Top Three Questions Nurses Ask When Starting A Nurse-Owned Business
Maybe you’re frustrated with nursing or maybe you’ve had a dream that you’ve always wanted to turn into a reality. When is now a good time to start?
Nurses are uniquely qualified to start their own businesses because they have excellent organizational skills, they have critical thinking and have great relationships with their patients. Unfortunately, nurses are used to relying on their employment paycheck so when thinking about starting their own businesses, it can be very scary.
I always say, “Build the plane as you fly.” There’s no reason why you need to quit your day job now but you can work and build your business and when you get to the point where you want to take the leap, then you can.
Nurses are lucky because many nurses work 12-hours shifts, leaving 3 or 4 other days in the week to devote to a business.
QUESTION 1: What kind of business should I start?
There are so many businesses that nurses can start including legal nurse consulting, nurse owned staffing agency, home health care agency, wellness coaching, diabetes coaching, case management, private duty nursing, nursing in home, senior care, hospice services, respite care, childbirth education, lactation consulting, fertility consulting, concierge nursing services, patient care consulting, telehealth service, health coaching, public speaking, continuing education, mindfulness coaching, home IV therapy, holistic health services, and nutrition counseling, to name a few.
My recommendation is to chose something you love doing because on the days when it’s hard to get out bed, your passion will keep you going.
QUESTION 2: Do I need a certification?
You have an R.N. license and the scope of your education. Certificates cost time and money, most clients won’t even ask if you have a certificate. There is no national certification and, therefore, certifications may not be necessary. However, the education that you learn to obtain the certification may be helpful to you in creating your business.
The certification may be helpful to you and learning the knowledge necessary to succeed in your business.
QUESTION 3: Do I need a website and brochures?
I always say, “The easiest way to make money fast is to start talking to people.” That is the easiest way to get clients. If people don’t know you’re out there, they are not going to know to search for you. So, creating an elaborate website may just be a waste of money unless you know how to drive traffic there when people are actively looking for your services.
If you’re starting a home healthcare agency or senior care or where people would look for those type of services online, then a website may be important. Legal nurse consulting or nurse wellness coaching or case management, a website at this point may not necessarily be prudent.
Go out and start talking to people, get clients and as you get business, use your income to invest in services such as websites and brochures.
You can see I take a very practical approach of starting a business!
