How I Left Midwifery to Become a Freelance Nurse Writer
Four years ago, I left full-time bedside nursing to become a freelance nurse writer and haven’t looked back. Plenty of nurses dream about nontraditional roles, but many think they are impossible to achieve. Nurse writing jobs might not fall into your lap, but they’re possible with the right plan.
The back story
So, how did I get here?
I spent my first year as a nurse in a pulmonary step-down unit. Next, I moved back home to be a labor and delivery nurse. I met midwives who treated families with patience and compassion, but mostly I was frustrated by the medical model of delivering babies like pizzas.
After that job, I worked at a community hospital with many midwives. There, I fell in love with physiological birth and empowering patients. They created the space I felt my patients deserved. When I gave birth, midwives caught my babies.
I worked as a labor and delivery nurse for five years while in school as a certified nurse midwife and advanced practice nursing student. My nursing grind included long hours- I struggled. But I persisted, because midwives matter.
How I Quit My Midwifery Job
to Work From Home
Still a Nurse—Just in a New Role
Thinking about leaving the bedside but staying true to your calling? Grab the free guide: 15 Remote and Nontraditional Jobs for Nurses.
Why I left clinical care
I worked hard as a midwife- catching babies, educating clients, and empowering families. Attending the births of these incredible superhumans is a joy that I will always treasure. Empowering patients meant everything!
But I have four children, and I realized I was missing important holidays, school shows, and even weekend day trips. I missed sleeping when my family slept. I struggled to be the mother my children deserved while providing for our family. While empowering my community, I felt like I was letting down the little people in my life.
When I gave birth to my last child, I developed postpartum depression, anxiety, and a chronic health disorder. While it wasn’t a direct result of my profession, I learned that I needed to minimize my stress in all aspects of life.
How I got started as a freelance nurse writer
I was hired as the head nurse-midwife at a company that was to open a dreamy freestanding birth center in Florida. It never opened. As I mourned the loss of my dream career, I learned the art of the pivot.
After a year of struggling to sleep and juggle my responsibilities at home and work, I resigned. I felt free for the first time in my nursing career, yet it was terrifying.
I knew I wanted to try to make full-time writing work. Stubbornly, I struck out as an entrepreneur. I began working as a freelance nurse writer and online nurse educator to supplement my income. It worked for me, and I fell in love with it.
How nurses can find remote jobs like freelance nurse writing
At first, I just worried about making enough money to keep a roof over our heads. But I wanted to be a remote nurse writer, and I did not have a backup plan, so I experimented.
I wrote certification test prep questions, blog writing for major health care characters, and directed telehealth monitoring services. Over time, I added legal nurse consulting, HARO contributions, and medical content editing to the mix. I worked summers at camp clinics and picked up contract gigs that helped me build new skills and pay the bills.
What I love about my freelance nurse writing business
Do you know the thrill you get when you land a new job? As a freelance nurse writer, I feel the same sensation every day when I land these incredible projects. I became addicted to the feeling of working for myself and landing incredible opportunities. I tasted the freedom of working for myself as a nurse writer. That excitement flows into my life with our family, as well.
The best part of owning my schedule? The positive changes in our family’s life.
If the urge strikes to write until 1 A.M. occurs, I can.
I leisurely drink hot coffee with my husband instead of rushing out the door and leaving my coffee in the microwave. I put on a robe, wander to my office, and gaze at my garden as my computer flickers on. When my babies were little, I could nurse them during my lunch break or take family walks with my littles.
Working from home changed my family’s entire dynamic.
Most nurses are superheroes who sacrifice their sleep and sanity for their profession. Nurses are the country’s most trusted profession year after year. Healthcare heroes risk their lives, minds, and families daily to support our communities. It’s time you find the career that best supports you.
FAQ: Flexible Nursing Careers
What are ways that you can improve your writing as a nurse writer?
It sounds incredibly basic, but practice consistently. Write often and across different formats. The more I’ve written over the years, the better I’ve gotten.
Learn about creating content that appeals to readers and search engines. Creating content is more than beautiful words on paper. It sometimes means creating images for social media and appeasing search engine algorithms.
Connect with other freelancers for support and inspiration. I have found a lovely network of other freelancers out there, literary communities, and nontraditional nurses, and it rejuvenates my soul.
I started by taking any project I could find that paid decently, from editing medical manuals to fact-checking medical drama scripts. Over time, I built up skills and networks, adding blog writing, content editing, and consulting. It was a gradual process fueled by persistence and curiosity.
What tips help nurses build a career away from bedside nursing?
Identify your strengths and interests beyond your current specialty. Build writing or consulting skills, join nursing communities focused on nontraditional nursing roles, and be open to freelance work to gain experience.
Am I glad I quit my job to follow my other passion?
I’m lucky because I started this business as a happy accident to support my family a few years ago. The fantastic thing about having satisfied customers is that you receive testimonials and samples, which are critical to spreading the word about a new business.
Flexible nursing jobs are still nursing jobs. Download this free guide to explore flexible, rewarding nursing roles that don’t keep you at the bedside: roles you might never have known existed!
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