Moonlighting: Nurses reveal their side jobs

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Nurses may have a good job outlook through 2018…but maybe your budget is a little tight on your nurse’s salary alone. Or perhaps you’re looking for a fun way to relax on the weekends—and make a little extra cash on the side. We asked our Facebook fans what kind of side jobs they have (or have had) to make some extra dough; check out their answers for some inspirations and, occasionally, warnings!

Medical
I give flu shots during flu season!
—Mary Buchman

Teaching childbirth classes.
—Kelly Eisenhardt Vittoria

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

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

Doula!
—Shari Camarata

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

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

Walmart—hated it!!!
—Sandra Rojas Chamberlain

The Disney Store.
—Denise Adams

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

I help my husband with our photography business.
—Mary K. Miller

Party planner.
—Aminah Roberts

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

Food Industry
Vegetarian/vegan catering and holistic pet food rep.
—Michelle Lippe

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

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

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

Fitness
Certified personal trainer.
—Jeannine Quinn-Metz

Scuba instructor.
—Megan Ballard

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

Shoveled horse manure. Top that one.
—Les Seay

Aesthetician and nail tech.
—Laura Lee Miracle

I make and sell baby quilts and memory quilts.
—Cynthia Friend Thomas

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

What kind of side jobs do you have (or have you had) to make some extra dough?

For more Career Advice for Nurses pick up the latest issue of Scrubs magazine, available at a retail store near you!