and family life. If you currently work three shifts per week at a full-time nursing gig, consider dedicating 1–3 additional days (or half days) weekly to your side hustle. Make sure to take days off to prevent burnout.
Do I need additional certifications for these side gigs?
Do your research to find out which additional certifications and other requirements you may need for side gigs. If you’re going to work for a healthcare facility or business, find out which certifications they require.
If you plan to work for yourself, having extra certifications makes you more credible, knowledgeable, and better prepared if challenges arise. Certifications may also count as CE credits.
Can I do telehealth work across state lines?
This is a complex issue, as each state has its own telehealth guidelines and requirements. In some cases, you may need to obtain licenses in the states where your patients reside. We cannot provide legal advice, and this information should not be used as a substitute for professional counsel. It’s strongly recommended that you consult a qualified legal advisor to understand your specific obligations before providing telemedicine services across state lines.
How do taxes work for multiple nursing income streams?
Taxes for multiple nursing income streams can be complex, and you must generally report all income—whether from self-employment or an employer. Some deductions may be available if you work as an independent contractor. We don’t provide financial advice, and this information should not be used as a substitute for professional guidance. It’s best to consult a qualified accountant or tax professional to fully understand your tax obligations and determine any applicable deductions.
What are the most flexible side hustles for nurse practitioners with families?
The most flexible side hustles for nurse practitioners with families are generally those you can complete from the comfort of home or gigs that allow you to choose your own hours to ensure work-life balance. Examples include contract content writing, training module creation, mobile IV clinics, and telemedicine services.
Key takeaways
Nurse practitioners have many opportunities to supplement their income, from traditional healthcare roles to innovative entrepreneurial ventures.
You can create a rewarding and financially beneficial career path by strategically choosing side hustles that align with your skills and interests.
Ready to start delivering better patient care?
Join 100,000 healthcare providers who rely on Fullscript to dispense top-quality supplements and labs to their patients.
The information in this article is intended for healthcare practitioners for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for informed medical, legal, or financial advice. Practitioners should rely on their own professional training and judgement, and consult appropriate legal, financial, or clinical experts when necessary.
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