Moonlighting: Nurses Reveal Their Side Jobs

This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.

Nurses may have a good job outlook…but maybe your budget is a little tight on your nurse’s salary alone. Or perhaps you’re looking for a fun way to relax on the weekends—and make a little extra cash on the side. We asked our Facebook fans what kind of side jobs they have (or have had) to make some extra dough; check out their answers for some inspirations and, occasionally, warnings!

Medical

I give flu shots during flu season! —Mary B.

Teaching childbirth classes. —Kelly E.

Gave nightly injections to someone going through infertility treatments for both of her pregnancies. —Stacey T.

I work per diem as a nurse at a correctional facility. I start training tomorrow. —Martine L.

Doula! —Shari C.

I keep a side job, always have. I like to do home care through an agency. It’s flexible—I schedule patients around my work and life! —Mandi F.

Retail

I worked at a local gas station in the morning making breakfast foods and doughnuts! It was quite a change from nursing, but I totally enjoyed it. I still had a lot of interactions with people in the morning on their way to work…that made it fun! —Dena K.

Walmart—hated it!!! —Sandra R.

The Disney Store. —Denise A.

Business

I’ve been a tax preparer at Jackson Hewitt every year for the past three tax seasons. —Vicki B.

I help my husband with our photography business. —Mary M.

Party planner. —Aminah R.

Have my own business…stripping and waxing floors. It’s mindless and therefore enjoyable. —Corinna L.

Food Industry

Vegetarian/vegan catering and holistic pet food rep. —Michelle L.

Helping a vendor sell produce and plants on the local farmers’ market. —Sandra C.

I work at a gourmet cupcake shop on weekends. I make some extra money, get to do something that I enjoy and get out my creative energy (and it doesn’t involve any life-or-death decision making on my part!). —Andrea B.

Cook at major pizza chain through nursing school. —Rene W. 

Fitness

Certified personal trainer. —Jeannine Q.

Scuba instructor. —Megan B.

Other

Taught English subjects (grammar, creative writing, American accent training, speech and pronunciation classes, and English as a Second Language) to foreign university, kids and adults. I loved doing it! —Marygrace G.

Shoveled horse manure. Top that one. —Les S.

Aesthetician and nail tech. —Laura L.

I make and sell baby quilts and memory quilts. —Cynthia F.

I was a CNA for years before going on to get my LPN, but I’ve also worked second jobs as an auto mechanic (helped me through nursing school—I’d find a car part that matched functions with human organs and simplify the human organ down to the same thing as the car part) and sold auto parts at a national chain. —John M.

What kind of side jobs do you have (or have you had) to make some extra dough? Share in the comments section below.

 


This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Bought a small second home and run it as an AirBnB rental. It is doing well and I loved flipping and decorating it. Good retirement income when the time comes.

    • Hi Elise, this is what I am preparing to do. Glad to hear your positive feedback! RN 36 years here. This may be good for retirement for me I am hoping as well.

  2. I went to Paramedic school in the late 80’s, back when it was a mostly male-dominated career, & also became a firefighter. I volunteered with our town’s FD, both firefighting & ambulance. I soon got a job in the city of Ithaca, NY as a paid, full-time Medic. I ride to the rank of Senior Medic & was in charge of my 24 hour Sunday shift. To keep my rank I had to work the full 48 hours of every weekend: from 7AM Saturday to 7AM Monday. I basically lived at the downtown station. Thankfully we had a bunkroom, & were allowed to sleep during whatever down time we had. We were family: we cleaned the truck bays & common rooms together, washed/stocked all 6 ambulances together, cooked & ate together. When the hospital helicopter crashed, killing all on board, we cried & prayed together, as we lost 2 of our own that night. I did this for over 10 years straight every weekend….all while working at the hospital as an OR RN on the 3-11 shift Monday through Friday. I thrived on this combination of the 2 careers – adrenaline junky?! I’ve seen it all, & can’t un-see a lot of it that I wish I could (thankful for stress debriefings!): shootings, stabbings, OD’s, MI’s, severe burns, MVA’s…..I saved many lives & lost some. I’ve pronounced people dead, & delivered a few babies. When I turned 50 I retired from my Medic job….I needed to stop running on coffee, & only a few hours of sleep. It was time to take care of me!

  3. I do things a little backward – I teach Emergency Management classes in a regional four year school full time and work as a RN in correctional nursing one day a week. Trying to clean up bills for when it comes time to retire.

  4. After working for 34 years, I started directing my church choir and using my music background again. I enjoy volunteering for the many needs of our congregation. The pay to direct the choir is very low but the personal awards are very high.

  5. It is a dusgrace that nurses pay is as low as it is making for the need to make extra money doing ” side jobs” NURSE DESERVE HIGH SALARIES FOR WHAT THEY DO!!

  6. I was glad to see nurses moonlight doing something else. Need to get away from nursing and do fun stuff.

  7. Esthetician and makeup artist. 12 yrs prior to nursing and take my clients whenever I can. They love me and I love them. Can’t let them go.

  8. After I retired as a Nursing Instructor at a school of nursing, I worked part time as the school nurse at an after-school program. Loved it!

  9. Well I feel pretty lazy now….my side job is holding down my recliner and petting the dogs while supporting the Diet Coke industry of the world!

  10. I am in the process of retiring as an RN in Occupational Health and looking forward to traveling the country. I would like to find something to do while traveling, ie on laptop and cell phone.

    • Suzy, Have you ever thought of becoming an Arbonne recruiter (independent consultant)? Keep reading; it is great fun and amazing people and you can do it from your cell phone while you travel! Lots of really successful people in Arbonne for the same reason; travel! I am looking for team members to take to the top of this company and you sound like the perfect fit! I am a nurse in a Hospice facility and am working to increase my retirement income and travel too! I love this business and thought you might also! If you are interested email me at [email protected]. Check out our vegan, gluten-free, no added chemicals products (and the company) at http://marylynnlawler.arbonne.com

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