How’s your 2018 budget looking? If you’re a nurse practitioner student, making ends meet financially while keeping your sanity is no easy task. Sure, you could maintain full-time employment as a nurse while you work on your NP degree, but between work, clinicals and classroom time you’ll quickly get burned out. You could also take an extended break from employment to focus on your education, but for many nurse practitioner students this isn’t an option. So, how can you make some extra cash while still having time for your education when you’re in NP school?
1. Night Nursing
As the mother of a newborn, I’ve become aware of a new phenomenon – night nursing. Essentially, a night nurse babysits newborns from around 10pm to 6am so tired parents can catch a few zzz’s. All you’ve got to do as the night nurse is give a few bottles, change a couple diapers and do baby’s laundry. Better yet, you’re not only getting paid during downtime, you’ll also have plenty of time to study for your upcoming NP school exam. Contact a night nursing company to get started with a family, or market your services solo on a website like Care.com.
2. Give Medical Advice
You may not be a nurse practitioner quite yet, but if you’re a nurse you are still a highly sought after source of healthcare advice. Many insurance companies or other employers like Fonemed pay nurses to answer customer’s medical calls. Services provided by nurses range from triage to case management type issues. Many of these positions offer flexible hours that fit well with a nurse practitioner student schedule.
3. Drive or Deliver
As an NP student you’ve probably used services like Uber and Lyft for a night out on the town (study break, anyone?!), but why not drive yourself? If you aren’t comfortable accepting passengers, you might consider driving for a delivery service like Postmates instead. These positions offer ultimate flexibility – work when and where you want to. While there is a sign-up process involved with driving for these companies, training is usually brief and shouldn’t eat into your clinical schedule.
4. Rent Your Space
Have a little room to spare in your home? Why not rent your space on Air B&B or VRBO? I can personally attest that renting out your home can be a profitable endeavor – even if you don’t live in a palace. This is a great way for nurse practitioner students to earn a little extra cash while out of town for school breaks. Or, maybe you can use the income to fund a Spring Break vacation?! Be aware, your city may require you to have a permit before you rent.
5. Become a TaskRabbit
If you’re an up for anything kind of person, consider posting your services on TaskRabbit. The website connects individuals looking for short-term help with those qualified for the job. Services on the site like errand-running or helping out at a conference don’t require specialized knowledge and can provide flexible supplemental income for NP students.
6. Tutor
Whether you click with high schoolers or prefer to work with college students, as a nurse you have a wealth of knowledge to share. Your know-how probably also extends beyond nursing to other areas of study. Tutors maintain flexible schedules and can charge substantial hourly rates. Nurse practitioner students interested in tutoring may connect with local elementary, middle and high schools to offer their services. If you live next to a university with a nursing program, you may also consider posting a flyer advertising your new side hustle to RN students.
7. Manage a Family
Babysitting may not be your gig, but there are plenty of other ways families can use help. Errand running, grocery shopping, organizing and general ‘straightening up’ fall by the wayside for those with kids. So, post your willingness to work as a ‘family manager’ online. Assisting a family with meal prep, post office runs and other life tasks is simple and an easy way to earn an income on the side to pad your NP student bank account.
8. Sell Your Stuff
You may doubt that you’ll earn a discernable amount of money by selling used items rather than donating them to the local thrift shop, but as a former budget-conscious NP student, I can attest that this is not the case. Consider posting unwanted clothing and household items on eBay or Facebook. You never know who’s looking for a deal and doesn’t mind gently used items. Don’t forget to take shipping into account as you price your inventory.
9. Join the Float Pool
This one’s pretty obvious, but if you’re a nurse turned NP student, working as an RN with a flexible schedule is a good option for maintaining an income while you’re in school. So, transition from full or part-time to PRN with your employer so you have the flexibility you need to attend class and clinicals. Or, join a float pool at a local hospital. Fill in needs when you can, but keep NP school your priority.
What side hustles have you tried as a nurse practitioner student?