15 Best Low-Cost Home-Based Business Ideas For Nurse Entrepreneurs

Written By: Donna ReeseDonna Reese MSN, RN, CSN

Donna Reese is a freelance nurse health content writer with 37 years nursing experience. She has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in her local community clinic and as an RN in home health, rehabilitation, hospital, and school nursing. She utilizes her personal experiences to write from the heart to apply to her writing for various health publications, including BLOGS, newsletters, and educational materials and videos. Read Full Bio »» MSN, RN, CSN

Running a business from your home has many perks. Nurse entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk to own a business find that a home-based business can be an economical and flexible solution for their careers. Owning a home-based business allows you to work in a meaningful job while having the freedom to make your own hours and be the boss. In addition, you typically have the flexibility to do a few home chores or perhaps check in on your teenager's homework progress.

However, a home-based business does not mean you must be glued to your home to work. In this type of enterprise, you can keep a home office (and the tax perks that go along with it) while visiting clients or patients outside of your house. Your home can serve as your base of operations while you work as necessary in a variety of environments.

Now that you understand what a home-based business is about, you may ask, “What are the best low-cost home-based business ideas for aspiring nurse entrepreneurs?” After all, most nurses don’t want to break the bank while venturing into a business. The beauty of operating out of your house is that you can keep your costs low. Here, I will clue you in on the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs in 2024

What Are The Best Low-Cost Home-Based Business Ideas For Aspiring Nurse Entrepreneurs?

(The following are the 15 best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs in 2024.)

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #1: Medical Writer

About The Business:

Medical writing can be one of the most affordable, low-cost, home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs. Nurses with a good command of our language already possess the valuable skills and knowledge to create medical content. Although there is a wide variety of topics and types of matter for writing jobs, nurses who can break down complex medical studies or pharmacology have what it takes to be a medical writer.

Medical writers are highly sought out to write copy for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, advertising and government agencies, medical device companies, universities, healthcare organizations, and many more areas.

Medical writers can be contracted by a company, or you can work 100% freelance from your home office.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Although some people may take a medical writing course and obtain a certification in this specialty, this step is not required. However, having a medical writer certificate can make you more credible and marketable.

The only essential tools you will need as a freelance medical writer are a computer and your analytical brain. That’s it! And the great news is that medical writers are in demand and are paid handsomely for their work.

Some may confuse medical writers with health writers. Although there may be some overlap in their roles, medical writers tend to be more detail-oriented, analyze more complex scientific and medical content, and make a higher salary than health writers.

Potential Earnings:

Glassdoor indicates that the average salary for a medical writer is $93K. Top-paying companies such as Merck pay much higher, typically around $130,000 annually.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #2: Health Coach

About The Business:

As one of the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs, health coaching is ideally suited for RNs. With our hard work ethic and encouraging demeanor, we can expertly guide our clients toward better health. Health coaches basically serve as mentors, teachers, and cheerleaders to assist clients in realizing their best health. Health coaches are often hired to assist in stress management, nutrition and weight loss, and physical fitness. Emotional support is a key component of this job.

When starting a health coaching business, it is a good idea first to assess your personal attributes. As a health coach, you basically need to be organized, efficient, and successful in your life and career. Take into consideration your ability to set and realize your own goals, as goal-setting is an integral part of the job of a health coach. If your own life is a wreck, you may not be in the best position to coach others toward optimal mental and physical health.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Health coaches often guide their clients via Zoom or phone. It is typically unnecessary to meet in person; thus, your home office and computer are the only fundamental tools you will need for this career. Additionally, you have the flexibility to see clients in many environments, such as community centers, health fairs, or hospitals.

Health coaching certification courses are available from numerous sources that will increase your credibility as an expert.

Of course, it is wise to consult with a business attorney and purchase insurance before opening your practice.

Potential Earnings:

ZipRecruiter shows that a nurse health coach makes between $23 and $34 per hour. Many health coaches work part-time so this hourly wage projection may be of interest. If you plan to work full-time in this career, your projected annual salary range is $48,000 to $72,000.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #3: Nurse Navigator

About The Business:

Nurse navigators are specialized nurses who know the healthcare system and work with patients to help improve their care while minding the cost of treatment. Nurse navigators typically work long-term with people with chronic or life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. Children with complex special medical needs such as spina bifida and muscular dystrophy also can benefit from an experienced nurse.

Although insurance companies typically hire nurse navigators, there are many instances where this service is not offered or available to those who need it most. Thus, freelancing as a nurse navigator is a needed commodity.

If you possess a specialty in pediatrics, chronic disease, or oncology, your navigator services are especially in demand.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Professional nurse navigators can work primarily from home. However, you may want to attend key physician appointments to help guide an appropriate treatment plan for your client. Your start-up costs are close to nothing. Of course, you will need a computer and phone for your job, but that is about it for supplies.

You may want to employ the services of a marketing company and business attorney, but it is not essential to start your nurse navigator business. To succeed, you should use numerous social media platforms to market your business.

I have worked as a nurse navigator for clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, quadriplegia, and limb amputation. People in this situation can be vulnerable, overwhelmed, and drowning financially. Their lives have been uprooted at every turn while trying to deal with their medical condition. In these instances, a medical professional who advocates for their optimum health while guiding them through the complex healthcare system is a blessing.

Potential Earnings:

Per Indeed.com, the average salary for a nurse navigator is $92,076. You can expect a similar salary as a freelancer if you work full-time. However, one of the benefits of freelancing is that you can work as little or as much as fits your lifestyle, so your salary can be adjusted per your needs.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #4: IV Nurse

About The Business:

One of the more recently popular low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs is that of a freelance IV nurse. Clients utilize independent drip therapy “bars” to achieve better overall health as well as to boost hydration, athletic performance, and immunity. Patients dealing with morning sickness, hangovers, fatigue, and food poisoning may also consult an IV drip nurse.

Nurse entrepreneurs can freelance as IV nurses for local drip bars or own an IV drip therapy business themselves. You may operate out of your home office to schedule appointments for sessions elsewhere, such as patient homes or places of business. If you have an extra space in your home, such as a basement office area or garage that can be converted to accommodate a patient lounge chair and a small table, you can set up a business in your home.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

As with most home-based businesses, you should consult a business attorney for guidance on your enterprise. This tip is especially vital if you plan to use a home space for treatments. Since you are actually providing hands-on care, make sure that you have the proper malpractice insurance coverage.

The experts at Nursepreneurs.com state that you should partner with a medical director physician or NP for this type of venture. The cost of this partnership varies, but the fee is often a percentage of the profit. Thus, this stipulation does not always affect start-up costs. This same source indicates that start-up costs can be around $5000.

Franchises for the IV drip therapy business are also available, although the start-up cost of going in this direction is higher than on your own. There are many tutorials, articles, and even courses on how to start an IV drip therapy business, so you do not have to recreate the wheel for this venture.

If you choose to freelance as an IV nurse for local drip bars, you should not have any start-up costs.

Potential Earnings:

PrimeIV, a franchise company for IV therapy, indicates that a business owner can expect an initial profit of $140,000 with higher revenues as you grow your enterprise.

According to ZipRecruiter, infusion nurses who freelance for IV therapy organizations make an average wage of $41/hour.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #5: Diabetes Management Consultant

About The Business:

There is a need for caring and knowledgeable diabetes management consultants. Nurses with a background in diabetes education will find that acting as a consultant is one of the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs.

As a diabetes consultant, you can work for private physician offices, insurance companies, and community organizations. Some patients may even be willing to hire you as their private concierge nurse to oversee their diabetic care.

You will serve as the patients’ teacher to help them to manage their diabetes better. Much of the job as a consultant can be accomplished over the phone or via Zoom since you will primarily educate and monitor patient blood sugar levels. However, you may wish to venture out of your home office on occasion to see patients, if needed.

Prior to the Pandemic, my primary care physician had a small office (more like a closet) where a private diabetes management consultant could meet with newly diagnosed diabetic patients. Once the pandemic hit, the cubby consultation area closed, and Zoom visits took over. The in-person visits have never resumed due to the convenience of telemedicine. This example illustrates that working from home as a diabetes consultant is possible.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Diabetic nurse consultants need very little to start their own business. Meeting with a business attorney and purchasing a computer and liability insurance are essentials to start working as a diabetic consultant. Having some basic tools like a glucometer, BP cuff, and stethoscope may be all the nurse gear necessary for your enterprise.

Potential Earnings:

According to Glassdoor, a diabetic nurse specialist, makes an average yearly salary of $102K. As a self-employed specialist, you should be able to negotiate a higher fee than a diabetic nurse employed by an organization due to the employer not having to pay for a compensation package.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #6: Staffing Agency

About The Business:

It is increasingly common to find nurse-owned health staffing agencies. Perhaps this is because RNs have found that they are well-suited for low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs that involve staffing in the medical world. We have the same background as those who are hired and the clients who are being staffed. We speak the same (medical) language and have been in their shoes. It is no surprise that nurse-owned staffing agencies are successful as these entrepreneurs are more likely to provide what nurses need from an employer because they “get us”.

Owning a staffing agency is a bit more complex than some of the other business ideas in this article, but it is a viable venture for those serious about this type of business. The Nurse Owned Staffing Agencies Group (NOSA) is a support site and network for nurse business owners, specifically a staffing agency.

Your business would primarily involve marketing to healthcare entities and nurses. There are many levels of staffing agencies, from a small, boutique niche-type venture to a full-staffing agency. Most nurses start with a simple business plan to staff a local hospital or medical office. They then may build up their agency over time.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

This venture cannot develop overnight. Permits and licenses need to be in place, as well as business insurance. Marketing to clients to start a base business is required, as well as finding and vetting nurses for staffing. If operating a home business, you can forego finding an office space. Thus, your business should be primarily virtual for interviewing and holding meetings.

You can start with a team of just yourself but eventually may need to add at least one more person for secretarial, marketing, or payroll. Costs for legal fees, permits, self-promotion, and office supplies can amount to approximately $5000 for a simple start-up from home. Costs can be much higher if you want to expand on this basic idea.

Potential Earnings:

Step by Step Business estimates a profit of $56,000 to $120,000 for a basic staffing agency owner. This number can grow substantially as you expand your enterprise.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #7: Nurse Advocate

About The Business:

Every patient deserves and needs an advocate to help them navigate (and sometimes fight) the healthcare system that cares for them. As nurses, we perform this duty daily for our patients, especially our own family members who are hospitalized and vulnerable.

For every patient who has had medical claims or treatment denied, a nurse advocate can be there to help see that there is a fair outcome. A nurse advocate can assist patients to locate and gain placement in a skilled nursing facility. Your services will be invaluable in any instance where the healthcare system has let down or is not fully supporting a patient.

Not to be confused with a nurse navigator, a patient advocate is typically hired more short-term and by a patient or their families for a particular problem or condition. Whereas a nurse navigator's liaison role may have some overlap with an advocate, a navigator is usually hired by an insurance company or hospital group to guide their patient's medical journey.

Nurse advocates utilize their medical background to champion patients in cases where they require someone to stand up for them in the medical system.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Acting as a nurse advocate is really one of the low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs that does not require a lot of start-up cash. However, you may want to become board-certified as a patient advocate. Understanding billing and the medical-legal system is a plus.

In this capacity, you should be able to work 100% from your home office.

Potential Earnings:

PayScale indicates that nurse advocates make an average annual salary of $72,240.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #8: Private Concierge Nurse

About The Business:

One of the most straightforward, low-cost, home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs is to be an independent private duty nurse. Otherwise termed in-home concierge nurse, this type of service can easily be established as an entrepreneurial endeavor. Although your base is your home office, you will need to do home visits and provide hands-on care much of the time.

Concierge nursing may spill over on your days off as you likely will be the client's primary resource when medical questions or situations arise. However, many times, a phone or Zoom call may be all that is needed to remedy a concern.

Independent private duty nurses can also fill in for fatigued or working family caregivers or in a pinch when an agency nurse does not show. Examples of cases where a private concierge nurse can be of assistance are:

• Post-op care
• Elderly assistance with medication and daily activities such as showering and diabetic care
• End of life support
• Provide medical support for patients who are traveling away from home
• New baby and mother assistance. (Newborn night nursing is a growing demand.)

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Going solo as a private concierge nurse is a natural extension of our everyday nursing duties. However, it would be wise to have a few years of clinical nursing experience under your belt before launching this type of business since you will not have colleagues to learn from or consult.

Getting started as a concierge nurse does not require much. Setting up this business model will involve liability insurance, a website, and consulting a business attorney or accountant. You will need essential nursing tools of the trade, such as a thermometer, stethoscope, BP cuff, and pulse oximeter.

Unless you begin your business with a client in mind (perhaps a senior neighbor who needs assistance), you will need to build a clientele. This could take time. Your business could involve numerous short home visits to patients or a full-time private-duty client. To build up a sufficient patient flow, you need to establish an online presence via LinkedIn and a quality website.

Some concierge nurses are fortunate to bypass this step and have a connection or acquaintance who may need your nursing services. This type of business can quickly take off without much effort but in some instances may require time and effort to slowly build to a successful endeavor.

Potential Earnings:

According to Glassdoor, concierge nurses make an average wage of $62K annually. This is lower than an average nurse's salary, perhaps due to many patients paying out of pocket for your services.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #9: Nursing Education Consultant

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About The Business:

Creating nursing educational content and support is one of the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs. Nurses and other health personnel constantly need training, CEUs, and guidance. As a nursing education consultant, your client base can range from individuals considering enrolling in nursing school to struggling nursing students, new grads, and seasoned nurses.

You can expand your services to other health personnel, such as medical assistants and anyone working in the health field.

Business ideas can include:

• Hosting educational podcasts  
• Developing content for online CEU courses, exam prep, and certifications
• Developing nursing educational social media posts 
• Developing online educational content such as flow sheets, nurse notes, and checklists
• Resume writing

Extra Tip: There are times that this type of venture lends itself to nurse career coaching, which can then be a side niche to your educational consulting business.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

As a nursing educational consultant, you essentially just need your expertise. A flair for writing and public speaking can increase your chances for success, as these are valuable tools as a consultant. If you are unsure how to write CEUs or other educational content, there are CE courses available that teach this skill so you can quickly learn what is needed to start your business.

Potential Earnings:

Depending on what services you want to provide, you can tailor your fees to your skills and needs. Earning potential varies, but you should expect to earn over $100,00 annually once you are an expert in this area.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #10: Speaker

About The Business:

Nurses with a gift for speaking may find that the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs are in public speaking or podcasts. Although, your speaking content does not need to be nurse or health-related, nurse speakers are in demand for topics that pertain to their medical expertise and experience in nursing.

Nurses who do public speaking for a living can find work doing the following:

• Keynote speeches
• Ted Talks
• Motivational or wellness talks
• Comedy
• Medical and health topic experts
• Nursing conference speaker

As a nurse speaker, you can join a speakers bureau or work with booking agencies to find jobs. If you are comfortable in front of a camera, you can expand your speaking audience by podcasting, while never leaving your home office. Who knows, you may be this decade's next great nurse influencer!

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Your captivating personality and ability to speak, along with key nursing knowledge or compelling stories, are really all that is needed to begin your nurse-speaking business. You can do your own marketing, but with a variety of booking agencies, you can leave that headache up to the experts. A professional website and online presence are always helpful for any nurse-run business.

Potential Earnings:

Nurse speakers can charge a wide variety of fees for their services. You can command increased compensation as you become better known, have a higher level of expertise or education, or have a bigger following. Some nurse speakers begin their careers at approximately $250 per talk (plus expenses). However, you may earn as much as $4000 per engagement once you are successful.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #11: Online Patient Education and Support Services

About The Business:

People constantly seek support and education on wellness and their medical conditions. Providers typically do not have time to fully educate and support many of their patients. So, individuals are left to their own devices to find resources to help themselves achieve better health. Sometimes, they just need a medical person there to give them the extra support needed.

As the medical expert in your field, you may be the answer to patients’ needs. This service is primarily online, where you provide videos, podcasts, blogs, networking, and social media platforms such as a Facebook support group for your target audience. One of the most active online patient groups are pregnant women and new moms. Thus, a perinatal nurse and those who have worked in obstetrics and labor and delivery are great candidates for this type of business.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Your expertise is the most vital piece to launching a successful patient education business. A nurse-patient education certificate will help increase your credibility but is not required. More valuable may be certifications in your field of nursing.

The 2nd most significant task for a start-up in online patient education is figuring out your path to revenue. Earning money as an online educator can be a bit trickier than many other entrepreneurial ventures.

You may want to hire a marketing group to help you launch this type of business, although if you don’t mind a slow start-up, you can work on this aspect of your business yourself. Learning how to acquire sponsors on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms takes time and some expertise. You will need to become knowledgeable of social networking to create an online presence.

There are limited instances where there are private, government, and state-sponsored support groups and networks that you may be able to lend your expertise as an independent contractor. Unfortunately, this free and convenient service for patients is far and few between. This gap in care is why your virtual patient education and support services may be in demand.

Potential Earnings:

There are many variations to this business idea. Online nurse support makes a great side niche but can often be built into a very lucrative career. Once you are fully integrated into the social media world and sponsored, you should easily be able to top 100K annually.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #12: Legal Nurse Consultant

About The Business:

Working independently as a legal nurse consultant is one of the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs who are interested in our judicial system. As an independent legal nurse consultant, you can work with multiple law firms, taking cases as you choose. You can also contract for a specific time to fill a need for an attorney or insurance company.

Duties as a legal nurse consultant can include:

• Review of medical records
• Make determinations regarding cost of care
• Guide decisions pertaining to long-term health needs
• Explain medical terminology and health conditions to attorneys
• Serve as an expert medical witness
• Conduct client interviews

Legal nurse consultants can work primarily from home, with the exception of attending hearings as needed.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

To set up a legal nurse consultant business, you must possess some knowledge of our judicial system. You may want to take a course on legal nursing or become certified as a legal nurse consultant. While neither of these avenues is necessary, having the necessary background (and certification) will help to sell your business.

Besides your expertise, you will need nurse liability insurance, a computer, and a phone. It is always a good idea to consult a business attorney or accountant before establishing an independent practice.

Potential Earnings:

Working in the law field typically pays well. A legal nurse consultant earns an average wage of $112K annually. For nurse entrepreneurs with experience in this field, who possess certain specialty niches, or are willing to take on numerous clients, this salary can be much higher.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #13: Corporate Occupational Wellness Consultant

About The Business:

Freelance nurse occupational wellness consultants promote the health and safety of employees. Big firms often hire corporate wellness specialists. However, you may be able to find smaller clients who desire your services.

As a medical professional, you can apply your valuable nursing expertise to include wellness services such as:

• Blood pressure clinics
• Weight loss guidance
• Infection control
• Safety tips
• Administer vaccines such as flu

You may meet with employees to develop an individualized health plan or do large group in-services on various health and safety topics. You may arrange fitness classes or health fairs. Your insight is valuable to administration relating to matters such as safety measures and ideas to improve employee wellness with a focus on decreasing sick days and increased productivity.

You can work primarily from home as an occupational wellness consultant to conduct business via Zoom. If you want, you can work hybrid to assess and monitor the safety of the corporation and employees in person.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

If you are already board-certified as an occupational health nurse, you have all that you need to get started as an independent occupational health business owner. If this describes your credentials, you may have found one of the simplest and most straightforward avenues to low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs. If not, you can easily find an affordable and fast credentialing course to become board-certified as an occupational nurse.

Although it is not necessary to be a board-certified occupational health nurse, having this specialty background will help to add credibility to your business. Certain types of nursing experience lend themselves well to transfer to occupational nursing; however, this career path is an excellent choice for most RNs. Once certified, you should develop a business plan, consult a business attorney, and market your venture. Once you have one client, you can slowly add more as you gain experience.

Potential Earnings:

ZipRecruiter indicates that occupational health nurses earn an average annual salary of $86,380. Businesses are willing to pay a healthy wage for this type of service. You can market your service as one where the employer does not have to pay salaried benefits. With that being said, you should give a quote that is higher than the average salaried occupational nurse.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #14: Nursing Product Retail

About The Business:

Nurses are increasingly turning to the business world as a career choice. The healthcare and medical industry has so many options for nursing ventures that once may have seemed out of reach for our profession. However, we are learning that nurses make great business owners.

We can transfer our organizational and excellent communication skills to include sales in the health product industry. Nurses have now stepped into the product sales industry and are quickly demonstrating their prowess.

Products that nurse business owners can sell could be a wide variety of items such as:

• Scrubs
• Nursing Tools and Gifts
• Footwear
• Books- Nursing and health and wellness-related

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

Business acumen is required as a health product supplier. However, don’t give up on a business idea if you don’t know the inside scope of how to start and run a business. There are numerous resources to teach you how to be a business owner, many of which are explicitly geared toward nurse-owned businesses. I recently ran across a CEU course from the National Nurses in Business Association on “Business Basics”. By taking the time to investigate and learn how to run a business, you should be on your way to starting your product sales.

You will also need to market your products. Most ventures of this type are virtual with online sales. Fortunately, you do not typically have to stock your products; instead, you can act as an intermediary from another supplier. Thus, your start-up costs are minimal, which would include a business attorney and computer. Employing a marketing agency may be a good idea to get your product moving.

If you want, you can sometimes take your business on the road to sell at nursing conferences, universities, and trade shows.

Potential Earnings:

Nursing product suppliers typically do not make a huge profit in their first year. However, over time, your company will build its base, and you should expect a healthy return in the following years. You can expect to earn $50,000 to $150,000 on your venture as a nursing product supplier once you are up and running.

Low-Cost Home-Based Business #15: Independent Contractor

About The Business:

We all know that nurses are in demand. However, many of us do not want to commit to a job with crazy, long hours and little flexibility as our “life happens”. Nursing jobs, by their very nature, require 24/7 attendance. But what if there is another option to do bedside nursing without all of the oppressive scheduling requirements?

Nurses are perfectly capable of flying solo to freelance as their own agents. This concept may be a bit out-of-the-box, but nurses who want the freedom to work when they want are beginning to learn that you can be a freelance nurse and not have to be beholden to an employer. No, I am not talking about travel nursing or a hospital employee who works per diem. I am letting you know of a new trend for nurses who set up their own businesses or LLCs as independent nurse contractors.

Thus, one of the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs is that of a freelancer or self-employed contractor. This option is a freer extension of who we already are as nurses.

Nurses can do independent concierge work or work per diem for a platform like Nursa.com or NurseRegistry. Per diem, online sites offer independent nurses the option to work a shift or more where needed. As a self-owned LLC, you can do a mix of nursing work that may range from picking up a shift at a hospital, taking on a contract from an insurance company to review hospital bills, writing for nursing journals, or whatever interests you at the moment.

You are free to choose whatever you want to do as a self-employed nurse. It may surprise you that many short-term nursing jobs are available where you can contract your services. Many freelance nurses combine a variety of jobs to keep their careers fresh and interesting.

As a freelance writer, I also work numerous short-term contractual or side nursing jobs. I have had the opportunity to be a part of COVID-19 vaccine clinics, take on private duty nursing jobs, and do telephone medical soft sales. As a freelancer, I have been a nurse navigator for patients with diabetes and cancer. Many employers don’t want the expense of taking on an employee, so being an independent contractor is a win-win situation for both parties. I typically take on numerous contracts at once while still having the flexibility to work when I want and take time off without guilt.

What Do You Need To Start This Business:

You may want to consult a business attorney to determine what type of business you should set up. There are several options in this career category, and a professional should explain what would work best for your goals. You will need to purchase malpractice insurance. Most nurses already have their own private insurance but talk to your insurance agent about your situation to ensure you have the coverage you need.

Some nurses may want to purchase an organizational system for their complex work finances, such as QuickBooks, or consult an accountant. However, this avenue is optional. Thus, besides a computer and phone, there are relatively few start-up costs. Depending on what direction you take as a freelancer, you should purchase a good BP cuff, stethoscope, and thermometer. However, many of us already have these items in our nursing toolbox.

Potential Earnings:

There are so many variables as a nurse freelancer that it is difficult to quote the earning potential. However, you should expect to receive the average hourly nursing rate at a minimum. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, that amounts to $42.80/hour on average for RNs in the US.

My Final Thoughts

After reading the best low-cost home-based business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs in 2024, you have to agree that nursing career opportunities are anything but boring. Even better, many nurses' entrepreneurial endeavors don’t require much upfront cash. In addition, these ideas can make working from a home office more convenient for you to live as you choose.

Now that I have answered the question, “What are the best low-cost home-based business ideas for aspiring nurse entrepreneurs?” I hope you are thinking creatively and can picture a few options where you may find a successful endeavor from home. There are so many variations of reasonably priced home-based nursing career choices that the list can be endless. I am excited to see what you and other inspiring nurses can accomplish as a “nursepreneur” in the future.