How to Become a Nurse Writer
A nurse writer brings a clinical perspective to projects like blogs, articles, emails, and much more. If you enjoy writing and synthesizing information and are looking for a job that lets you work from home as a nurse, you might be interested in being an LPN or RN freelance writer. Let’s go over what it’s like to work in this role and how to get started.
What Is a Nurse Writer and What Do They Do?
Nurse writers typically bring expertise in a specialty area, and they use that background to write for businesses. So, for example, if you have experience in the NICU, you might be well-positioned to write blogs for an app that supports parents of premature infants.
But don’t feel limited by your clinical specialty — your nursing research and critical thinking skills can also benefit you when writing about other topics. For example, a nurse resume writer may not need experience in a specific area to help clients write their CVs with confidence.
What types of responsibilities can you expect in this role? That will largely depend on the organization and its needs. In general, nurse writers use the following skills:
- Researching: You may need to spend time combing through scholarly sources, research, interviews, and client documents to prepare to write about a topic.
- Drafting: You guessed it — you’re going to need to write in order to be a writer. This process may include outlining, transcribing interviews, working on second and third drafts, and more.
- Getting feedback: Whether it’s a client or an editor, nurse writers need to be able to take constructive criticism about their work to improve the final draft.
- Self-marketing: Being a freelance nurse writer requires marketing yourself to establish a client list. But if you’re looking for more stability, some nurses in this role work as part of in-house writing teams.
Strengths Required to Be a Nurse Writer
What personality traits could indicate that you’d be great in this role?
- Being self-motivated: There’s no set path to building nurse writing skills, so this career requires the ability to think and learn independently.
- Practicing time management: Many freelance writers work on their own schedules. You’ll need to manage assignments and predict project setbacks so they don’t affect deadlines.
- Stepping out of your comfort zone: Pursuing a nontraditional path takes guts. You’ll need to learn from mistakes, experiment, and try new things to widen your skills.
Wondering how your current job capabilities might help you in a writing role? One of our writers, Bonnie Wiegand, BSN, RN, says, “Nursing skills like paying attention to details, communicating effectively with a team, and taking ownership of my work have all served me well in my writing career.” If you’re intimidated by the learning curve you’ll need in this role, remember that you might already be using many of the key skills.
Where Can Nurse Writers Work?
Many companies and organizations need writers to help inform the public and market their business. Nurse writers might work as a content writer, copywriter, medical writer, health journalist, or something else. Check out some of the types of companies that may hire professional writers:
- Medical device companies
- Private physicians offices
- Nurse staffing companies
- Medical consulting groups
- Legal groups
- Medical apps
- Medical nonprofits
- Nursing education companies
Pros and Cons of Being a Writer for Hire
“As a nurse and military spouse, relocating and switching jobs every couple of years became increasingly difficult alongside family life requirements. In response to those pressures, I began looking for remote work in the nursing space and found the unicorn of jobs: nurse writing. The role allows me to blend my healthcare expertise with my longtime passion for writing — a career win!” — Rachel Schmidt, MA, BSN, RN
Wondering about the drawbacks and benefits of this career path? Check out some of the considerations below:
| Nurse Writing Pros | Nurse Writing Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
How Much Do Freelance Nurse Writers Make?
Technical writers earn about $44.39 per hour on average. The income you can expect in this role varies widely depending on your experience, the types of clients or companies you work with, and how many projects you take on.
How to Become a Nurse Writer: 4 Steps
You can start getting practice with writing projects before you’ve even started nursing school, so the path to this career could be shorter than others. Additional education in creative writing, marketing, or communications could be a big benefit. If you’re already a working nurse, skip ahead to step four to learn about going from LPN or RN to writer.
Step 1: Nursing School
Every nursing career starts with nursing school. You might choose the shorter route of becoming an LPN writer, which will take at least a year. If you’re looking for a license with more career options, consider becoming an RN writer. There are two tracks to do so:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): A 2-year degree that prepares students for entry-level nursing jobs in post-acute care, acute care, and other bedside positions.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): A 4-year degree that prepares you for the same roles as an ADN, plus roles in research, administration, and more. BSN programs also typically include prerequisites in language and electives in writing.
Step 2: Earn Your License
Once you graduate, it’s time to earn your LPN or RN license. This process typically includes:
- Applying for licensure by exam through your state board of nursing.
- Scheduling your National Council Licensure Exam once your application is approved.
- Passing the NCLEX that pertains to your license.
Once you’ve earned your license (and sometimes even before that), you can start looking for new grad nursing jobs.
Step 3: Gain Clinical Experience
Nurse writers are valued not just for their licenses but also for their practical knowledge, so employers may look to hire nurses with clinical experience. You might get started by entering a new grad residency program, offered in acute care hospitals. These programs add structure to the first year of work and group you with a cohort of other new nurses.
Residency programs are offered in a range of specialties, including:
Step 4: Build Your Nurse Writing Business
Wondering how to get a job as a nurse writer? Before jumping into writing full time, consider taking on a few projects on the side. It doesn’t take many projects to build a portfolio for potential clients. Here’s some advice one of our RN writers has for nurses looking to break into this field:
“Start by building a portfolio, whether through a blog, guest articles, or even a book. Consider taking courses on scientific writing or grammar through platforms like Coursera or Udemy to polish your skills. Join writing groups (Meetup.com has plenty) to network and get feedback. Practicing regularly will help you find your unique voice and get noticed.” — Ann R., BSN, RN
Once you’ve built up a portfolio of work, there are many ways that you might find work. Consider the following ideas for growing your business as an LPN writer or RN writer:
- If you’ve never worked with clients before, reach out to nonprofits to see if they need help with web pages, emails, or other written communications.
- Take a course to add structure to your learning and development. There isn’t an accredited nurse writer certification, so do your due diligence when researching these options.
- Develop a presence on social media to promote your work. This can help you get the word out and show clients that you’re serious.
Nurse Writing FAQ
What’s the difference between a nurse writer and a medical writer?
Although they may sound similar, these roles are quite different. RN and LPN writers have a nursing license, and often focus on patient education, continuing education, blog posts, or healthcare content. Medical writers tend to work on regulatory and research documents, pharmaceutical education, and academic manuscripts. They don’t necessarily have a medical background, but their role typically requires formal education in science or communications.
Is going from RN to writer worth it?
It takes dedication and tenacity to enter and maintain a career in this field. But if you enjoy writing, flexibility, and a challenge, this role could be a great fit.
Is AI taking nurse writing jobs?
The answer is nuanced. Some companies may try to replace human writers with AI, and this can be frustrating if you’ve spent years building your writing skills. On the other hand, unchecked AI is often inaccurate, formulaic, or imprecise. Nurse writers are valued for their unique expertise and creativity, which can’t be replicated by chatbots. Learn more about the role of AI in nursing.
Do nurse writers need a BSN or advanced degree?
Not necessarily. What’s most important is your clinical experience, research skills, and your ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing.
Do you need a special certification to become a nurse writer?
Formal certifications aren’t typically required, but some writers take courses in medical writing, health journalism, or copywriting to strengthen their skills. Working with clients on new projects is a great way to learn in this role while being paid.
What tools do I need to get started?
Setting up a writing business can be fairly inexpensive. The basic elements include a reliable computer, an email address for client communications, drafting software like Google Docs or Microsoft Word, and an invoicing program to receive client payments.
Find New Nursing Roles Today
Looking for a change? Whether you want to begin the journey to become a nurse writer or you’re just checking out your options, you might be curious about roles for nurses in your area. We can help. Learn more with personalized job notifications that let you know when opportunities arise.