How to Become a Nurse Writer

A nurse writer is a healthcare professional who blends their medical knowledge as a nurse with their passion for writing. Find out how you can use your nursing skills and knowledge to pivot into a nurse writer job. 

What Is a Nurse Writer?

A nurse writer is a unique profession that plays a vital role in disseminating accurate healthcare-related information, educating the public, and contributing to medical literature.

Nurse writers possess a unique blend of healthcare expertise and writing skills, allowing them to demystify hard-to-understand medical ideas into accessible language. Many nurse writers aim to craft relatable and user-friendly health information for the wider nursing community.

Beyond patient education, nurse writers cover a wide range of other topics:

• The latest medical research and breakthroughs
• Advocate for healthcare policies
• Discuss nursing careers and education
• Explore various aspects of the nursing profession
• Among other subjects

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What Do Nurse Writers Do?

Nurse writers fulfill a diverse range of roles that combine their medical knowledge as nurses with their writing skills. This profession plays a crucial role in creating clear, accurate, and engaging healthcare content for various audiences.

It should come as no surprise that successful nurse writing requires strong writing skills. Writing proficiency plays a crucial role in effectively conveying complex medical information to a broader audience. 

Nurse Writer Scope of Practice

Nurse writers are nurses who write about health-related topics. However, nurse writers also provide other services such as:

• Rewriting and editing services
• Proofreading
• Email list management
• Ghostwriting
• Content creation
• Website copy

Nurse writer tasks vary and are tailored to meet the organization's needs and goals. Other tasks and responsibilities of nurse writers include:

Patient Education

One of the primary roles of nurse writers is to create educational materials for patients and their families. These materials aim to explain medical conditions, treatment options, medications, and post-treatment care in clear and understandable language. 

Patient education materials help empower patients and their family members to participate in their healthcare and make informed decisions.

Health Content Creation

Nurse writers produce high-quality, evidenced-based health-related content for various platforms, including:

• Healthcare websites and blogs
• Nursing magazines
• Blogs
• Social media platforms
• Medical journals
• Health brochures and pamphlets
• E-books and other e-learning resources

Some of the topics they might cover include health tips, disease prevention, wellness strategies, and managing specific medical conditions.

Health Journalism

Some nurse writers work in journalism, reporting on healthcare news, medical breakthroughs, and advancements in medical research. They may write articles for newspapers, magazines, or online publications. Nurse writing in this niche often involves doing 1:1 interviews as well.

Research and Evidence-Based Writing

Nurse writers may do scientific research and write evidence-based articles for medical journals or healthcare organizations. They present research findings, analyze data, and interpret medical studies for a professional audience.

Nursing Education and Career Development

Nurse writers may contribute to nursing education by developing materials for nursing schools or writing continuing education materials.

Public Speaking and Presentations

Some nurse writers - often those with blogs or websites - may speak publicly or give presentations on healthcare-related topics at conferences, seminars, or community events.

Nurse writers play a critical role in making healthcare information accessible to a broader audience. By leveraging their expertise in both nursing and writing, they help improve health literacy, empower patients, and contribute to the overall well-being of individuals and communities.

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Nurse Writer Work Environment 

Most nurse writers work remotely, which means they work from a home office or even their favorite local coffee shop! This is especially true for freelance or self-employed nurse writers. 

However, even those who work in-house for an organization often have the opportunity to work remotely as well. 

Nurse writers also take advantage of various technologies, such as Zoom or Slack, to facilitate remote work and efficiently collaborate with clients and colleagues. Here are some common tools:

• Virtual meetings and planning sessions via Zoom or Google Meet
• Online tools such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word for writing, editing, and sharing documents
• Communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams to stay in contact with clients regarding tasks and deadlines
• Invoicing software such as Quickbooks or Freshbooks 
• Project management tools such as Trello or Asana

The work hours for nurse writers can vary depending on their specific job and employer. Here are some potential options:

• Full-time employees: Nurse writers who work in-house often work structured hours, such as Monday-Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
• Freelance, part-time, and remote: This type of work environment offers more flexible hours as long as project deadlines are met.

How to Become a Nurse Writer

Before you can become a nurse writer, you must earn your degree and gain experience. Here are the steps to take:

Step 1: Earn Your Degree 

You will need to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) at an accredited program to become an RN writer. Many licensed vocational nurses also work as nurse writers as well. 

If this is a field you are interested in while in nursing school, it would benefit you to take writing courses or journalism classes to help prepare you for writing. 

Step 2: Gain Experience in the Field 

Most nurse writers have anywhere from two to twenty years or more of patient care experience before moving into writing. This is important because your clinical nursing experience provides insight that non-healthcare writers don’t have, including:

• A better patient perspective
• Improved patient communication skills
• Medical literacy
• Empathy and sensitivity, and
• Multidisciplinary understanding 

Step 3: Practice Writing

One big misconception is that being a nurse means that you are automatically a nurse writer. But like any skill, excellent writing requires a lot of practice! And since many nurses don’t have prior writing experience, consistent practice is even more important to level up your skill set.

One tip for improving your writing chops: start a blog! 

Starting a blog provides a dynamic and interactive platform for you to grow as a writer. It encourages practice, self-reflection, and engagement with readers, ultimately leading to significant improvements in your writing skills.

Here are other ways to practice your writing skills:

• Guest posts for healthcare websites
• Take writing workshops
• Keep an online journal, such as Penzu
• Take a course on “how to pitch” editors

Most importantly, practicing writing consistently helps to ensure that you really want to become a writer after all. 

Step 4: Start Your Writing Business

Setting up a nurse writing business involves several important steps to establish a solid foundation and position yourself for success. 

Here are the key steps nurse writers can take to get started:

1. Define your niche 
2. Decide on the types of writing services you will offer, such as blog writing, copywriting, technical writing, or content creation
3. Build a portfolio
4. Register your business if you are a freelancer). You can register your nurse writing business as a sole proprietorship, LLC, or other business structure. Check with your state and consult with a tax professional to understand the legal and tax requirements.
5. Market your work samples online
6. Manage finances and invoicing with accounting software (such as Quickbooks)

Most importantly, deliver high-quality work! Satisfied clients are more likely to provide positive reviews, referrals, and repeat business.

Writing as a nurse does not require special credentials or certifications. However, depending on the type of writing you wish to do, you might consider earning a Medical Writer Certified (MWC®) credential. This requires taking a 125-question exam through the American Medical Writers Association.

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Writer?

The time it takes to become a nurse writer can vary. You need to have completed a 2-year ADN or 4-year BSN to become a nurse writer. However, many LVNs are nurse writers as well, and their programs typically take 12-18 months to complete.

In addition, many advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), such as nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) write professionally as well. 

These programs can take anywhere from two to four years or longer (after completing a BSN). Therefore, the time it takes you to become a nurse writer has a lot to do with the level of education you wish to have.

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Nurse Writer Salary 

According to ZipRecruiter, as of January 2025, the average hourly pay for a nurse writer in the US is $39. 

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that writers and authors in all niches earn a mean annual wage of $87,590. However, the top 90% earn as much as $148,240 or more!

There are many factors involved when determining salary, such as:

• The city and state you live in
• Your level of experience
• The types of publications you write for 
• Whether you work full-time or part-time

If you work in-house for an organization, you may also receive benefits, such as healthcare, retirement, paid time off, and tuition assistance.

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Nurse Writer Skills

Working as a nurse writer requires unique skills and qualities that bridge the gap between healthcare expertise and effective communication through writing. Special qualities needed to excel in this role include: 

• A solid foundation of medical knowledge and health concepts
• Research skills
• Strong writing skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Curiosity and a desire to keep learning
• Cultural sensitivity
• Time management skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Strong attention to detail

Having some knowledge of the publishing industry and marketing strategies is highly beneficial for nurse writers to promote their work and bring in new clients.

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Nurse Writer Jobs

Here are some of the various types of job opportunities you can have as a nurse writer:

Medical Writer for a Healthcare Organization 

Nurse writers can work directly for hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare institutions, creating content for patient education materials, brochures, newsletters, and websites.

Nurse Blogger

Some nurse writers choose to run their own nursing blogs, where they can share their expertise, provide health tips, and educate the public about various medical topics.

Health Journalist

Nurse writers can work as health journalists for newspapers, magazines, or online publications, reporting on medical news, breakthroughs, and healthcare issues.

Health Content Writer

Nurse writers can contribute articles to medical journals, magazines, and other online publications that focus on healthcare and medical topics.

Patient Education Materials Writer 

In this role, nurse writers create materials such as pamphlets, handouts, and guides to help patients understand medical conditions, treatment options, and lifestyle changes.

Freelance Medical Writer

Many nurse writers work as freelancers, offering their writing services to various clients, which could include healthcare companies, pharmaceutical firms, medical communications agencies, and more.

Healthcare Blogger/Influencer on Social Media

Nurse writers can establish a presence on social media platforms or other digital channels, where they share health-related content and collaborate with brands.

Clinical Research Writer

Nurse writers can contribute to research papers, clinical trial protocols, and other scientific documents related to medical research.

Ghostwriter 

Some nurse writers may work as ghostwriters, creating content on behalf of healthcare professionals, such as doctors or researchers, who may not have the time or expertise to write themselves.

How to Find Nurse Writer Jobs

Finding nurse writing jobs takes perseverance and grit. It is important to have some work samples to showcase your talents when finding new clients. 

Before reaching out to potential editors and clients, hone in your writing skills as much as possible through personal blogging, journaling, or even writing a few non-paid articles. This will also help ensure that you really want to be a nurse writer and help you hone in on where you can improve your writing skills. 

Here are some tips on how to find new clients:

• Create a portfolio
• Update your resume and Linkedin profile
• Search company websites
• Attend healthcare conferences and events
• Network with other nurse writers
• Engage with online writing communities
• Pitch editors with fleshed-out article ideas they haven’t written about yet (but match the voice of the publication)
• Send Letters of Interest (LOIs) to editors to let them know you are interested in ongoing writing assignments

Remember to tailor your applications and pitches to each specific job opportunity, emphasizing how your nursing background and writing skills make you an ideal candidate. Editors want to know that you understand the voice of their publication, so before applying or pitching, make sure you thoroughly read through as many articles from the publication as possible!

On another note, it can take a while and a lot of digging to find email addresses for the correct editors. Plan to spend a lot of time marketing, promoting your skills, and connecting with the right editors.

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Where Can I Learn More About Nurse Writers?

 

• Association of HealthCare Journalists
• American Medical Writers Association
• From Bedside Nurse To Writer: I Felt Guilty, But Glad To Leave

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Top Advice for Aspiring Nurse Writers 

Nurse writers for Nurse.org offered their advice to those aspiring to join the profession. 

“One of the most essential elements to success as a nurse writer is to hone in your writing skills as much as you possibly can. Consider taking writing workshops and starting a blog. This gives you practice and a platform to showcase your talents while you build your writing business.” - Sarah Jividen BSN, RN

"Don't give up. Writing is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. Don't give up if you don't get published right away. Keep writing, and eventually, you will find success." - Breann Kakacek BSN, RN

"Follow other nurse writers and freelance writers on social media, especially LinkedIn. It is a very welcoming community and I learned a lot at the beginning just by reading their posts and talking to them. Also, becoming a freelance nurse writer means you will be self-employed, so take the time to research what that will mean for you as far as taxes, health insurance, etc. It can be a real learning curve going from a traditional employer to freelancing!" - Ayla Roberts MSN, RN

”Writing doesn’t always come easy and the jobs aren’t always consistent. It’s something that requires work and practice. Keep writing, even if it’s for different things in your hospital to get practice. Take a journalism or writing class at the local community college - it will make you more marketable and knowledgable about the writing process.” - Kathleen Gaines MSN, RN 

FAQs

How Much Money Can I Make as a Nurse Writer?

• Income potential for a nurse writer varies depending on factors like experience, niche expertise, and type of work. Some nurse writers may earn a modest side income, while others with specialized knowledge and successful freelance careers could earn a substantial income. It's important to research current market rates and network with other nurse writers to gain insights into potential earnings.

Is There a Demand for Nurse Writers?

• Yes! As healthcare-related content continues to grow, nurse writers are needed to provide authoritative and empathetic perspectives. Nurse writers are particularly helpful when it comes to translating complex medical information into accessible and relatable content for various audiences.

Is Being a Nurse Writer Worth It?

• Being a nurse writer can be worth it for those who have a passion for both nursing and writing. This career offers an opportunity to combine medical experience with creative skills, contribute to the healthcare industry, and have a flexible work schedule.  Many nurse writers enjoy making a positive impact on readers' health and well-being while working in a non-bedside position.

How Do Nurse Bloggers Make Money?

• Nurse bloggers can make money through sponsored content and collaborations with healthcare brands or medical companies. They can also monetize their blogs through advertising and affiliate marketing, promoting relevant products or services to their audience and earning commissions on sales generated through their blog.

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Next Steps

One final thought on finding success as a nurse writer involves doing as much research as you can on the clients you want to work with. Before you start sending pitches, make sure you read as many articles for that publication as you can. This way, you start to learn their “voice” and the types of topics they frequently cover. 

It is also critical to know that becoming a nurse writer takes time. In fact, many nurse writers write part-time for years before they build up their portfolio enough to take on full-time work. Practice and perseverance go a long way. Good luck in your nurse writing career!