5 Steps to Become a Full-Time Nurse Writer

Familiarize yourself with your favorite publication or blog’s writing style. Instead of reading for pleasure, begin studying the structure of the articles. Pay attention to details of articles, including:

Take notes on who they interview and what sources they use. Practice writing on nursing and healthcare topics you find interesting. Practicing your writing will build confidence and sharpen your skills.

“Many nursing skills actually translate beautifully to writing,” Hanes points out.

Nurses are also jugglers. You juggle taking care of patients, prioritizing tasks, and scheduling. These skills will only complement and improve your writing.

Articles that are engaging to readers involve knowing the art of interviewing and which questions to ask. Luckily, in nursing school, nurses are taught how to interview patients. This skill only prepares you to get the most pertinent information from an interviewee, a skill essential in journalistic writing.

“Nurses are great at interviewing patients, and they can use those same techniques as a writer to conduct great subject matter expert interviews,” Hanes says.

Now that you’ve practiced your writing skills and studied the layout of articles, it’s time to get published. Getting published is not as difficult as you may think. To ease into the industry, try becoming a freelance nurse writer first.

“The beauty of freelance writing for nurses is that the barrier to entry is low,” Hanes says. “You don’t need a ton of skills to do this, just patience and a general understanding of how the writing industry works.”

Starting as a freelance writer also helps in building your writing sample portfolio. Here are several ways to get published:

Pitching an idea for an article sounds scary, but it is a simple email. First, get an idea of the tone, writing style and article topics of the publication you want to write for. Who is their audience? Is it fellow nurses or patients and families?

It can help identify a topic the publication has not written on yet, and pitch that article topic to the publication. Even if the publication does not accept your article idea, your nursing expertise will help sell you the most.

“I think it’s important for nurses to understand how much support you receive from clients as a writer,” Hanes says. “They will supply you with all the information and tools you need to produce the work they want written.”

If they accept your pitch, the client will provide you with their guidelines. This includes:

Networking can be powerful. Reach out to writers on social platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram to get your foot in the door. Find out what they did to get their writing position. Then, ask if they know of any writing opportunities.

Searching job sites for “freelance nurse writing” positions will also get you leads on writing gigs. Job sites like Indeed or LinkedIn are great places to start.

Blogging as a nurse writer is another way to publish your work without looking for a job. Starting your blog is less restrictive, and you do not have to follow a specific style guide. You also can direct prospective job opportunities to your blog page to showcase your writing samples.

Hanes says the best way to become a full-time writer is to:

If you still need extra support, consider taking a writing course. Courses given by nurse writers are designed to help you break into the industry.

Many recruiters use LinkedIn to find nurse writers. Create a professional LinkedIn page if you want to be discovered as a nurse writer. Update your profile and add your nursing experience and writing samples. Lastly, check your LinkedIn inbox often. You do not want to miss a writing opportunity.

Applying for a job is your next step to becoming a full-time nurse writer. Nurses work in many areas in the writing industry. As a nurse writer, you might be writing or working for:

“Content marketing writing encompasses a huge variety of types of writing, so it never gets boring,” Hanes says.

You can choose to work with one company or continue working with multiple clients as a full-time freelance nurse writer.

“You can make a lot of money as a nurse writer,” Hanes says.

In Hanes’ career, she booked multiple six-figure years. In Hanes’ highest-earning years, she made $115,000.

Remember to always negotiate your salary when applying for writing jobs. As a nurse, negotiating is a must because you have expertise in your field.

Being a nurse writer is not all roses and dandelions, especially in the beginning. It involves pitching to multiple publications and networking. But becoming a full-time nurse writer can help you pivot from the bedside and explore other avenues in nursing.

You will also be an expert in your field and build trust with your readers.

Hanes wants nurses to know that the writing industry welcomes asking questions. Do not be afraid if you do not know everything off the bat.

“Honestly, anyone who is friendly and willing to learn on the job can become a nurse writer,” Hanes says.