In March 2021, Megan Walsh was working full time as an endoscopy nurse and felt overwhelmed. To destress, she created floral wall decor — a hobby that is now earning her about $9,800 per month, CNBC reported Oct. 29.
Pursuing side hustles is not new for healthcare workers, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, many nurses saw these jobs as avenues to trim their bedside hours or leave hospital-based nursing entirely.
For Ms. Walsh, her wall decor Etsy business quickly took off in popularity. Within a few months, she scaled back her nursing schedule and now works between 24 to 32 hours per week at the hospital and 12 to 24 hours on her side gig.
In 2023, she logged more than $121,400 in sales, CNBC reported.
In the U.S., about 1 in 10 nurses have more than one job, according to federal data, and 35% of clinicians have a part-time job or side gig, a recent survey found. Read more about the rise of side hustles in healthcare here.