Are nurses running their own businesses? Yeah, that’s a thing. And not just any thing—it’s booming! With healthcare changing faster than a TikTok trend, nurses are swapping hospital shifts for business plans. Why? Because they’ve got the skills: deep medical know-how, problem-solving superpowers, and a level of care that no chatbot could ever match.
And hey, if you’re serious about launching your nurse-led business, you’ll need to make sure your website works like a well-oiled IV drip—smooth, fast, and optimized. That’s where Plerdy comes in. With heatmaps, session replays, and conversion tracking, it shows exactly what visitors do on your site. So whether you’re starting a medical spa, a health coaching service, or even a telehealth platform, Plerdy helps you boost engagement and get more clients.
So let’s talk business! This article breaks down 15 smart ways nurses can turn their expertise into successful businesses—from at-home care services to selling medical tech. Ready to trade your scrubs for a CEO mindset? Let’s go!
Healthcare-Based Business Ideas for Nurses
The healthcare industry is evolving, and nurses are stepping into business roles like never before. From telehealth services to medical staffing agencies, there’s no shortage of ways to turn your care expertise into a profitable business. Whether you want to work remotely or run a physical clinic, the opportunities are vast.
Home Healthcare Agency
Starting a home healthcare agency is not just a business idea, it’s a real game-changer for people who need medical care but don’t want to stay in a hospital. The demand is growing fast—by 2030, 20% of the U.S. population will be over 65, and let’s be honest, most seniors would rather stay home than deal with hospital food and tight schedules. Nurses who start home healthcare businesses help aging populations, chronically ill patients, and post-surgery individuals right where they feel comfortable.
What You Need to Get Started
- State licensing – Every state has different rules, so you gotta check local requirements.
- Staff recruitment – Even if you start solo, as clients grow, you’ll need a team.
- Business planning – Marketing, pricing, contracts—it’s not just about care, it’s about running a smart business.
Potential Earnings & Challenges
Let’s talk numbers. A small agency can bring in $100,000–$500,000 per year, but expansion means millions in revenue. The catch? High startup costs (licensing, hiring, insurance) and crazy paperwork. And don’t forget competition from big names like BrightStar Care. The good part? You set your own policies, rates, and team culture. If you love helping people and want more control over your career, this is a solid business move.
Legal Nurse Consulting
This one’s for the nurses who love details and don’t mind a little courtroom drama. Legal nurse consultants work with attorneys, reviewing medical records, identifying errors, and even testifying in court. When a lawsuit involves medical malpractice, personal injury, or insurance fraud, attorneys need a nurse who speaks both “doctor” and “lawyer.” That’s where you come in.
What You Need to Get Started
- RN license – No way around this one. Lawyers want someone with real medical experience.
- Legal nurse consultant certification (LNCC) – Not always required, but it boosts credibility.
- Networking with law firms – No patients here. Your clients are attorneys, so you need to get on their radar.
Income & Flexibility
Freelancers charge $100–$200 per hour, with experienced consultants making six figures. No 12-hour shifts, no hospital politics, and best of all—you work when you want. But here’s the challenge: Landing your first clients takes time. Most attorneys don’t even realize they need a nurse consultant, so part of the job is educating them.
Want a business with zero scrubs and maximum flexibility? Legal nurse consulting is one of the smartest moves a medical pro can make.
IV Hydration Business: A Thriving Medical Opportunity for Nurses
Ever seen a nurse start a business and make six figures? Well, IV hydration therapy is where it’s happening. This medical service is booming because people want quick recovery, better care, and energy boosts. Athletes, overworked executives, and even sleep-deprived parents will pay top dollar for professional nurse-administered IV treatments. The IV therapy market is set to hit $13 billion by 2028, meaning there’s plenty of room for nurse entrepreneurs.
How to Set Up This Medical Business
There are two main business models:
- Mobile IV Service – Nurses travel to clients at home, hotels, or gyms. Lower startup costs, higher flexibility.
- Clinic-Based IV Therapy – Walk-ins, premium services, steady revenue. Requires more medical staff and a physical location.
Essential Requirements
- Nursing License – RNs can start independently, but some states require physician oversight.
- Business Investment – A mobile IV business can cost $10K–$50K to launch, while clinics may need $100K–$300K.
- Marketing & Branding – Influencers, social media, and Google ads help bring in clients.
Earnings & Market Potential
A single IV session costs $25 to make but sells for $100–$300. Getting 10 clients daily easily turns into a six-figure medical business. But competition is tough—big names like Hydration Room and Drip Hydration dominate. Nurses looking to stand out can offer personalized vitamin infusions, late-night emergency services, or subscription plans for frequent customers.
Medical Spa Business: Where Beauty Meets Medical Expertise
Nurses don’t need to stay in hospitals to make money. Aesthetic medicine is exploding, and medical spa businesses are bringing in serious cash. The U.S. medical aesthetics industry is expected to reach $25 billion by 2026, and skilled nurses are leading the way.
What You Need to Start a Medical Spa Business
- Training & Certifications – States require licensed nurses to complete additional training for Botox, fillers, and laser treatments.
- Proper Medical Equipment – Think lasers, dermal fillers, and top-tier skincare brands. Initial investment isn’t cheap but pays off.
- Smart Business Strategy – Medical spas rely on high-end branding, strong social media presence, and word-of-mouth referrals.
Challenges & Competition
The market is crowded. Big brands like Ideal Image and SkinSpirit dominate luxury clients. But nurses can still build a successful medical business by:
- Offering subscription beauty packages
- Partnering with fitness centers, dermatologists, and plastic surgeons
- Starting small—focusing on one niche like Botox or laser hair removal before expanding
A well-run medical spa business can bring in $500K–$2M+ per year. The key? Top-tier patient care, personalized treatments, and killer marketing.
Educational and Coaching Businesses for Nurses
Your medical knowledge is priceless—and people are willing to pay for it. Whether it’s teaching future nurses, offering CPR training, or health coaching, there’s a market for nurse educators. If you love sharing knowledge, this could be your perfect business path.
Nurse Health Coaching: A Business That Changes Lives
Ever met a nurse who doesn’t just take care of patients in hospitals but also runs a successful business? That’s what nurse health coaching is about. It’s a growing field where medical professionals help people improve wellness, manage chronic diseases, and adopt healthier habits. And the demand? Huge. With 60% of Americans having at least one chronic disease, people are desperate for expert guidance beyond a quick doctor’s visit.
What You Need to Start a Nurse Health Coaching Business
- Certification – While being an RN helps, getting a health coaching certification from organizations like the National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC) adds credibility.
- Business Model – There are multiple ways to run this medical business:
- 1-on-1 coaching – Personalized guidance, higher pricing, but takes more time.
- Group coaching – More scalable, lower price per person.
- Online courses – Passive income, high-profit margins.
Money & Market
A certified nurse health coach can charge $75–$200 per session, with top earners making over $100K per year. Big brands like Noom and WW (Weight Watchers) already prove there’s a market for health-focused coaching. The key? Specialization. Whether it’s diabetes care, weight loss, or stress management, finding a niche makes standing out much easier.
Nursing Education & Tutoring: Teach, Guide, and Profit
Not every nurse wants to work in a hospital forever. Some prefer sharing medical knowledge and helping others succeed. That’s where nursing education and tutoring come in.
Who Needs It?
- Nursing students – Struggling with anatomy, pharmacology, and NCLEX exams.
- Medical professionals – Preparing for certifications or career advancement.
Online or Private Tutoring?
- Online Platforms – Websites like Wyzant and TutorMe make it easy to find students, but they take a cut of your earnings.
- Private Tutoring – Full control, higher rates, but you have to find clients yourself.
How Much Can You Earn?
Nurse tutors typically charge $30–$100 per hour, depending on expertise. Creating study guides, webinars, or paid video courses boosts income even further. With over 300,000 new nurses graduating every year, there’s no shortage of students who need expert guidance.
Online Course Creation for Nurses: Turn Knowledge Into a Business
If you’re a nurse with years of experience in medical care, why not make money teaching others? Online courses are booming—just ask platforms like Udemy, Teachable, or Coursera, which collectively bring in billions every year. The best part? You create the course once and sell it over and over. That’s passive income, my friend!
What Can a Nurse Teach Online?
- Medical basics – Perfect for nursing students struggling with anatomy, pharmacology, or patient care.
- CPR & emergency response – A hot topic for businesses needing staff training.
- Specialized skills – Wound care, neonatal nursing, or even how to handle difficult patients.
How Much Can You Make?
It depends. Some nurses sell courses for $50, others for $500+. If you get just 100 students at $200 each, that’s $20,000 right there. Big names like Nurse.org already monetize education. So why not you?
CPR & First Aid Training Business: Teach Life-Saving Skills
Knowing how to save a life is priceless. That’s why a CPR & First Aid training business is always in demand. Schools, corporate offices, even gyms—everyone needs proper medical emergency training. And who better to teach it than a nurse?
What You Need to Start
- Certification – American Heart Association (AHA) or Red Cross is a must.
- State Licenses – Some states require additional approvals for medical training businesses.
Scalability & Earnings
You can charge $50–$150 per student and train 10–20 people per class. That’s $1,000–$3,000 per session. And if you partner with schools or big companies, contracts can be worth $50,000+ per year. A little marketing, a solid nurse-led training team, and this can turn into a six-figure business fast.
Alternative & Wellness-Based Business Ideas
Not all nurses stick to traditional medicine. Many are turning to holistic care, launching wellness clinics, or becoming yoga instructors. The world is embracing natural healing, and if you’re passionate about wellness, now’s the time to build your own practice.
Holistic Nursing & Alternative Medicine Practice: A Natural Path to a Profitable Business
The healthcare world isn’t just about hospitals, scrubs, and 12-hour shifts. Many nurses are stepping into holistic medicine—and making serious money while helping people in a different way. From acupuncture and herbal therapy to massage and energy healing, there’s a growing demand for alternative medical care.
Why This Business Makes Sense
- The wellness industry is booming – In 2023, the global market for holistic and alternative medicine was valued at over $300 billion.
- Patients want options – More people seek natural care before turning to prescription meds.
- Nurses already have medical expertise – You know how the human body works, so adding holistic skills is a logical next step.
What You Need to Start
- Licensing & Certification – Some states require additional certifications for acupuncture or herbal treatments. Check with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
- Specialized Training – Schools like Bastyr University offer programs in naturopathic medicine.
This business can be mobile (in-home visits), clinic-based, or fully online (coaching, wellness plans). Want to make passive income? Create online courses teaching holistic self-care or launch an e-commerce store selling organic herbs.
Doula & Childbirth Education Services: Bringing Comfort to Moms, Cash to Your Business
Becoming a doula is one of the most rewarding medical care businesses. You support expecting parents through pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care, making sure they get emotional and physical support. And yes, it’s a real business, with top doulas earning $80,000+ per year.
What a Doula Actually Does
- Educates parents about labor & childbirth.
- Supports moms physically and emotionally.
- Provides postpartum care to help with breastfeeding, baby sleep, and recovery.
How to Get Certified
You don’t need a medical degree, but training helps. Organizations like DONA International and CAPPA offer certifications, and some states require licensing.
Doulas charge between $800–$3,000 per birth, depending on location and experience. Want to scale? Offer childbirth education classes, online coaching, or partner with OB/GYN clinics. The more services, the bigger the income potential.
Yoga & Meditation Instructor: A Growing Business for Nurses in Medical Care
A nurse stepping into the world of yoga and meditation? Sounds unusual, but it actually makes a lot of sense. You already understand medical care, stress management, and how the human body works. Now, add breathwork and mindful movement, and you’ve got a business that helps clients physically and mentally—while also being a profitable career shift.
Where Can a Nurse Teach?
- Hospitals – Many medical facilities are introducing yoga therapy for patients recovering from surgery, chronic illness, or stress-related conditions.
- Corporate wellness programs – Companies like Google and Amazon hire instructors to improve employee well-being.
- Private coaching & online classes – Virtual yoga or guided meditation sessions mean no need for a physical studio, cutting down costs.
How to Start This Business?
First, certification is needed. A 200-hour yoga teacher training is the minimum requirement, costing between $2,500 to $5,000. Choose programs recognized by Yoga Alliance to boost credibility in the medical community.
With experience, an instructor can charge $100+ per hour for corporate sessions and $50 per individual class. Some even create paid online memberships or wellness courses, turning their nursing expertise into a long-term business.
Holistic healing is now part of modern healthcare, and nurses with experience in medical care have an edge. Your background makes you more trustworthy than a random yoga influencer on Instagram.
Wellness Blogging & Medical Content Writing: A Profitable Side Business for Nurses
Got nursing expertise and a way with words? Then healthcare blogging or medical content writing could be your next business move.
Ways Nurses Make Money Writing About Health & Care
- Ads – Platforms like Google AdSense, Mediavine, or Ezoic let bloggers earn from traffic.
- Sponsored posts – Medical brands pay nurses to review or promote products.
- Affiliate marketing – Recommending medical tools, nursing courses, or wellness products earns commissions.
A nurse blogger with a well-established site can earn $5,000+ per month. Some prefer freelance writing, getting paid per article by sites focused on healthcare, patient care, and medical innovations. Websites like Healthline, WebMD, and Mayo Clinic often look for nurses with real-world medical experience to provide expert content.
The best part? You don’t need a huge budget to start. Just medical knowledge, good research skills, and a strong voice that makes complex topics simple.
Technology & Innovation-Driven Businesses for Nurses
The healthcare industry is changing fast, and nurses are right in the middle of this shift. With technology improving patient care every day, there’s a huge opportunity to step into the business world beyond traditional medical settings. Whether it’s telehealth services or launching a health tech startup, a nurse entrepreneur can make a real impact while building a profitable career.
Telehealth & Virtual Nursing Services
Imagine working as a nurse but without the hospital chaos—no endless shifts, no running between patient rooms. Instead, you’re helping people from the comfort of your home. Telehealth is booming, with the market expected to hit $186.5 billion by 2030. People want medical consultations without sitting in crowded waiting rooms, and that’s where virtual nursing comes in.
How It Works?
A nurse can offer:
- Video consultations – Helping patients manage chronic conditions, post-surgery care, or general wellness.
- Remote patient monitoring – Using wearables to track vitals and provide real-time feedback.
- Health education – Running webinars, online courses, or one-on-one coaching on topics like diabetes management or elderly care.
What You Need to Start?
- A medical license valid for telehealth services. Some states have specific regulations, so check platforms like American Telemedicine Association.
- A secure HIPAA-compliant video platform—Zoom won’t work, but services like Doxy.me or SimplePractice will.
- Marketing! You need to attract patients, whether through social media, partnerships with clinics, or digital ads.
Many nurses in telehealth earn $30–$80 per hour, with some running subscription-based virtual clinics making six figures annually.
Health Tech Startup
Got a business mindset and want to build something bigger? Some of the best healthcare apps and tech solutions were created by nurses who saw problems in patient care and decided to fix them. If you’ve ever thought, “Why hasn’t anyone built a better system for this?”—you might have a startup idea.
What Can a Nurse Build?
- Mobile apps – Think about an app that helps patients track symptoms or reminds them to take medication.
- Wearable technology – Smartwatches already measure heart rates, but what if one could predict early stroke signs?
- AI-driven patient records – Many medical systems are outdated. A more user-friendly, automated system could save hospitals millions.
How to Get Started?
- Partner with developers – You’re the medical expert, but you’ll need tech people to bring the idea to life.
- Secure funding – Grants, angel investors, or even crowdfunding on Kickstarter can help you get started.
- Learn from success stories – Rebecca Love, a nurse entrepreneur, co-founded Sonsiel, which helps nurses launch health tech startups.
If a nurse can save lives in a hospital, why not change the medical industry with technology? The demand is there, the market is growing, and the care industry needs innovation. If you’ve got a smart idea, now’s the time to make it happen!
Product & Service-Based Businesses for Nurses
The medical field isn’t just about patient care—there’s a whole business side that many nurses don’t even think about. But who knows what healthcare professionals need better than a nurse? From selling medical equipment to running a staffing agency, there are plenty of ways to build a successful business while staying connected to the industry.
Medical Equipment & Supply Sales
Every hospital, clinic, and nursing home depends on high-quality medical equipment. Gloves, syringes, wound dressings, mobility aids—these aren’t luxury items, they’re daily essentials. And guess what? Someone is making serious money selling them. So why not a nurse who actually understands the importance of these tools?
How to Get Started?
- Find suppliers – Partner with manufacturers or wholesalers. Companies like Henry Schein and Medline offer bulk purchasing options.
- Choose your sales model – Sell directly to hospitals, set up an online store, or open a brick-and-mortar shop for local healthcare providers.
- Market your business – Use SEO, social media ads, and direct sales to reach nurses, doctors, and caregivers who need reliable supplies.
Profitability & Challenges
The medical supply market is valued at over $500 billion. Even small businesses can pull in six figures annually. But competition is tough. The key? Niche down—specialize in home healthcare supplies, eco-friendly medical products, or nurse-designed innovations to stand out.
Nurse Staffing Agency
Short-staffed hospitals? Overworked clinics? The demand for qualified nurses is higher than ever. The nursing shortage is real, and that makes a nurse staffing business a golden opportunity. If you know what it takes to be a great nurse, you can connect hospitals with top talent—and get paid well for it.
Business Logistics
- Licensing & legal setup – You’ll need a business license, contracts, and liability insurance to operate legally.
- Building a nurse network – Recruit experienced RNs, LPNs, and CNAs looking for flexible shifts.
- Partnering with facilities – Hospitals, nursing homes, and private clinics are always in need of extra staff.
Why It Works?
- Healthcare staffing is expected to be a $50 billion industry by 2030.
- Many agencies charge $40–$80 per hour per nurse, taking a cut while still offering great pay.
- A well-run agency can expand into travel nursing, offering higher wages and nationwide placements.
Whether you want to sell medical products or help hospitals find great nurses, there’s serious business potential in the healthcare industry. And the best part? You’re already an expert.
Conclusion
Who said a nurse can’t be a business owner? The world of medical entrepreneurship is full of opportunities—way beyond the walls of a hospital or clinic. Whether it’s launching a nurse-led staffing agency, creating a medical equipment business, or offering telehealth services, the options are endless. And the best part? You’re already an expert in patient care.
Going solo means freedom—no exhausting 12-hour shifts, no hospital bureaucracy, and definitely more control over your income. Some nurse entrepreneurs make six-figure salaries, running businesses that fit their skills and lifestyle.
So, what’s your next move? Maybe it’s time to turn your healthcare experience into something bigger. Amazon started in a garage. Why not start your own nurse-run business from home?