25 Most-Profitable Small Business Ideas For Nurses
Written By:
Donna Reese
Donna 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
New profitable nurse businesses are developing and evolving quickly throughout our nation. Unique niche ideas are popping up in cities and online. Nurses are beginning to realize their exceptional potential in the business world.
You, too, may be wondering about a nurse-owned business. Questions such as “What options are there for nurse-owned ventures?” and “Can I be successful as a business owner?” may be going through your mind. Even more important, you may not realize that owning a business can be profitable.
Are you seeking a career as an independent small business nurse owner that can pay well? You may wonder, “What are the most profitable small business ideas for nurses?”
You have come to the right place if you have these internal conversations. Here, I illuminate the most profitable small business ideas for nurses, where you can easily top the $100K mark. These ventures range from simple home business companies that require little time or cash for a start-up to more elaborate ideas that you can expand to reap top-dollar.
Let’s jump right into this exciting topic!
What are the Most Profitable Small Business Ideas for Nurses?
(The following are the 25 most profitable small business ideas for nurses.)
Small Business #1: Legal Nurse Consultant
About The Small Business:
Legal nurse consultants work with law firms and hospitals to help sort through medical-legal claims. In this capacity, the nurse can help to explain medical jargon and conditions clearly to attorneys and hospital administration. A legal nurse can often serve as a medical expert and may need to testify in court. Much research and paperwork is associated with this job; thus, you can work mainly from a
home office if you wish.
How To Start This Small Business:
Working as a legal nurse consultant is one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses because those in the legal system tend to pay well. In addition, this type of venture has little to no start-up costs. You can work from home or in your client's office, so there is no need to rent office space.
Many times, legal nurse consultants will take legal nurse courses or earn a
certificate as a legal nurse consultant. Typically, this avenue to a new career only takes weeks, and the cost is reasonable. However, holding such a certificate helps to boost your credibility in this field.
It is always wise to consult a business attorney or accountant when starting a business. Also, ensure that you keep your nursing liability insurance current.
Potential Earnings:
Legal nurse consultants can earn up to $150,000 annually, with the average salary being $112K. However, as a business owner, you can pick and choose your clients and schedule, so you are at liberty to find the highest-paying work once you are established.
Small Business #2: Staffing Agency
About The Small Business:
Nurse-owned staffing agencies are emerging all over the country. A savvy nurse has even taken this idea one step further and has developed a nurse education and support site for start-up nurse staffing agencies called
The NOSA Group.
Why is this business idea so popular for nurse entrepreneurs? It is because, as nurses, we “get” the problems and complexities of healthcare staffing from both a nurse and employer standpoint. As a staffing agency owner, you will know the needs and desires of nurses and what it takes to fill the staffing needs of a healthcare provider.
Your job will be to find nurses and other healthcare personnel to meet an employer's staffing needs. By keeping your employees and business clients happy, you will find the recipe for success.
Staffing agency owners can start out simply by working with a small handful of nurses and aides. This type of venture is one that will be built over time. Small staffing agencies can be in a home office as most business can be conducted virtually or on the phone.
How To Start This Small Business:
You should start with a business plan you and your attorney or accountant can use as a guide. You can then set up the business officially and register your venture. Next, you must get busy on social media to advertise your business. This step will include establishing a website, LinkedIn account, and Facebook page.
You may want to hire a marketing agent to help leverage traffic to your business site.
Start-up costs can average between $3500 to $10,000. If you hire out for a lot of your technical, marketing, and legal help, your expenses can be on the higher end of that figure.
Potential Earnings:
Once your business is established, you can expect to
make $56,000 - $120,000 annually. After your first-year growth period, you should exceed profits of over 100K.
Small Business #3: Home Health Agency
About The Small Business:
As a home health agency owner, you can work directly in patient homes, providing nursing care or in a more administrative role, overseeing the day-to-day operations. You can also contract your services with other home health agencies for over-flow or fill-in help.
Typically, at the onset of this kind of enterprise, you will wear many hats, most likely performing patient visits while hiring staff and training employees.
How To Start This Small Business:
You can start small in this type of venture or go big and buy a franchise such as
Nurse Next Door to jump-start your home health agency. For even a minimalistic approach, you must have a business plan and insurance to cover home visits. An attorney or business accountant should be able to guide you in setting up your start-up.
Marketing to potential customers will be challenging, so hiring a marketing agency may be in your best interest. The capital needed to launch a home health agency is similar to that of a staffing agency and can cost up to $10,000. However, if you are willing to do much of your own legwork, that figure will be much lower.
Potential Earnings:
Your first-year profit may not be overly impressive, but once you are up and running, you can expect to make over 100K as a home health agency owner.
Small Business #4: Senior Care Assistance
About The Small Business:
An independent nurse-run senior care business can provide nursing care for older adults in several ways. You can provide in-home care at a senior's home with services such as medication assistance, wound care, bathing, patient teaching, and perhaps light housework.
Another spin to this scenario is to provide extra patient care for those living in assisted or independent living arrangements.
The final option is to open a senior daycare center where patients come to a facility (that you own or rent) for stimulating socialization and medical care for the day. You would be responsible for medication administration, nutrition, physical exercise, education, supervision, and any medical treatments needed during the day.
In this capacity, you can offer services such as transportation to and from doctor appointments, socialization, and outing opportunities with you or friends, etc. You can even provide pet therapy and include your loving pets in your workday!
How To Start This Small Business:
Your warm and compassionate self is key to a thriving senior care assistance business. If you don’t know where to begin, The National Adult Day Services Association (
NADSA) may be an excellent resource for your start-up. Having experience working with seniors and the frail elderly will be valuable in this business.
You will need essential nursing equipment such as a BP cuff, stethoscope, and malpractice insurance to provide in-home care. If you plan to set up an adult care center, your start-up will be more complex and costly due to the addition of renting a space. Either way, consult a business attorney for guidance on this venture.
Potential Earnings:
Adult day program fees are like that of childcare programs. Daily fees can range from $85 to $120 per day, depending on the area and services given. If you provide in-home care, you should charge the average nursing
salary for your area.
Small Business #5: Night Shift New Baby Nurse
About The Small Business:
With families scattered around the globe, help for new mothers is not as easily accessible as it once was (when Grandma lived down the street). Fortunately, a few entrepreneurial nurses have learned that “night shift” new baby nursing is a hot commodity. In this venture, you will be mommy’s little helper with the bonus of being an expert nurse. Although you can work around the clock in this capacity, the real need is overnight so the new mom can get a little shut-eye.
How To Start This Small Business:
If you have postpartum or
perinatal nursing experience, you already have much of what it takes to start a small business as a night shift or new baby nurse.
Once again, you can start small and build your enterprise, or jump in with both feet and hire a fleet of nurses. Many may agree that initially working solo (or with a partner) as a night baby nurse is the most straightforward avenue to get your business off the ground. Adding staff as the business grows makes sound business sense and costs a lot less at the onset.
Ensure you have personal malpractice insurance and business insurance (once you start hiring nurses). Your business attorney can help you to establish your business. You can hire a marketing agent to drive business your way or tackle this aspect yourself.
Potential Earnings:
The latest projected 2024 statistics from Glassdoor relate that the average RN salary is $99,000 annually. As a specialized private night-time baby nurse, you can expect to make the same or more than the average RN. Of course, if you expand and hire nurses, you can quickly expect to top $100K in this business.
Small Business #6: Private Duty Nurse
About The Small Business:
As one of the simplest yet most profitable small business ideas for nurses, freelancing as a private duty nurse is a natural extension of our nursing skills. Working as a freelance private duty nurse may be considered
concierge nursing. Regardless of the title, in this capacity, you provide health care services in the home for a variety of patients.
Your private duty nursing business can be what you make of it, offering nursing care in the areas of your expertise. You may find that this business may evolve over time to include all types of nursing and services.
Once you are established, you may even add a fleet of nurses to build your company with the demand.
How To Start This Small Business:
As a private duty nurse freelancer, you need very little initially to set up your business. Having experience as a private duty or home health nurse will help you to transition to concierge nursing easily.
After a few years of nursing, you should have enough experience and confidence to open a private-duty nurse venture. You can choose your clients, so it is best to stick with cases where you feel comfortable with your skills for each client.
To start a business as a private duty nurse, you should have the following tools:
• Stethoscope, BP cuff, thermometer, glucometer (and supplies)
• A means to advertise your business, such as a web page, Facebook, local social media pages, and LinkedIn account
• Malpractice insurance
You may consider hiring a business attorney/accountant for guidance and a marketing agency to drive business your way.
Potential Earnings:
Glassdoor says the average concierge/private nurse
salary is 81K. In this capacity, you can easily make
6 figures if you are willing to work nights or take on specialty cases.
Small Business #7: Home Medical Equipment Sales
About The Small Business:
Who knows health equipment better than nurses who have worked with these supplies their entire careers? Nurses who like sales will be perfect home medical equipment business owners. As one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses, selling durable medical equipment (DME) is a natural extension of our knowledge about the supplies we regularly work with as nurses.
As a medical equipment sales entrepreneur, you will explain products and teach patients how to use nebulizers, canes, walkers, and an array of medical devices.
As a small business owner, you can conduct sales online or in person. Delivering the equipment personally to clients is always a special touch to ensure that they fully understand its use and setup. As a nurse, this is where your expertise will shine above other companies in this niche.
You can also sell to hospitals, pharmacies, and other organizations.
How To Start This Small Business:
Setting up a DME business may be a bit more complex than some other small businesses in this article. However, a business attorney can help you with the logistics of the initial business start-up, such as permits, insurance, and licensing requirements.
Familiarizing yourself with Medicare/Medicaid billing for DME is essential. Your attorney may also be helpful in this department. Visit the
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for important billing information.
Once you have accomplished the initial groundwork for your DME business, you may want to hire a marketing firm to help you launch your business.
Potential Earnings:
A projected average
profit for a DME store owner is $140,000 annually.
Small Business #8: Online Nurse Education Specialist/Writer
About The Small Business:
Nurses who enjoy teaching may want to consider becoming a freelance education specialist. In this small business, there are numerous avenues to assist nurses in their quest to gain knowledge in the field.
Ideas for an online nurse educator business can be:
• Writing CEs for nurse education sites
• Developing nursing checklists, flow sheets, and protocols
• Writing nursing workbooks and textbooks
• Educational podcasts
• Educational Facebook support
• Study guides and flashcards for nursing students
• Medical care plan development
How To Start This Small Business:
Most independent nurse education specialists set up an LLC with a webpage to advertise their business. You may do your own marketing or hire a professional to help attain clients (especially if you are considering podcasting). Besides a computer, there is very little necessary to launch a business as a nurse education specialist.
Potential Earnings:
Projected earnings as a nurse education specialist can vary widely. I have a nurse friend who has co-written several textbooks and makes well over $100K in dividends for her work. However, after a few years, the books will go out of circulation, and she will need to continue her day job to keep an active income.
It is safe to say that once you are established in this market, you can make around 100K regularly each year, if working full-time in this capacity. However, many nurse education specialists develop this small business as a side niche and eventually may work at it full-time once it takes off.
Small Business #9: Medical Writer
About The Small Business:
A medical writer is one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses that requires very little for start-up. Nurses may not typically consider this line of work, but freelancing as a medical writer is a natural extension of our analytical minds, medical knowledge, and research abilities.
In this small business, you contract with pharmacies, universities, hospitals, and med tech organizations to break down research studies and medical data and write reports based on your analysis that are understandable by the general public and nonmedical personnel.
How To Start This Small Business:
Medical writers come from all types of science backgrounds. With our scientific knowledge, nurses are already qualified for this career if they are skilled in research and complex analysis. There are courses and
certifications for medical writers that will increase your marketability.
Some medical writers set up a limited liability company (LLC) for their medical writing business. However, this step may not be necessary.
It would help if you established a website for your business. Also, join professional medical writers' associations and have a presence on LinkedIn to help find work.
Potential Earnings:
According to Indeed, a medical writer earns an average annual wage of $95,914. Once you have gained experience in this business, you should expect earnings of over 100K annually.
Small Business #10: Cannabis Nurse
About The Small Business:
Working as a cannabis nurse is a niche specialty that is in demand and can be one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses. You can go about this venture as simply as freelancing as an expert nurse in medical marijuana (MM). In this capacity, you can use your knowledge and nursing degree to contract with cannabis dispensaries to do intake assessments and education for their clients.
On a larger scale, entrepreneurial nurses can own MM dispensaries either onsite or as a virtual option. Many times, owners will include CBD and edibles in addition to medical marijuana.
How To Start This Small Business:
As you can imagine, many legalities are involved if you want to own a cannabis dispensary. There are many
resources online to help get you started in your enterprise. Make sure you choose a business attorney well-versed in your state product regulations. It may be easier (although more costly) to purchase a
marijuana franchise.
As an expert in this emerging field of nursing, you may want to become a member of one of the 2 leading cannabis nursing associations-
The American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) and the
Cannabis Nurse Network (CNN). Besides boosting your credibility in the field, these associations provide educational webinars and guidance in this career.
If you choose to freelance as a nurse for other dispensary owners, your path should be less complex than owning your own business. Either way, once you are educated about the types and medical use of the product, take time to study the legalities for the states where you will be guiding clients.
Potential Earnings:
According to ZipRecruiter, a cannabis nurse makes an average salary of $80,321 annually. Working as a freelancer, you should ask for a slightly higher wage as you will not receive a benefit package. You can also pick and choose clients and will be able to negotiate a higher salary due to the demand in this field.
If you are opening a shop, you can expect a much higher revenue and profit. The cannabis industry is incredibly profitable, with many larger dispensaries reporting millions in
profits. However, as a small business owner, figures for profits are more challenging to pin down. With so many variables in the industry and your choices for ownership, you should expect to clear over 100K once you are up and fully functioning. The potential for a greater yield is very likely.
Small Business #11: Intravenous Infusion
About The Small Business:
Intravenous infusion drip bars have become popular in cities nationwide. But did you know that most of these IV shops are nurse-owned businesses? Independent nurses have recognized that owning an intravenous infusion business equates to a profitable venture. Here, nurses can use their skills and expertise to help others feel better without going to the ER.
Drip bars can help with many conditions, including:
• Nausea/vomiting
• Dehydration
• Morning sickness
• Hangover
• Weakness
• Athletic post-workouts
• Vitamin infusions
• Immunity boost
• Anti-Aging
• Skin health
• Jet lag
You can freelance for various drip bars as an infusion nurse or own a business.
How To Start This Small Business:
To start a drip bar, you need your expert IV skills and a few supplies. First, you should have a cozy lounge chair for your patients and basic IV supplies. You should stock IV fluids and whatever infusion ingredients you offer, such as vitamins and minerals.
To keep costs low, you can run a simple drip lounge in an office in your home. Some nurses provide home/hotel/office visits for travelers and other clients who do not want to trek to an office. Nonetheless, if you plan to own an infusion venture, consult a business attorney for guidance.
Once you have decided on your business plan, you must consider a marketing strategy. You may want to consult a marketing firm for help. Either way, you should develop a webpage and become active on social media promoting your business.
Drip bar franchises are also available, alleviating start-up headaches. However, you will pay for this shortcut.
Potential Earnings:
Drip bar owners charge between $50 and $250 per session, depending on the " cocktail " provided. Many drip bars offer monthly memberships that will promote regular clientele. Once established, you can make well over $200,000 in
profits annually, according to Wolf Franchises.
Small Business #12: Senior Consultant/Advocate
About The Small Business:
It is easy for older adults to get overlooked and lost in the legal/government/medical system. Many could benefit from assistance navigating through the confusion.
As a consultant for seniors and their families, you will serve as an advocate to guide them through the complexities of the healthcare system. Although case workers for certain agencies may be available, the system is overrun with hundreds of referrals daily, with beleaguered social workers unable to assist for many months.
Ideas for a senior advocate business may include:
• Educating families and seniors about available resources
• Assist in placement in assisted living or other care arrangements
• Offer nursing support post-hospitalization
• Help decipher medical bills and payment arrangements
• Champion for fair and quality medical treatment and billing
• Serve as a go-between for the client and insurance company
In this capacity, you can meet with clients in their homes, assisted living facilities, community centers, and hospitals or via phone.
How To Start This Small Business:
You may want to take some elder care advocate courses/webinars to help you learn the many issues in this career. However, if you are versed in senior challenges, you may not need to pursue additional education. You should consult a business attorney, have current malpractice insurance, and have a website/social media presence to market your services.
Potential Earnings:
Senior advocating may be on the lower end of most profitable small business ideas for nurses. Senior advocates typically are paid by the client or families, and therefore, you may need to keep your fees within the average nursing pay range of $40-$42/hour.
Small Business #13: Online Supplement Company
About The Small Business:
Another one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses is the booming industry of dietary supplement sales. Online sales for weight loss pills, vitamins, and minerals are gaining traction as more people realize that this convenient avenue for purchasing supplements can also be cost-effective.
How To Start This Small Business:
There can be many legalities when selling online supplements. Hiring a savvy business attorney is recommended to help you keep up to date and out of trouble regarding sales of this nature.
There are many avenues to find clients, such as Amazon sales, through your own website and Instagram, and on other people's social media platforms. Some people even offer their products on Pinterest!
You can purchase a franchise such as with GNC to simplify the start-up process. GNC only requires a $20,000 franchise
fee, so this endeavor can be an affordable option.
However, if you choose to sell your products, you will need a solid business plan and establish a relationship with a trustworthy supplement manufacturer. If you are willing to hire a marketing firm to help you launch your business, you will be off to a great start and should realize sales quickly.
Potential Earnings:
Projected
profits for an online supplement shop owner is $100,000 annually on average.
Small Business #14: Health and Wellness and Beauty
About The Small Business:
Many concepts in the health and beauty realm can become a lucrative nurse-owned business. Health, beauty, and wellness ventures are some of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses. You can start small and add services and products as the business grows.
Health and wellness business ideas can be:
• Wellness retreats (a growing trend!)
• Health product sales such as essential oils, dietary supplements
• Work-out clothing and gear sales
• Healthy food sales
• Organic beauty products
• Anti-aging products
• Wellness center
• Clinics on wellness
• Juice bars
• Wellness spa (to include skin and Botox treatments)
How To Start This Small Business:
With US women
spending an average of $3,756 on cosmetics annually, you can safely say that the beauty and health industry is currently booming. Older women pay money to look young, and younger women tend to spend a great deal on their “human maintenance,” such as beauty products, spa treatments, and fitness. Men are now more likely to indulge in skin and hair products.
There are so many avenues to pursue that writing a step-by-step guide for this idea can be diverse. A vital start-up directive is to research your business concept to find your target audience and support network. Then with the help of the internet, you can find instructions on getting started in this industry for any of the ideas listed above.
Once you can visualize which type of business you want to start in the health and beauty industry, you should formulate a business plan.
Just be sure to take on a venture you are familiar with or can take courses to bring your skills to expert status. A passion for beauty, health, and wellness, along with your nursing background, is the perfect combination to bring to the table in this field. Depending on your chosen venture, you may need to hire a business attorney, marketing firm, and accountant to help direct your business toward success.
Potential Earnings:
There is a lot of variation in potential earnings in the health and beauty category due to the many different options for a business. However, people are willing to pay well to look and feel fit and attractive.
Take a simple concept in this category, for example. Owning a juice bar can realize
profits between $100,000 and $600,000 annually. Not all nurses can expect to make a 600K profit. However, for many, 100K is a happy return for a nurse-owned small business.
Small Business #15: Nursing Gear Retailer
About The Small Business:
We all love fun, fashionable scrubs and comfortable nursing shoes. We know where scrub pockets and hidden “nurse tool” holders come in handy. So, who is better than a nurse to devise and market nursing wear and doodads? With the scrubs industry becoming a “10 million dollar business,” according to
Bloomberg, why not hop on this profitable venture?
Nurses are emerging at the forefront of the medical and nurse gear retail market. As a nursing gear retailer, you can have your onsite shop or offer online sales. Selling gear to your colleagues can be a fun twist to your nursing profession.
How To Start This Small Business:
As with any
clothing business, you must do market research first to find a target audience and a need in the area. Once you have a good idea of your audience, you can develop a marketing plan and review it with a business attorney.
Once you have the green light from a business standpoint, find a wholesale nursing gear supplier (or a few) and begin marketing your product. Of course, your marketing, prep, and setup will look quite different for an online shop vs. a brick-and-mortar store. If you want to start simply, you can sell scrubs and gear on general platforms such as Pinterest or
Shopify. Some talented nurses even design or make their own nursing wear/gear.
Potential Earnings:
The markup for nursing gear is typically similar to any clothing retailer. According to Small Business Chronicle, retail clothing sales typically average
profits between 4% and 13%. Earnings in the scrub and nursing gear industry vary greatly. However, there are many Cinderella stories in the scrubs retail sector, with start-up retailers reporting profits of well over $250,000 annually.
Small Business #16: Healthy Meal Delivery Service
About The Small Business:
If you enjoy cooking and nutrition, you may want to consider starting a healthy meal delivery service. Nutritional food prep and delivery is one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses that can also be a lot of fun. You may want to start small in this business and let it grow organically over time.
With everyone’s busy schedules and penchant for healthy yet delicious meals, your venture is likely to ignite and take off. Convenience and meal delivery are 3 words that describe many ‘must-haves” for households.
How To Start This Small Business:
Once you have established your concept and target market, it is best to write a business plan. You should then hire a business attorney to help guide you in your healthy meal delivery service start-up.
Once you have worked through the business start-up portion of your new endeavor, it is time to get down to marketing. Develop a web page and online presence and start promoting your enterprise. If you want an ambitious launch, consider using a marketing agency to tackle a grand entrance onto the meal prep scene.
Potential Earnings:
According to
Step-by-Step Business, it takes 1-3 months to launch this type of venture. However, you can realize your full potential within a year. You can expect a profit margin between 15% and 35% in the meal prep and delivery industry. Healthy meals tend to be more costly than some food. However, families will be willing to pay the additional charge for quality meals delivered to their doorstep.
Small Business #17: Sick Child Care
About The Small Business:
As nurses, we know how hard it is to get time off for family emergencies. Working families everywhere will appreciate having an alternative to missing work when their child is ill. You can offer child rest areas, medication administration, sick care monitoring, and nutritious meals. In addition, your services can include respite for chronically ill or medically complex childcare.
How To Start This Small Business:
This business setup is similar to any childcare center. You can have an in-home venture or rent or buy a space. Obviously, the in-home option will be more cost-effective, freeing up more profits for you.
Either way, you will need to develop a business plan and hire a business attorney to help guide you through the start-up of a business as well as the legalities. Make sure that your malpractice insurance is up-to-date.
Your sick child care center will require dedicated sleeping, eating, small play, and television space. Having pediatric basic nursing tools such as a thermometer and stethoscope are essential.
Potential Earnings:
It is not reasonable to charge the full hourly rate for nurses per child in this business. Parents will pay out of pocket for sick care, so day fees can be costly. Keep in mind that medically fragile children may have insurance that will cover part or all your fees.
However, don’t sell your nursing expertise short and charge daycare prices. This is a skilled nursing business where a child will receive knowledgeable and compassionate pediatric nursing care. Daily charges should be at least $150 per child.
Small Business #18: Nurse Career Coach
About The Small Business:
Consulting a nurse career coach may be the answer for nurses having challenges finding work due to particular circumstances, such as a long break from nursing or a struggling new grad. Although nurses are in demand, some still can’t find quality employment.
With so many choices for nursing opportunities, it may be difficult at times to decide on a career path. Additionally, many nurses are unaware that our profession has abundant career choices and think their dead-end jobs are their only option.
Nurse career coaches will take struggling clients under their wings to analyze their career desires and possible challenges. A nurse job coach will help their client formulate a step-by-step plan to implement and achieve their desired professional goals. This strategy could include further education and
re-entry courses, setting up a business, or finding a suitable job.
How To Start This Small Business:
Most nurse career coaches are not specifically trained in this specialty. Instead, these nurses are seasoned veterans in the profession with a lot of expertise and background to apply to the business. They have served as nurse mentors and educators and share their experience to guide other nurses who need direction.
However, to add credibility to your nurse coaching business, you can earn a nurse coach
certification through various outlets such as the American Holistic Nurses Association. Here, you can learn general coaching skills for your business.
Besides your professional nurse expertise, you will need very little to start a business as a nurse career coach. It is a good idea to be established on social media and create a webpage to help market your venture.
For many nurse career coaches, their business started as a side hustle. Potential clients seemed to find their way to them through social media. Nurses with an online presence as an expert in nursing (i.e., through writing/education/speaking) tend to draw career questions from other nurses, and the business may naturally bloom.
Potential Earnings:
Once you are established on social media and have a few client testimonials to fill your portfolio, you should be launched. You can expect to make approximately $100,000 annually as a nurse career coach.
Small Business #19: Speaker
About The Small Business:
Nurse speakers are in demand for medical conferences, university classes, and podcasting. If you have a gift for speaking, a sense of humor, medical expertise in a specialty field, or want to take nursing education to the next level, consider a freelance career as a nurse speaker.
Your persona can be online, on social media, or in person. Better yet, do all 3 for variety and excellent revenue.
How To Start This Small Business:
As a nurse speaker, you only need your talented self to set up this venture. However, you have to market your business. Marketing can be through a
speakers bureau and booking agencies or your own efforts on social media. Either way, you should create a professional webpage to establish yourself as a nurse speaker.
Potential Earnings:
As one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses, you can make between $100,000 and $400,000 annually as a speaker. However, most nurse speakers have a more modest income, charging between $250 and $4000 per engagement.
Small Business #20: Hospice Nurse
About The Small Business:
For families of dying loved ones, end-of-life issues and care is a stressful and exhausting process. Hiring a freelance hospice nurse can be a lifesaver for those who desire a comfortable ending for their loved ones. For families scattered across the country, dual working households, or those fearful of the dying process, an experienced nurse can make the difference between a sad death experience and one that is calm and peaceful.
As a hospice nurse, you can contract with nursing homes or private individuals for payment of services. Your duties are similar to any hospice nurse, rendering compassionate care and support to families and patients in the end stage of life.
If you want to go bigger in your business, you can officially set up a hospice care agency or home. As you hire employees, you will call upon your
leadership skills honed over time as a nurse. This avenue will involve more planning than a solo venture, as well as the guidance of a business attorney.
How To Start This Small Business:
Hospice or palliative nurse experience is needed to begin a private hospice venture. Some freelance hospice nurses are also certified as
death doulas, giving them an official title for their expertise. Certifications and related titles in the field are always a good marketing badge for a nurse-owned business.
Importantly, you will need to be well-versed in end-of-life rights and legalities. A consult with a business attorney should be helpful to get started.
As a hospice nurse, you should market your services to local health agencies, senior centers, and extended care facilities. Your online social media presence, informational and supportive blogs, groups, and web page will help to sell your expertise.
Potential Earnings:
Death doulas and freelance hospice nursing is a novel concept for many. However, it is a growing business. Most of your clientele will be from private payers, with the hope of insurance catching on to the importance of this role (and payment) in the future.
Fees charged for a nurse death doula range considerably. Some death doulas are not nurses and may command a lower fee than a nurse. Private hospice nurses typically charge between $25 and $100 per hour—some charge per day.
Small Business #21: Nursing Education Consultant
About The Small Business:
Nurses are natural teachers. We educate our patients, families, new nurses, and, many times, physicians. As a nursing education consultant, nurses can educate other nurses and medical staff via many avenues.
In this role, you are a medical training expert for nurses and other healthcare personnel, such as nursing assistants. You can work as a nurse educator teaching staff in nursing homes, hospitals, community centers, universities, and smaller medical training schools.
With the popularity of online learning, you may never need to leave the house and can conduct your educational sessions from a home office.
Business ideas for nurse education consultants can be:
• Teaching online or in-person nursing classes
• Guest speaking on educational nursing topics or specialty medical topics
• Blogs and podcasts to assist student and new grad nurses
• Nurse class and test review courses and workbooks and flashcards
• Support and guidance social media outlets for nurses
• Developing CEU’s
• Writing nursing and other medical staff text and workbooks
• Developing flow sheets and “cheat” sheets for nurses and aides
How To Start This Small Business:
With so many different outlets for a nurse education business, the scenarios for start-up can vary greatly. However, having an online presence and webpage will help to market your venture. Joining nurse entrepreneur groups, such as
Nursepreneurs, will help to guide and support you in your endeavor.
Fortunately, nurse education consulting is one of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses that takes very little cash and planning for start-up.
Potential Earnings:
Salary.com indicates that a nurse education specialist makes an average earning of $123,360 annually.
Small Business #22: Specialty Sales
About The Small Business:
Nurses selling specialty medical products can be a lucrative business option. For example, Miracle-Ear is a product venture that a nurse can own. You can purchase a Miracle-Ear franchise, be trained in the product, and begin in-person and online sales with little prep time.
Many of the medical specialty retailing businesses are franchises. However, purchasing a franchise is not always necessary.
You can independently own a specialty medical product to sell. This avenue is especially possible for nurses who develop their own products, such as “snugly” baby carriers, maternity supplies, and sanitary products. You can sell to other retailers or on Amazon and other online platforms.
How To Start This Small Business:
Buying a franchise is typically not cheap. Depending on the franchise, you can expect to pay $100,000 to $350,000. However, purchasing a well-known franchise can be a wise investment. With easy-to-locate profit statements, predicting a positive payout is low risk.
For example, Miracle-Ear was
ranked 84 in 2021 for entrepreneur franchises. Owning this franchise may be a pretty sure bet for success.
Potential Earnings:
For a franchise such as Miracle-Ear, you will receive a royalty fee of $48.40 for each sale you achieve. Nurses who have developed their own products can realize annual profits upwards of 100K (and much higher).
Small Business #23: Healthcare App Developer
About The Small Business:
One of the most profitable small business ideas for nurses is in software development. Nurses are increasingly involved in the med-tech world due to their close relationship with the content. Nurses possess inside knowledge of what the wants and needs are in this field.
These common-sense, handy
mobile health apps are tools we can utilize in our daily work and school to improve our profession and personal practice.
Ideas for healthcare apps can include:
• Tracker for fitness
• Weight loss app
• Support apps for physical and mental wellness
• Software to support nurses and nursepreneuer
• Specialized nursing apps such as study apps, flow sheets, reminders/organizers, and skill instruction
How To Start This Small Business:
Techy nurses have many valuable ideas for mobile health applications. However, taking an idea and developing it into an app may be a daunting task for many nurses. The most straightforward way to launch an app would be to take your idea to a
mobile app developing company.
However, first, run your concept through a business attorney to protect your idea from getting pirated.
Potential Earnings:
The company Tech Exactly informs us that the estimated revenue for the 2025 Health App
industry is projected to be $111.1 billion. According to Glassdoor, app developers make an average of $131K annually. As a freelancer, your services are more likely to be paid per hour or project. However, you can expect to be paid handsomely in the tech world as the health app market is currently on fire.
Small Business #24: Diabetic Care
About The Small Business:
Nurses skilled in diabetic care are needed to assist the many diabetics in the community. Senior citizens who do not drive are especially appreciative of the home-based compassion and care given by experienced diabetic nurses. A diabetic nurse business may be virtual or occur in homes, physician offices, community centers, and assisted living facilities.
You can concentrate on diabetic education mainly or perform actual patient diabetic care.
Your expertise as a freelance diabetic specialist can be utilized in many ways. Some ideas are:
• Contract with local physicians to do diabetic teaching sessions
• Hold diabetes seminars and clinics in local community and senior centers
• Write a diabetes care and support blog
• Podcast to showcase your diabetes expertise
• Contract with home health agencies, hospice, and skilled nursing facilities for diabetic care and education
How To Start This Small Business:
For a diabetic care business, you should have knowledge in the field of diabetes. Holding a diabetic nurse educator
certificate will help to give you the clout needed to sell your expertise.
Your personal relationships with area physicians, hospitals, long-term care facilities, senior centers, and home health agencies will be your foot in the door to generate clients. A webpage, brochures, online presence, and community connections (and outreach) will drive business.
Potential Earnings:
Your primary income will probably be contracts with health and senior organizations for your services (vs. private patient visits). You should charge the same or more as the average hourly pay for a diabetic nurse, which is $47.60 per hour (per ZipRecruiter).
Small Business #25: Foot and Wound Care
About The Small Business:
There is a demand for nurses skilled in foot and wound care. Home health, extended care, and senior facilities are especially seeking
wound care nurses. As a nurse owner of an independent foot and wound care business, you can contract with facilities for ongoing services or serve individuals on a more short-term basis.
Although you may be primarily working with hard-to-heal skin problems associated with diabetes, you will also likely treat pressure sores, ostomy skin concerns, and burns. Working with diabetic foot and wound issues is a specialized niche that is often missing in a treatment plan and increasingly needed.
How To Start This Small Business:
Holding a
certification as a wound, foot, and ostomy nurse specialist is highly recommended if you plan to freelance in this business. Experience in this field is necessary, although there are courses to take to help train you in this specialty.
Marketing your business through social media, word of mouth, and referrals will be crucial for success. Your relationships with the area's senior health facilities, PCP offices, home health, and hospitals will be your best avenue to secure clients.
Potential Earnings:
According to ZipRecruiter, a wound care nurse makes an average yearly
salary of $101,711. You can expect or exceed this figure as an independent nurse wound care business if working full-time.
Bonus! 5 Important Factors to Consider While Deciding Which Small Business is Right for You as a Nurse
Factor #1: What Am I an Expert In?
If working independently as a nurse, you should expect to be an expert in your field. Are you confident that you are experienced in your business niche? If not, it may be best to consult someone knowledgeable in the area of expertise for guidance or educate yourself to be competent.
In addition, hiring help from an expert in a particular area of your business, such as marketing, legalities, and sales, may help make your venture successful.
Factor #2: Do I Want to Spend a Lot of Money?
As you can see from these 25 most profitable small business ideas for nurses, some ventures do not require a lot of cash to get started. On the other hand, many nurse enterprises, such as a franchise, may require a hefty initial outlay. You will need to decide your game plan for how much you want (and can) spend to get your business launched.
You must consider start-up costs when making a business plan. A business attorney or accountant will be a valuable resource to help you weigh the pros and cons of preliminary costs vs potential profits.
Factor #3: Do I Want to Hire Employees?
It is much simpler to be the sole employee of your company than to hire and manage employees. Many small nurse businesses start as one-man (or woman) ventures. However, depending on your idea or if it grows beyond a one-nurse operation, you may want or need to hire employees.
Although you may welcome the help, your job as an employer may now get a bit more complicated. When hiring staff, you should consult a business attorney or accountant for guidance and support.
Factor #4: Do I Want My Business to Be Virtual?
Virtual businesses are booming. However, as a nurse, many business ideas involve hands-on care. Depending on your idea, you may have the option to be online or in person. Many times, a hybrid mix works best.
If your business has the choice to be either virtual or brick-and-mortar, weigh the
pros and cons of each scenario. If convenience, flexibility, and low overhead are priorities, you may consider a virtual business.
Perhaps you look forward to chatting with other nurses and hands-on sales or care. If so, you may want to find an onsite space or work outside of the home for your business.
Factor #5: Am I Tech and Social Networking Savy?
For most of these business ideas presented, tech and social networking savvy is a high priority necessary to promote and market your venture. You will need a visually pleasing and informative website and a solid social media presence. Fortunately, most nurses can learn how to navigate computers and online social sites. It may take some time to become effective, but you should be able to catch on.
Unless you feel hopelessly inept in this department, you should be able to get the hang of social networking and modern technology. If all else fails, you can hire someone for the job. However, having tech and social networking skills definitely makes many of these business ideas run smoothly and is a means to success.
My Final Thoughts
Hopefully, by now, I have answered your question, “What are the most profitable small business ideas for nurses? “As you can see from this article on the most profitable small business ideas for nurses, many great nurse ventures start simply.
Starting a business that you will enjoy does not always require much money or effort. Over time, your enterprise may have the opportunity to change and grow as you are more comfortable in your entrepreneurial role. That is the beauty of starting a small nursing business. You take what you already know and expand on the idea as it evolves to make it into a profitable venture.
With this natural strategy, you don’t have to stray too far from your comfort zone. You just need to begin thinking as a nursepreneur and have a bit of an adventurous side to chase your dreams to financial freedom!
Donna 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.