business plan in nursing

20 Entrepreneur and Business Ideas for Nurses

Are you a nurse pursuing an entrepreneur or business opportunity? Nursing is unique. It can prepare you to become a nurse entrepreneur and open doors to business. Nurses develop strong critical thinking , communication, time management, organizational, and conflict resolution skills. Each is crucial in business management.

With November being National Entrepreneurship Month, now is the perfect time to explore your options as a nurse. We’ll explore 20 entrepreneurial and business ideas for nurses that fit well with a nurse’s skill set. If you’ve been thinking about moving away from bedside nursing but still want to use your education and skills, consider some of the following options.

Business Ideas for Nurse Entrepreneurs

Over 20 U.S. states now give full-practice authority to nurse practitioners (NPs). The idea of opening your own private practice may have crossed your mind if you live in one of these states. However, that is just one of many ways nurses can use their skills in business.

There are several options open to nurses such as consulting, coaching, and education. These business ideas for nurses are for those who want to explore their entrepreneurial spirit.

1. Private Practice

In nearly half the states in the U.S., NPs have full-practice authority. This means that NPs have full authority to order and evaluate testing, diagnose conditions, and treat patients. This improves patient access to healthcare, reduces costs, and streamlines care.

NPs who want to practice independently must practice in one of the full-practice authority states. You will need strong clinical, diagnostic, and business skills to maintain and grow your practice. It is important to start with a business plan that identifies every detail, including:

• Insurance strategies
• Start-up capital
• Focus of your practice
• National provider identifier
• Malpractice insurance

Many see setting up the practice, billing challenges, and governmental oversight as disadvantages to owning your own practice. However, you can balance that against choosing treatment, such as holistic nursing , that might fit your patient’s needs and being in control of the growth and expansion of your practice.

2. Nurse Freelancer

A nurse freelancer works under a short-term contract with a healthcare organization. They can find their own clients or work through an agency. Nurse freelancers may work in a hospital, clinic, doctor’s office, or home healthcare company. But the options are not limited to healthcare. Nurses with skills from other degrees or hobbies can earn additional money. For example, nurse freelancers may teach dance classes, sell photography, teach a foreign language, or be wellness coaches.

Nurses must have strong organizational and time management skills. These skills help give you the freedom to be your own boss and the flexibility to set your schedule. Most nurses also find there are more out-of-pocket costs than having a full-time job. There is also less job security, and other challenges that come with running your own business.

3. Medical Spa

A medical spa is a facility within a medical practice that provides aesthetic treatments under the care of a licensed healthcare provider. Treatments often include noninvasive options to rejuvenate the skin and body. You may also open a practice with a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

After graduating from an NP program, nurses need experience and training with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. They may then seek certification from the Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board . Courses are available through the American Association of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery and International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine.

4. Homecare Agency

The home health sector is a fast-growing industry. As one of the largest generations ages and retires, they require care at home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of adults have at least one chronic disease and 40% have two or more.

In 2019, the home health industry supported the employment of 1.4 million people to meet the needs of the 71.2 million baby boomers who required care. Nurses who want to start their own agency will require a business plan, employer ID number, funding, and a state license.

Nurses will need strong business skills as they will likely be running the business and not providing care as a home health nurse themselves. The earning potential is an advantage. The rising cost of equipment and difficulty seeking payment from Medicare and Medicaid can be challenging. In the beginning, you may need to take on much of the day-to-day aspects of running the business, along with your overall business goals.

5. Cannabis Agency

As researchers learn more about the body’s endocannabinoid system, cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) oil are becoming more important in treating several health conditions. Nurses have a distinct advantage of understanding the health benefits of CBD oil, including:

• Pain management
• Fibromyalgia

There are several options for nurses who want to help their clients with CBD. They may open a medical marijuana shop, sell CBD oil, educate the public on the benefits, or combine a love for cooking with baking cannabis products.

Like other business ventures, nurses must have strong business skills, good customer relations and communication skills, and a knowledge of the local regulations.

6. Intravenous Infusions

Nurses can be certified as intravenous ( IV ) infusion nurses. IV nurses are experts in the administration of medications and fluids. They may use an IV line, central line, or catheter. As more patients seek care at home, the need for these professionals on an outpatient basis is growing.

Nonhospital use of IV hydration is becoming more popular. It is used to administer vitamins, hydration, and treatment to increase energy or improve skin quality. There are opportunities to open your own business or join a franchise business dedicated solely to the administration of IV hydration.

There are advantages to joining a franchise as you start with a recognizable name and support. However, you are limited to using the franchise suppliers’ products and the services the franchise allows. If you choose to open your own company, you’ll need to:

• Find funding
• Create a business plan
• Apply for licenses and permits
• Build your team
• Get malpractice insurance for your providers

7. Content Editing Business

Being a nurse writer or content editing is a fast, affordable business you can start from home. It is easiest to get started by targeting a specific market. For instance, nurses who need a refresher on grammar, punctuation, and writing may consider an online course. Nurses also have an in-depth knowledge of medical jargon and physiology, which lends to medical, health, and wellness writing.

It’s important to familiarize yourself with several style guides, such as APA, MLA, and the Chicago Manual of Style. You must also determine what you will charge for your services. It would be best to establish yourself as a business for tax purposes, permits, and marketing plans. You might consider applying for posted jobs to get testimonials from satisfied clients before pitching companies on your services.

8. Legal Nurse Consultant

Nurses must hold an active registered nurse (RN) license in the state where they practice to be legal nurse consultants . These professionals analyze and evaluate documentation and testimony to offer a medical opinion on the delivery of healthcare and patient outcomes. They may also determine the nature and cause of documented injuries. The legal nurse consultant assesses if healthcare guidelines were followed during care.

Nurses must have strong nursing skills in documentation, communication, and critical thinking. To sit for the certification examination by the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC), a nurse must have 2,000 hours of clinical experience. The AALNC offers a review course to help pass the 200 multiple-choice exam.

This business idea for nurses requires little start-up costs and may be done from the comfort of your home as a remote RN job . However, nurses must maintain their license and certification and do their own marketing to find clients.

9. Specialized Care Provider

Nurse entrepreneurs can become specialized care providers inside an organization and then serve clients in their own business. For example, nurses with extensive experience in breastfeeding can become certified lactation counselors . They help new parents successfully breastfeed their infants.

After working as a labor and delivery nurse , a nurse may get additional training as a doula versus a midwife . Nurses who focus on health and wellness may choose to practice holistic or alternative medicine or help clients with stress reduction.

In each case, the specialized care provider must have a background in business management, good communication skills, and a drive to help their clients. Most of these businesses require little overhead. However, these are typically not 9-to-5 businesses, so you must be prepared for calls or patient visits any time of the day or night.

10. Independent Massage Therapy

Massage therapists must have a deep knowledge of human anatomy. Nurses who want to start their own massage therapy business have the advantage of experience and knowledge of the human body. A massage therapy program can take up to 15 months to complete. Community colleges usually offer these programs. To become certified, ensure the state accredits the program.

The state requirements for practical experience vary among states. After your education is complete, you may be required to take a state licensing exam or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination. In some states, it may also be necessary to be certified to practice as a massage therapist.

Nurses must have a dedicated structure for their clients. The business requires communication skills, strong upper body strength, and endurance.

Popular Nursing Programs

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11. Acupuncturist

The practice of acupuncture requires a strong foundation in anatomy and physiology. Acupuncture uses a unique system to stimulate specific points on the body to improve health and reduce illness. It is one of the most researched complementary and alternative medicine practices.

The minimum education required is an accredited master’s acupuncture program. Most states also require a certification examination. National board certification also confirms a certain skill level and knowledge needed for a successful practice.

Nurses must have a place to treat patients, equipment, malpractice insurance, and billing procedures. Nurse acupuncturists may work collaboratively with other healthcare practitioners.

12. Wellness Coach

Opportunities for health and wellness coaches are growing. More people are seeking out education and motivation to make lifestyle changes that impact their health. Health and wellness coaches work with nutritionists, fitness coaches, and complementary healthcare professionals to improve health. Clients may hire a wellness coach to help them lose weight, reduce stress, quit smoking, or achieve a better work-life balance.

Nurses must complete a minimum number of hours of education and experience. To be board certified, you must graduate from an accredited program. Wellness coaches must have strong assessment and communication skills. The practice focuses on education, motivation, and communication with clients.

Wellness coaches can work online, over the phone, or in person. How you choose to interact with clients determines your overhead expenses.

13. Yoga Instructor

Yoga is rooted in Indian philosophy. However, in the U.S. it typically emphasizes physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. Evidence shows that this complementary strategy can help people quit smoking, reduce stress, relieve menopausal symptoms, and lose weight.

The move to practicing and teaching yoga is popular among holistic nurses whose focus is on using more natural practices to maintain and improve health. Yoga instruction programs range from 200-500 hours, depending on your goal as an instructor.

Although certification is not required to practice, it does offer you the benefit of teaching in a studio space. As a certified instructor, you may teach private classes, in a studio, open your own studio, or teach online.

14. Medical or Pharmaceutical Product Sales

Medical equipment and pharmaceutical sales representatives are always in high demand. Many sales reps work on commission, which means that while they sell for a specific company, their salary is based on commission.

These reps sell medical supplies, equipment, or pharmaceuticals to doctors, clinics, facilities, and hospitals. It is their job to contact customers, answer questions, explain the product features, and negotiate the final sale. Pharmaceutical sales reps must become a certified national pharmaceutical representative. Once you’ve decided on your specialization, it’s important to get relevant experience. For example, if you are interested in psychiatric pharmaceutical sales, you’ll want to get an internship and shadow a sales rep in that market.

Nurses working in pharmaceutical or medical sales must be experts at networking, communication, sales, and marketing. This business idea for nurses offers you the opportunity to grow your network independently and develop your sales skills.

15. Nurse Health Tutor

Were you a whiz at writing care plans? Can you list many of the body’s over 200 bones off the top of your head? Do you understand the relationship between the gut and the brain? You may be fully qualified to become a nurse or health tutor working from home . Nursing students and other students struggling with health concepts look for tutors who can help them learn.

Nurses who want to work as tutors may work for tutoring companies, colleges or universities, or independently. Nurse tutors must have strong communication skills and love nurse teaching . They have patience with their students. Nurse tutors should also have a sound invoicing system. The initial start-up costs and overhead are low. Nurses who work independently must also develop their own marketing strategies.

16. Nurse Influencer

Nurses are already influencers in their immediate circle of friends and family. You likely have been asked several questions about health and wellness. You can also use social media platforms to influence many others in their efforts to seek health and wellness.

One paper in the Nursing Forum describes a nurse influencer this way: “A nurse influencer is a nurse who has a platform to affect change through demonstrating integrity, a dedication to learning, and excellent communication of ideas and information.”

You need a professional profile on the social media platforms of your choice, such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube. It’s easier to establish yourself on one platform before adding another. Nurses can make money on these platforms after building their followers. The more followers you have, the more likely you are to land advertising or sponsorship gigs.

It would help if you enjoyed writing because you’ll be doing that every day. Nurse influencers must also network with other influencers and either guest post on their blogs or appear in their podcasts or videos. The start-up costs are minimal and may include the cost of hosting a blog or a good microphone for podcasts and videos.

17. Childbirth Educator or Doula Services

Nurses who are childbirth educators or provide a doula service are involved in education before birth and are often present during delivery. After spending at least two years on a maternity unit, you may be interested in furthering your education and services. This allows you to branch out and work independently of hospitals and clinics.

The International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) has a certified professional childbirth educator and birth doula program. It verifies that you have the necessary knowledge and skill to carry out pregnancy, labor, and delivery procedures. Parents, childbirth educators, and doulas have to make informed decisions, such as deciding between at-home births versus hospital births .

A doula offers continuous physical, emotional, and educational support to a woman before, during, and after childbirth but not clinical support. Candidates have to apply for the certification examination within two years of completing the ICEA certification program.

18. Health Blogger

A nurse is in a unique position of being able to share health information with clients, friends, family, and the general public. There is no additional certification or education necessary to be a health blogger. However, you must share accurate, evidence-based information.

In the beginning, it may be easier to put your blog on a site, such as WordPress, but the company may take down your content without notice. It is best to purchase a host site with a company and own your URL outright. This offers more protection as you grow your audience. You can make money as your audience increases by advertising products to your readers.

Health bloggers must have good writing and communication skills, have an interest in researching their topic, and a focus on learning marketing skills. Nurse entrepreneurs may choose to be health bloggers alongside another health and wellness business option as it is not a full-time job. However, it’s important to note that it can take months to build your audience and make money from your efforts.

19. Public Speaker

When you want to be a public speaker, it makes sense to take purposeful steps to lead you to your goal. Define and refine your message and then decide how you’ll tell it. Popular public speakers are engaging, entertaining, and know how to tell a good story. It’s stories that keep people captivated and more likely to learn from your content. Nurses have a lot of good stories to tell (leaving out patient names, of course!).

You’ll need to be comfortable speaking in front of groups of people or on camera. If your audience is allowed to ask questions, you’ll need to think quickly about your answers. Public speaking usually involves traveling, and you must have a professional website. Public speakers network easily and are comfortable marketing their services.

20. Nurse Author or Historian

Nurses who contribute content to articles, blogs, historical books, or movie scripts about healthcare are in high demand. Healthcare is constantly evolving and changing. Television and movie scriptwriters need healthcare consultants to ensure they get the information right.

You may fact-check medical details in books, articles, or videos to accurately represent the nurses’ role. If you have editorial training, your skills may be used to ensure the final manuscript represents the nursing skills and culture of the period.

Nurse authors and historians can also use their knowledge to contribute to articles and blogs, maintain their own blogs, or write books and scripts about nursing. Nurse authors must have an active RN license to use the credential. If you have retired your license, you can use your degree to signify your education.

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25 Most-Profitable Small Business Ideas For Nurses

New profitable nurse businesses are developing and evolving quickly throughout our nation. Unique niche ideas are popping up in cities and online. Nurses are beginning to realize their exceptional potential in the business world. You, too, may be wondering about a nurse-owned business. Questions such as “What options are there for nurse-owned ventures?” and “Can I be successful as a business owner?” may be going through your mind. Even more important, you may not realize that owning a business can be profitable. Are you seeking a career as an independent small business nurse owner that can pay well? You may wonder, “What are the most profitable small business ideas for nurses?” You have come to the right place if you have these internal conversations. Here, I illuminate the most profitable small business ideas for nurses, where you can easily top the $100K mark. These ventures range from simple home business companies that require little time or cash for a start-up to more elaborate ideas that you can expand to reap top-dollar. Let’s jump right into this exciting topic!

What Are The Most Profitable Small Business Ideas For Nurses?

Small business #1: legal nurse consultant, about the small business:, how to start this small business:, potential earnings:, small business #2: staffing agency, small business #3: home health agency, small business #4: senior care assistance, small business #5: night shift new baby nurse, small business #6: private duty nurse.

• Stethoscope, BP cuff, thermometer, glucometer (and supplies) • A means to advertise your business, such as a web page, Facebook, local social media pages, and LinkedIn account • Malpractice insurance

Small Business #7: Home Medical Equipment Sales

Small business #8: online nurse education specialist/writer.

• Writing CEs for nurse education sites • Developing nursing checklists, flow sheets, and protocols • Writing nursing workbooks and textbooks • Educational podcasts • Educational Facebook support • Study guides and flashcards for nursing students • Medical care plan development

Small Business #9: Medical Writer

Small business #10: cannabis nurse, small business #11: intravenous infusion.

• Nausea/vomiting • Dehydration • Morning sickness • Hangover • Weakness • Athletic post-workouts • Vitamin infusions • Immunity boost • Anti-Aging • Skin health • Jet lag

Small Business #12: Senior Consultant/Advocate

• Educating families and seniors about available resources • Assist in placement in assisted living or other care arrangements • Offer nursing support post-hospitalization • Help decipher medical bills and payment arrangements • Champion for fair and quality medical treatment and billing • Serve as a go-between for the client and insurance company

Small Business #13: Online Supplement Company

Small business #14: health and wellness and beauty.

• Wellness retreats (a growing trend!) • Health product sales such as essential oils, dietary supplements • Work-out clothing and gear sales • Healthy food sales • Organic beauty products • Anti-aging products • Wellness center • Clinics on wellness • Juice bars • Wellness spa (to include skin and Botox treatments)

Small Business #15: Nursing Gear Retailer

Small business #16: healthy meal delivery service, small business #17: sick child care, small business #18: nurse career coach, small business #19: speaker, small business #20: hospice nurse, small business #21: nursing education consultant.

• Teaching online or in-person nursing classes • Guest speaking on educational nursing topics or specialty medical topics • Blogs and podcasts to assist student and new grad nurses • Nurse class and test review courses and workbooks and flashcards • Support and guidance social media outlets for nurses • Developing CEU’s • Writing nursing and other medical staff text and workbooks • Developing flow sheets and “cheat” sheets for nurses and aides

Small Business #22: Specialty Sales

Small business #23: healthcare app developer.

• Tracker for fitness • Weight loss app • Support apps for physical and mental wellness • Software to support nurses and nursepreneuer • Specialized nursing apps such as study apps, flow sheets, reminders/organizers, and skill instruction

Small Business #24: Diabetic Care

• Contract with local physicians to do diabetic teaching sessions • Hold diabetes seminars and clinics in local community and senior centers • Write a diabetes care and support blog • Podcast to showcase your diabetes expertise • Contract with home health agencies, hospice, and skilled nursing facilities for diabetic care and education

Small Business #25: Foot and Wound Care

Bonus 5 important factors to consider while deciding which small business is right for you as a nurse, factor #1: what am i an expert in, factor #2: do i want to spend a lot of money, factor #3: do i want to hire employees, factor #4: do i want my business to be virtual, factor #5: am i tech and social networking savy, my final thoughts.

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15 Business Ideas for Nurse Entrepreneurs

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For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, there’s an endless list of potential business opportunities and ways to build a side hustle. One of the keys to starting your own business and turning it into a successful enterprise is to play to your strengths. For those with a nursing degree, there are a number of business opportunities that you’ll have that aren’t available to others — you'll have the ability to leverage your medical degree, experience and skills to launch your own business.

A study by RN Network found that 50% of nurses consider leaving their jobs due to burnout, overwork and high-stress levels. Opening your own business and relying on your skills and certifications as a nurse, therefore, can be a new, refreshing opportunity. Looking for a place to start? In this guide, we've compiled a list of the 15 best business ideas for nurses — plus we'll break down some tips for choosing the right entrepreneurial path for you.

Top business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs

There are a number of different business ideas for nurses out there — whether you're looking for a home-based business idea or an idea that allows you to travel to different clients in your area, there are a variety of options that may align with your skills, interests and schedule.

1. Legal nurse consultant

For nurses who are detail-oriented and love to dive into the details of a patient file, becoming a legal nurse consultant, or LNC, can be a great business idea.

An LNC is a consultant that offers expert advice for legal cases. An attorney might consult with a legal nurse consultant to better understand the facts of their case or an LNC might be asked to analyze testimony in a legal case to look for errors.

There are a number of different ways in which legal nurse consultants can work within the legal system. One of the benefits of this position is that as a legal nurse consultant and business owner, you choose which cases you work on. Overall, this health care business idea gives you a lot of control over your schedule and how you spend your time.

2. Nurse health coach

Many nurses work in a clinical setting where they’re part of a team that treats and diagnoses patient symptoms. For some, this can feel limiting, as you only have so much say in how a patient is treated.

If this applies to you, becoming a health coach might be one of the best nurse entrepreneur business ideas for you. A nurse health coach is someone who helps people to assess their health goals and creates a plan to achieve them. This type of work takes a holistic look at a patient’s health and focuses not only on the symptoms, but also the broader picture.

As a nurse health coach, you might consult with doctor’s offices or hospitals. More often, nurse health coaches run their own practice and see patients on a one-on-one basis.

Seeing the long-term outcomes in patients’ health can be highly rewarding and is ideal for nurses who want to work closely with their patients to help them achieve their goals.

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3. Specialized care provider

Becoming a specialized care provider is a great business idea for nurses who have learned a specialized set of skills throughout their career and want to apply those skills in their own business. Similarly, becoming a specialized care provider can be one of the best small business ideas for nurse practitioners as well — especially if they want to branch out on their own and work in-depth in one area.

Some examples of specialized care provider businesses include:

Childbirth training.

Fertility consulting.

Lactation consulting.

Telehealth.

In-home care.

Holistic or alternative medicine services.

Mindfulness and stress reduction.

There are a number of ways to take a nursing degree and pair it with a passion to turn it into a business. If there’s a specific aspect of nursing that you love or have extensive experience in, think about how you can turn it into a business. All you need is passion and the time and patience to turn your idea into a reality.

4. Wellness coach

As more and more patients move away from taking medication to solve their health issues, they’re looking for alternative methods and more holistic approaches.

By pairing a nursing degree with a holistic approach to health, you can become a wellness coach. Becoming a health coach will likely require additional training and certification , but it will pair well with the knowledge you already have as a nurse.

When it comes to business ideas for nurses, becoming a wellness coach fits the belief system and knowledge base of many nurses, making this a simple transition.

Moreover, becoming a wellness coach is a great home-based business idea for nurses — as you can opt to work with and see clients in your own space, or, if you choose, travel to meet them. Plus, a large part of wellness coaching often involves building and maintaining an online presence, something that can also be done from home.

5. Nurse blogger

Many people turn to the internet for information on anything, including (if not especially) medical ailments. And while there are plenty of helpful resources out there, there’s also a lot of misinformation — and in the medical field, this can be especially dangerous. As a nurse, you have a specific knowledge base that can be very helpful to a number of people. Thus, one of the best nurse entrepreneur ideas for you might be to start a blog using your nursing credentials and knowledge.

This is an especially easy business to start as a side hustle. In addition to your full-time job as a nurse, you can offer to be interviewed by reporters to provide a medical context to certain articles. You might also start your own blog to share your perspective on nursing and the medical industry.

Your blog can be your entire business or you can use blogging to grow your business. Plus, just like becoming a wellness coach, starting your own blog is a great home-based business idea for nurses, whether as a side hustle or full-time gig.

6. Freelance writer or editor

If you don't want to commit to starting your own blog, you might utilize your medical knowledge and expertise to write or consult for other publications. There are a number of medical sites that might be hiring freelance writers, as well as hospitals or other medical offices who are looking for copywriters or editors with a medical background to contribute to their websites.

In addition, you might find medical journals and academic research publications that could benefit from the expertise of a medical professional to help them with their writing, editing and publication. Again, offering up your services as a freelance writer or editor is a great way to start your own business as a nurse, from home, with significant flexibility and freedom.

Plus, once you've found a client or a handful of clients that use your services, you may be able to branch out into other types of writing and marketing to grow your freelance business.

7. Hospice caregiver

As the baby-boom generation ages, the demand for in-home senior care and end-of-life care will increase. Although the work of a hospice caregiver does deal with the end of someone’s life, it requires more skills than just nursing. Many hospice caregivers are focused on the wellbeing of the patient as the wellbeing of family members. Juggling the physical and mental wellbeing of multiple people doesn’t make this job easy, but it can be very rewarding.

Starting a business as a hospice caregiver can be hard work, not only as a business owner but as a person — as you might expect, the work of a hospice caregiver takes an emotional toll.

Therefore, before you invest in this business idea for nurses, it’s important to remember that if you choose to go into this line of work, you need to be aware of the business risks as well as the risks to your own health. However, if you excel at brightening people’s days and enjoy being able to improve this difficult part of a person’s life, then this could be the perfect fit for you.

8. Childbirth education or doula

On the other hand, you may choose a service-based business idea focused on the beginning of a person’s life, rather than the end. Many nurses choose to start a business as a doula, or someone who provides childbirth education to pregnant women.

Starting your own business as a childbirth educator can take a few different paths. Some doulas work one-on-one with pregnant women to prepare them for the birthing process. These doulas are on-call and are on-site for the birth.

Another option for this type of nurse entrepreneur idea is to offer classes to people who are preparing for childbirth. Teaching classes can be slightly less intense work than helping couples one-on-one and being present for the births themselves.

In either case, however, these business ideas allow you to utilize your medical background, as well as take part in an exciting and rewarding part of life — without requiring the strict, intensive schedule of a hospital or doctor's office.

9. Fitness nurse

Next, a top business idea for nurses that can be done from home or on-the-go, becoming a fitness nurse involves working with clients to create a personalized health plan that includes exercise, nutrition and lifestyle changes. This type of health care business is focused on preventing disease instead of treating it.

This new type of nursing might be just the right way to combine your skills with a passion and start a business — especially if you're enthusiastic about fitness and exercise. Of course, to best serve your clients, you may decide to obtain some additional certifications for nutrition and personal training specifically. Alternatively, you may decide to hire and work with people who specialize in these fields.

10. Medical product sales

While many of these business ideas for nurses have focused on using the skills you’ve acquired as a nurse, there is another option for using your knowledge of the medical industry as a whole. You can start a business selling medical products. This might include products for nurses or for the general medical industry. Some examples include selling scrubs, accessories, medical equipment or medicine.

Starting a business in medical product sales is a great way to use the skills you already have as a nurse. Familiarity with the tools used to treat patients and medications gives you firsthand experiences to help sell products.

Plus, starting your own medical sales business allows you to take advantage of the perks of entrepreneurship — like being your own boss and setting your own schedule.

11. Telehealth consulting

If you're skilled with technology, the best business for you to start, as a nurse, could be related to telehealth. Telehealth is becoming more and more popular within the medical field — allowing patients to converse with nurses and doctors through phone or video calls. This means patients don’t have to leave their homes to receive diagnoses and prescriptions, and medical professionals can see more patients in a day.

Starting a business as a telehealth consultant can allow you to practice as a nurse, just like you do now, but without the commute. As a telehealth consultant, you can also set a schedule that’s more flexible for both you and your patients — including early mornings or later at night, when regular doctors’ offices aren’t typically open.

Once again, like many of these ideas, telehealth consulting is a perfect home-based business idea for nurses as well.

12. Education specialist or course creator

Next, if you have a particular affinity for teaching others, the best nurse entrepreneur business idea might be for you to become an education specialist or online course creator. First, becoming an education specialist could involve a variety of different tasks. You might start as a teaching assistant at a nursing school, or acquire the credentials you need to become a full-time professor.

Similarly, you might work with schools, childcare centers or local government agencies to teach health classes or seminars, like CPR certification, when needed. Along these lines, you might also take advantage of an online class platform to develop and sell your own courses related to nursing, medicine and wellness. If you have particular expertise, you might be able to create a series of lessons dedicated to that subject.

As we've seen throughout our list of the best business ideas for nurses, this opportunity allows you to start something of your own that leverages your expertise. Plus, you have the flexibility to work from home or travel, or do a little of both.

13. Medical billing and coding contractor

If you're looking for a small business idea that's a little different, but still related to the medical field, you might become a medical billing and coding specialist. These individuals work with hospitals and doctor's offices to translate medical records for billing to insurance providers and other payers.

Although some employers may require a specific medical billing and coding certificate, as a nurse, you'll likely be familiar with the processes and be able to pick up the required skills very quickly. Additionally, medical billers and coders can operate as independent contractors, as well as find part-time or full-time positions with one employer.

Ultimately, it would be up to you to decide where you'd like to take this nurse business idea and how you'd like to operate your business.

14. Career coach

For nurses who enjoy mentoring others and offering job advice, the best business idea to start might be a career coaching business. Similar to any coaching business, you'd work with students, young professionals and other clients to help them apply for jobs, plan their career paths and prepare for interviews.

As a medical professional with experience in the field, you'd be able to serve as a great resource to those also looking to become nurses, nurse practitioners or doctors. You'll be able to offer general career and professional advice, as well as clue your clients into the details and nuances of the medical field.

In addition, as a career coach, you can operate your business virtually, have clients come into your home, or even open your own office — depending on what you'd prefer. Plus, as you work on your coaching business, gain clients and see success, you might be able to market your services on a larger scale to colleges, universities and other education organizations.

15. Child care provider

Finally, the best business idea for nurses with previous experience working with kids might be becoming a child care provider. As a medical professional, you could start a variety of childcare-related businesses — you might start a daycare center, become an in-home caregiver for children with specific medical needs, or serve as a medical consultant or resource for other childcare businesses.

Of course, certain ideas, like starting a daycare, will require special licenses and permits, whereas others may be easier to start from home or as a side hustle. In any case, your credentials as a medical professional will make it easier to market your services and work with different parents, caregivers and organizations.

Start Your Dream Business

How to choose the right nurse entrepreneur idea

As you can see, there are a variety of business ideas for nurses, however, before you invest time and money into a specific idea, you'll want to think about these three things to help you determine which idea is best for you:

Assess your skills

Ask yourself these questions to figure out your skills and passions:

What aspects do I like most about my current job or the health care system?

What aspects of my current job do I enjoy the least?

Is there a specific population of patients that I prefer to work with?

Do I enjoy sales?

Would I prefer a job that deals less with people and more with the background and administrative tasks of the health care industry?

Am I good at noticing problems and finding solutions?

What weaknesses slow me down at my current job?

What types of tasks am I best at and do I enjoy?

These questions are a good way to get a better understanding of what types of work you enjoy and what you’re especially good at. Use this information to inform what type of business you choose to start.

Align your schedule

Do you want to start your business as a side hustle or invest in your idea full time? If you're going to start a side hustle, you'll need to take your current schedule into consideration.

Starting your business as a side hustle and building it into a full-time endeavor is a good way to determine whether there’s enough demand for your business, as well as to work through any workflow or operational issues before you completely dive in. This way, you maintain the income from your current job while building your new business.

On the other hand, of course, you might decide to go all-in on your business idea — and in that case, you'll want to make sure you do your research beforehand so you have an idea of the amount of demand you can expect, who your market is, how much startup capital you’ll need, and more.

Feed your passion

While there are many reasons to start your own business, an important one to focus on is doing something that you’re truly passionate about. Operating your own business can certainly increase your income, but that shouldn’t be the sole reason you go into business for yourself. Focus on picking a business that will allow you to do more of the things you love and less of the things you don’t.

Choosing a business idea for nurses that meshes with your passion will make the long hours that you’ll inevitably work (at least when you’re first getting things off the ground) just a little bit easier.

On a similar note...

Starting a nurse-owned business

Follow these tips for success..

Takeaways  

• Nurses have unique skills—critical thinking, prioritizing, organization, and emergency management—appropriate for starting their own businesses.  
• Business success involves choosing something you love, finding a problem to solve, identifying ideal clients, and connecting with a mentor.  

If you’re thinking about starting your own business, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Choose something you love doing. Life is short and the risks are too great to begin a business in an area that you don’t love. Otherwise, you’re just creating another job for yourself. If you’re passionate and excited about your new business venture, you’ll be more likely to succeed. Success requires dedication and commitment, and that will be more likely if you’re doing something you enjoy. On days when commitment flags, think about why you started your business. That “why” will help you get up in the morning on tough days.

Find a problem you can solve. Successful businesses solve a problem that keeps their ideal clients awake at night. Hospitals help people heal when they’re ill. A health coach helps people achieve better health for more energy and vitality. A foot-care nurse helps patients perform tasks they aren’t able to do themselves. Staffing agencies help healthcare organizations solve staffing shortages. A good nurse consulting business saves people time and money or improves their health and well-being.

Identify your ideal client. When you identify whose problem you can solve, you can direct all your marketing efforts to them. Where do they work? What do they read? Where do they gather? For legal nurse consultants, for example, the ideal client is an attorney whose cases include medical issues. You can meet them in the courthouse, advertise to them in legal journals, and network with them at trial lawyer association meetings. Knowing your ideal client makes it easier to find them.

Ask your ideal clients to work with you. Early in my career, I asked my mentor how he gets all his clients. He said, “People want to help. All you have to do is ask!” Find those who need the services you offer and ask them to work with you and become your clients. Share the value and benefits of working with you so that they can choose to become a client. Another way to “ask” clients to work with you is through an online presence, which can be a website or a LinkedIn profile.

Offer packages. To move away from a dollars-per-hour model, offer packages for a flat fee. Packages can include products and services that will help people achieve the results they seek. For example, as a health coach, you can have 3-month or 6-month packages that include services such as an initial evaluation, one face-to-face meeting per month, and one phone consultation per week. This monetary commitment will help clients achieve better results than they would in a single session.

Don’t automatically choose certification. You have an RN license and the accompanying experience and skills, but do you also need a certificate to succeed in your new business? Certification costs time and money, so if your business requires only your nursing acumen, perhaps you can forgo certification, especially if your ideal client doesn’t find value in it. But if certification will help you acquire new skills specific to your business venture or is valued by your clients, look for a reputable accrediting body and budget your time and money wisely as you earn certification.

Begin with the end in mind. What’s your destination? What do you want your business to look like a year from now? How many clients do you want to serve? How much money do you want to make? How do you imagine spending your days? When you have your destination, you can build a road map to get there. If you want 10 clients, think about how many potential clients you need to connect with before 10 say yes. Having the end in mind is your barometer for how things are going. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not progressing as you anticipated. Try something new; many paths can get you to the same destination. To keep your planning focused, consider writing a short business plan that summarizes some of the points discussed here. (See Creating a map. )

Find a mentor. When you first started in nursing, you had a preceptor who showed you the ropes and taught you how to put your best foot forward. The preceptor shared tricks of the trade, helping you prioritize, think critically, organize, and comply with policies and procedures. You need the same kind of support in business. Find a mentor who can teach you the ropes and provide you with encouragement. A mentor can help reduce the amount of time it takes to become successful and decrease your stress, fear, and worry. A good mentor also can help you get your business on a proper legal foundation. (See Join in .)

Plan to succeed. Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” You can choose to believe that “you can” succeed by doing whatever it takes to have a successful business. A positive mindset will get you through the tough times.

Take control

Starting a business is fun and exciting, but just like a roller coaster, it will have its ups and downs. Reframe the down times as learning experiences. If business is slow, consider talking to more people. And remember that owning your business puts you in control. Do you want flexibility and control over your financial destiny? Business ownership is a great way to achieve these goals and continue to use your nursing skills to help people.

Lorie A. Brown is a nurse attorney and president of Brown Law Office in Indianapolis, Indiana. She’s also the founder of Empowered Nurses ( empowerednurses.org ) an organization that empowers nurses at the bedside and in business.

6 Comments .

I want to open postpartum business

I’m in the process of framing and starting a Nurse Coach and Holistic Wellness Clinic. My target audience is adults re-entering society from trauma, from substance abuse and incarceration.

Wish it was that easy

I would like to start a business that offers Nurse coaching for veterans. Im a veteran and would offer a different approach with veteran coaching, especially women.

I want to know how to start a small business and steps to take

I really enjoyed this information, definitely got me thinking about my ideas to my own business as a Registered Nurse

Comments are closed.

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Small Business Trends

18 business ideas for nurses.

Nurses have immense skills, experience, and in-depth knowledge as they embark on their careers. Much of the experience gained from being a nurse can be leveraged into running a successful business. For healthcare professionals such as registered nurses looking to start their own business, we’ll go through some of the best ideas for nurse entrepreneurs.

Can You Start Your Own Business as a Nurse?

Many nurses have started their own businesses and transitioned to becoming small business owners. With the right business idea and an entrepreneurial spirit, there are plenty of business ideas for nurses with a lot of potential.

To start your own nursing-related business, you’ll need to look at suitable ideas and create a business plan. Depending on the type of business you start, you may need additional licenses or certifications.

• READ MORE: Small Business Ideas for Beginners

The Healthcare Industry

The healthcare industry has seen significant growth over the year, with many profitable businesses emerging in this space. The healthcare industry continues to be on a strong trajectory for growth, and there is a greater need for medical professionals to join the space to offer more services and provide knowledge.

Choosing the right Business Ideas for Nurses: Our Methodology

In guiding nurses towards entrepreneurial ventures that capitalize on their unique skills and experience in the healthcare sector, we use a specific set of criteria. These criteria help in identifying opportunities that make the most of a nurse’s professional background. Each criterion is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies the least importance and 5 the highest importance in our review process:

• Importance: 5
• We prioritize business ideas that leverage a nurse’s medical expertise and clinical skills. This includes ventures like health consulting, medical writing, or starting a nursing education program.
• Importance: 4
• Business ideas that involve direct patient care, health advocacy, or wellness coaching are highly suitable, as they align with nurses’ skills in patient communication and care.
• Given the demanding nature of nursing, we look for business ideas that offer flexibility in scheduling and the potential for a healthy work-life balance.
• Importance: 3
• We assess the potential for growth and scalability of the business idea, considering whether it can expand over time, possibly employing other healthcare professionals.
• The market demand for the service or product and the feasibility of the business idea, especially in the current healthcare landscape, are crucial factors.
• Adherence to healthcare regulations and standards is a critical aspect. We evaluate how the business idea aligns with legal and ethical standards in healthcare.
• We consider business ideas that bring innovation to healthcare services, such as telehealth, health technology apps, or unique patient care models.
• The potential of the business idea to positively impact the community, especially in terms of health and wellness, is an important consideration.

By applying these criteria, our goal is to guide nurses towards business ideas that not only align with their expertise and experience but also offer meaningful opportunities to make a difference in the healthcare sector.

Nurse Entrepreneur Ideas

There are many nurse entrepreneur business ideas that could prove to be a good opportunity. Many of these business ideas require specific nursing knowledge and an experienced nurse at the helm to create a strong business.

1. Legal Nurse Consultant

Legal nurse consultants tend to be a niche role that can be in demand. It can be a lucrative business for a registered nurse to provide expertise to medical law firms and attorneys for their cases. As a consultant to attorneys and law firms, nurse practitioners will analyze healthcare issues and cases using their specialized knowledge.

2. Nurse Health Coach

Coaching businesses are on the rise, and health coaching is an excellent business idea for nurses to consider. As a coach, you’ll help your clients achieve optimal health based on their goals and expertise. In addition, nurse health coaches work with health-conscious customers and clients. You’ll empower them to take control of their own health through wellness coaching and more.

3. Health Care Training Business

Nursing training is often difficult and time-consuming, but there s always a need for trained nurses. Many nurses have started their own training business, working with healthcare providers to prepare incoming nursing students and help them gain the experience needed as specialized care providers.

You can create specific training programs alongside nursing school experience to ensure quality training and positively impact your community and profession.

4. Child Care Centre

Nurses can also transition to care positions, such as becoming child care providers. This could mean starting your own child care center based on state licensing requirements. You can create a fun and engaging daycare space for children while also providing advice on childcare health.

5. Fitness Nurse

The realm of sports and fitness has seen an increasing need for medical professionals who can bridge the gap between athletic performance and health. A fitness nurse is uniquely positioned to offer specialized care tailored to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and individuals recovering from sports-related injuries.

As a fitness nurse, your blend of medical knowledge and understanding of physical performance can be invaluable in various settings. By starting a fitness nursing business, you could provide a range of highly in-demand services including:

• Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation : Work closely with athletes and trainers to devise strategies that minimize the risk of injuries. When injuries do occur, provide therapeutic care to hasten recovery.
• Nutritional Guidance : Offer recommendations tailored to the specific needs of athletes or those engaged in fitness activities, ensuring they fuel their bodies optimally for performance and recovery.
• Fitness Assessments : Conduct tests and assessments to determine an individual’s fitness level, helping them set and monitor goals.
• On-site Support at Sports Events : Be present at athletic events or competitions to offer immediate care in case of injuries or to provide advice on hydration, stretching, and more.
• Training Workshops : Organize sessions for athletes, coaches, and gym members on topics like proper stretching techniques, the importance of hydration, signs of overtraining, and other relevant topics.

By diversifying the services you offer as a fitnes

6. Medical Equipment Business

Medical product sales tend to be a profitable route for nurses, and why they’re good business ideas for nurse entrepreneurs. Medical companies that sell medical supplies are more likely to work with nurses and are always in demand in the medical industry.

As part of the role, you’ll use your specialized knowledge and experience while visiting a doctor’s office to talk through products and sell them.

7. Nurse Blogger

Nurse blogging can be a great way to earn money while connecting with younger nurses. You can use your blog to provide insight on what it’s like to be a nurse at a private practice or a public hospital, what the nursing niche is all about, and how you’ve moved forward in your career. You can earn money from visits to the blogs and also through methods such as affiliate links for products you discuss. This can be a flexible and scalable business, and may even create opportunities for patient advocacy. Just be sure to follow all industry regulations.

8. Medical Spa

Medical spas have become more in-demand, and many of them are seeking experienced nurses as part of the business. You can start a medical spa working together with plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists to provide care for patients coming in for procedures, and it will entail providing cosmetic and aesthetic nursing to patients.

9 Childbirth Education

Childbirth educators play a pivotal role in the prenatal world. You can work as an independent consultant to help women during pregnancy and provide necessary medical information, personal hygiene recommendations, and more. The goal is to provide women with accurate information about childbirth, advocate for patients, and enable them to make informed care decisions.

10. Herbal Medicine

As alternative medicine becomes more common, some nurses have moved toward creating their own practice to offer herbal medicine-based treatments.

A great deal of research is required to run a thriving holistic practice in this realm, so certifications may be needed. You’ll work with trained professionals to treat patients with herbal remedies, mainly focusing on cleansing and detoxification.

11. Fertility Consulting

Another option for nurses is to move into the fertility space. This can include providing medical advice based on training in obstetrics and gynecology across different parts of the fertility journey.

Consulting services include pregnancy preparation, specific fertility conditions, lactation consulting, and more.

12. Physical Therapy

One of the best business ideas for nurses is to move into the physical therapy space. You can work with patients of all ages and conditions to help them regain their physical fitness and work with them for rehabilitation after injuries and other conditions.

13. End-of-life care

Many business ideas for nurses are based on their ability to provide specialized care and support for patients. A hospice or a care facility of that kind can be a business to consider, as it can be a safe place for patients and patients’ family members to spend time together during this period with nursing support.

14. Nurse-Led Wellness Retreats

Wellness retreats are in demand as people look to disconnect from their busy lives and focus on health. As a nurse, you can curate wellness retreats tailored to specific health goals or general well-being, including yoga, meditation, nutrition workshops, and more.

15. Telehealth Consultation Service

With the rise of telemedicine, offering remote healthcare services has never been more relevant. Starting a telehealth consultation service allows nurses to give medical advice, conduct assessments, and provide patient education from the comfort of their own home or office.

16. Lactation Consultancy

With the right certification, nurses can guide new mothers through the often challenging breastfeeding journey. As a lactation consultant, you can help address common breastfeeding issues, give advice on nutrition, and ensure both mom and baby are thriving.

17. Health and Wellness Podcast/YouTube Channel

Online platforms present an opportunity to reach a vast audience eager for credible health and wellness insights. By leveraging their unique knowledge, skills, and experiences, nurses can provide content that is both informative and relatable.

Here are some compelling reasons and potential content areas to consider when starting a health and wellness podcast or YouTube channel:

• Broaden Reach : Digital platforms allow you to reach a global audience, providing an opportunity to educate and inspire people from all walks of life.
• Personal Stories : Share anecdotes and experiences from your nursing career, offering a window into the world of healthcare.
• Expert Interviews : Host conversations with doctors, therapists, nutritionists, and other medical professionals, offering varied perspectives on health topics.
• Medical Breakdowns : Explain complex medical topics in layman’s terms, making them accessible and understandable for everyone.
• Wellness Tips : Offer advice on everyday wellness, from diet and exercise to mental health and sleep hygiene.
• Trending Topics : Delve into current health news, research, or controversies, providing a balanced and informed viewpoint.
• Community Building : Interact with subscribers, answer questions, and build a community of health-conscious individuals. This interaction can lead to meaningful connections and a loyal audience base.

18. Senior Activity Center

Nurses who have experience with geriatric patients can start a senior activity center. It would focus on providing activities that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being among seniors. This can include light exercises, hobby classes, mental stimulation games, and even therapy sessions.

• READ MORE: 10 Tips for Hiring Staff with Great Bedside Manner for Healthcare Businesses

Business Ideas for Nurses Summary

Start your nursing business idea today.

Many nursing business ideas suggested in the list are ways to leverage specialized knowledge and experience. Using specific nursing skills and engaging in critical thinking to see where the business opportunities can lead to amazing small businesses.

If you’re thinking about starting your own company as a nurse, consider these ideas, but think about your own experience and what you enjoy doing to develop a business idea.

• Small Business Ideas for Beginners
• 10 Tips for Hiring Staff with Great Bedside Manner for Healthcare Businesses

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‘Let’s hear it for the midwives and everything they do’

STEVE FORD, EDITOR

• You are here: Specialist nurses

How to write a robust business case for service development

19 June, 2017

Strategic recommendations and practical tips to help nurses write thorough and convincing business cases. This article is accompanied by a self-assessment questionnaire so you can test your knowledge after reading it

At a time of cuts and savings in the healthcare system, how can nurses convince decision makers to put money into improving or expanding services? A clear, concise and comprehensive business case is a good place to start. This article provides nurses with strategic recommendations and practical tips, stressing that a strong business proposal will need to be linked to local and national priorities, and articulated in the language of financial constraints. Nurses are often reluctant to write business cases but, with the right knowledge and support, they can successfully bring a service improvement idea into the strategic arena.

Citation: Carter H (2017) How to write a robust business case for service development. Nursing Times [online]; 113: 7, 25-28.

Author:  Helen Carter is an independent healthcare adviser, Carter Consulting, Oxford.

• This article has been double-blind peer reviewed
• Scroll down to read the article or  download a print-friendly PDF here
• Assess your knowledge and gain CPD evidence by taking the  Nursing Times Self-assessment test

Introduction

Writing a business case, while time-consuming, is not complicated – but getting it wrong can be costly and frustrating. At a time when the healthcare system is trying to cut costs, nurses who want to improve or expand services need to able to write business cases that stand out and convince decision makers. This article outlines the national context, provides practical advice for all nurses – and specialist nurses in particular – and gives tips for linking a local service improvement idea to an organisation’s general targets and constraints. The advice given is not a guarantee that nurses will win their case; however, as integrated health and social care moves forward, it will certainly allow them to share their expertise of working with specific patient groups and identify how their roles can add quality to service provision.

What is a business case?

A business case is a formal, structured written document submitted to those responsible for approving and/or funding a service development initiative or project. You will need one if you want to obtain, for example, large or costly pieces of equipment, better information technology systems, additional staff, service changes or new services. A business case is usually made at a local level. By contrast, a business plan is the overarching document describing a major initiative or the strategy of an entire organisation – the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. To increase the chances of a business case gaining approval, it can help to present it as part of a wider initiative, rather than in isolation.

Writing a business case is a time consuming process that usually follows a period of data collection, audit and analysis. It is not difficult in itself, but getting it right can be tricky, especially if the authors are not aware of the local, regional and national priorities that will influence the decision. A business case should reflect the organisation’s priorities, values and goals, and its author(s) should try to understand the complexity of service development and funding.

Understanding the national context

Year on year, there is a continued focus in the NHS on improving productivity to make savings by 2020/21. Clinical staff are expected to participate in the efforts to improve efficiency and reduce costs while maintaining high-quality services.

For nurses who are keen to be part of the current transformation of health and social care, this is a good time to try to influence the process, but they need to understand the national context and learn to articulate the needs of their services in the language of financial constraint. If they do so, there is a realistic possibility they will secure the resources needed to enhance services. There are a number of national documents, frameworks and priorities of which they need to be aware.

Better Care Fund

The Care Act (2014) provided a legal framework for the allocation of money from the Better Care Fund, which organisations can access to promote the integration of health and social care. The Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government (2016) have identified the national conditions that bodies responsible for Better Care Fund plans are expected to fulfil in 2016/17.

Sustainability and transformation plans

Sustainability and transformation plans ( STPs ) were announced in NHS planning guidance at the end of 2015. NHS organisations are now required to develop five-year plans to determine the key priorities for their geographical areas and identify how services are going to be delivered in an integrated way across health and social care.

There is a push towards strengthening primary and community services, as well as encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their health. From April 2017, STPs will be the only way to secure additional NHS funding, with the best plans receiving funding quickly.

The King’s Fund has assessed STPs (Ham et al, 2017) and concluded that:

• They offer the best hope for the NHS and its partners to sustain services and transform the delivery of health and social care;
• They are wide-reaching and propose changes in several areas, from prevention to acute and specialised services;
• A high priority for many STPs is to redesign services in the community to reduce demand for in-hospital care;
• Proposals to reconfigure hospitals could improve quality but need to be scrutinised and considered on their own merits;
• Proposals to reduce capacity in hospitals will only be credible if there are robust plans to provide alternatives in the community;
• Cuts in social care and public health, as well as the lack of earmarked funds to support transformation, will affect the ability of NHS organisations and their partners to implement STPs.

In its assessment, The King’s Fund points out that there is widespread criticism, anger and anxiety in the face of these latest proposals, which appear to be reinventing the wheel or overcomplicating a system that is already suffering hardship (Ham et al, 2017).

NHS England mandate

The government published its mandate to NHS England (NHSE) in January 2016 (DH, 2016a). This set out the objectives, budget and how NHSE’s performance would be measured for the current financial year. On 31 March 2016, NHSE published the NHS outcomes framework and indicators for 2016/2017 (DH, 2016b), which set the priorities for the coming year. The key themes were improving health, transforming care, controlling costs and enabling change.

The DH (2016a; 2016b) set out indicators and improvement areas to which NHSE would be held to account, which included:

• Preventing people from dying early;
• Enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions;
• Helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or injury;
• Ensuring people have positive experiences of care;
• Treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.

Key components of a business case

The key components of a business case are described in Table 1. It is likely that your organisation already has a business case template; alternatively, examples can be sourced online. Your organisation may also have a template for risk assessment, which will help you identify risks; these may become apparent as you scope the project.

Before you start writing, remember to find out what your local policy is in terms of:

• Processes to follow;
• People to consult;
• Authorisations to be gained.

This will help avoid disappointment if your bid is not well received.

Nurses who want to get involved in writing a business case need an in-depth knowledge of the scope, feasibility and issues of the proposal. This will involve plenty of discussions with stakeholders. It is important to include stakeholders, patients and line managers in any initial discussions and brainstorm exercises. Qualitative and quantitative feedback from patients can give a strong sense of how services work and why gaps in services are a cause of concern.

Many charities aim to support specialist nursing roles and are likely to be able to provide national data, as well as possible funding sources, to support a bid. For example, the British Heart Foundation (2015) has published evidence of the success of the role of cardiac nurse specialists in the community. Nurses considering writing a business case can benefit from seeking advice from charities in their specialist area.

The five-case model

To help public sector organisations bid for funds, HM Treasury has devised the ‘five-case model’ (HM Treasury, 2015). This requires business cases for new initiatives to contain evidence that:

• The intervention is supported by a compelling case for change that fits with other parts of the organisation and the wider public sector – the ‘strategic case’;
• The intervention represents best value for public money – the ‘economic case’;
• The proposed deal is attractive to the marketplace, can be procured and is commercially viable – the ‘commercial case’;
• The proposed spending is affordable – the ‘financial case’;
• What is required from all parties is achievable – ‘the management case’.

Financial considerations

In the current economic climate, nurses are expected to streamline their work to make savings. However, they are not traditionally taught how to be financially astute, and often lack confidence in the area of service development. By developing the confidence needed to deal with financial issues, nurses can influence change in practice and make their ideas a reality.

When writing a business case, it is vital to identify the financial impact and implications – how much is the initiative expected to cost? How much is it likely to save? A new service will need funding, so the costs and benefits of developing it should be fully researched. All financial aspects must be considered, and presented in as much detail as possible. Estimates are acceptable as long as they are based on the most up-to-date evidence available; they can be updated as the project moves forward. If an organisation is going to invest money in a project, leaders and commissioners will want to know the return on investment (Box 1).

Box 1. Return on investment

To calculate the return on investment (ROI), the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by its cost, and the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.

ROI = (gain from investment) divided by (cost of investment)

The ROI provides an evaluation of the benefits of an investment over a period to time, so it can be used to predict savings and indicate value for money.

Source: Investopedia

As the BHF (2017) explains: “the financial section of any business case is crucial and will be analysed closely. When putting this section together, it’s important to get help and advice from your organisation’s finance department to make sure that any additional or hidden costs are stated clearly.’

The financial section also needs continual review, so if things go haywire, the project is rethought, refocused – or ended.

Questions to consider are:

• What are the estimated costs?
• How will the project contribute to savings, and over what time period?
• What is the measure of success?
• What predictions are being made and how have they been calculated?
• What are the opportunities to update information throughout the project?

Practical tips

Below are some practical tips on how to write a business case that will be taken seriously and stand out from other proposals in a board meeting. Some may seem trivial, but decision makers are human beings who all have their dislikes – to make sure nothing is going to trigger the ‘reject’ or ‘delete’ button, you need to:

• Be clear who your audience is and write at their level of understanding;
• Know your specialty and how it fits into the wider context;
• Be concise;
• Be specific;
• Be factual;
• Use reliable sources of data. Avoid anecdotes – but do use case studies if they add to the proposal;
• Know your finances;
• Make the document interesting to the reader;
• Avoid abbreviations (or add a glossary at the end);
• Use the format that is standard in your organisation;
• Check grammar and spelling;
• Get someone to proofread your proposal.

The British Association of Dermatologists has a checklist that helps clinicians maximise the chances of decision makers supporting their business case (Box 2).

Box 2. Business case checklist

• Is the need clearly stated?
• Does the proposal contribute to the achievement of NHS policy and priorities, and the trust’s objectives and plans?
• Are the benefits clearly stated?
• Is it clear how the benefits will be realised?
• Are the demand, capacity and income forecasts robust?
• Are the capital and revenue costs robust?
• Is it clear why the preferred option has been selected?
• Is the project affordable?
• Are the risks and plans to mitigate them explicitly stated?
• Do the main stakeholders support the project?
• Does the team have the capacity and capability to deliver it?

Source: Adapted from the British Association of Dermatologists

Another useful checklist is the SMART acronym, according to which your project needs to be:

• S – specific
• M – measurable
• A – achievable
• R – realistic
• T – time-bound

What is the value of specialist nurses?

When writing a business case, you may want to demonstrate the value there is in employing specialist nurses. The Royal College of Nursing (2010) has identified that the role can save money, arguing that it helps to:

• Reduce waiting times;
• Avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or readmissions (through reduced complications post surgery, enhanced symptom control and improved patient self-management);
• Reduce the length of post-operative hospital stays;
• Free up consultant appointments for other patients;
• Deliver services at the point of need or in the community;
• Reduce patient drop-out rates;
• Educate health and social care professionals;
• Introduce innovative service delivery frameworks;
• Give direct specialist advice to patients and families.

The BHF (2015) adds that specialist nurse roles are also important in providing care throughout patients’ disease trajectories, from diagnosis to end of life.

There have been concerns that the role of specialist nurses may become overlooked or misunderstood and, in 2014, the RCN highlighted that funding issues were having a negative impact on the role, stating that we were in a situation: “whereby funds are being transferred from the NHS for integrated health and social care with no guarantee that the money will be spent on care provision” (RCN, 2014).

There are different ways to approach integration across organisations, services or between individuals, and different models have been successfully implemented in the UK and beyond (Goodwin and Smith, 2011). The RCN calls for nurse-led teams in hospitals and the community, and in specialist services to develop working relationships and collaborate across health and social care (RCN, 2014).

As Fletcher (2011) pointed out, specialist nurses are held in high regard by patients, and consistently so, compared with other health professionals. It is crucial to gain feedback from patients. However, as Fletcher explained, this feedback in itself is not sufficient evidence for commissioners, as it can be considered anecdotal, and specialist nurses: “need to ensure they have evidence their services are cost-effective and improve patient safety and outcomes.”

Writing a business case can be frustrating. It is made easier by engaging decision makers from the outset to ensure the proposal is set within the national context and identify how it will help the organisation to reach its targets.

You will need to gain the right strategic support and source as much accurate data and information as possible. Researching ideas, gaining feedback from stakeholders inside your organisation and, where possible, influencing people from partner organisations, will help your project gain momentum. Involving patients and getting qualitative feedback to support the quantitative data will enhance your proposal.

Nurses are often reluctant to write business cases, and it mainly falls to leaders or commissioners. However, with the right support, they can develop the confidence to articulate a service development idea formally and bring it into the strategic arena.

• A business case is a formal document submitted to decision makers for approval and/or funding of a service development initiative
• A convincing business case must link the proposed service improvement to local, regional and national priorities and constraints
• The financial section of a business case will be analysed closely, so costs and benefits need to be made clear
• If nurses learn to articulate the needs of their services in the language of financial constraints, they have a good chance of securing funding
• The current move towards more integrated health and social care means this is a good time for nurses to try to influence decisions

• Test your knowledge with Nursing Times Self-assessment after reading this article. If you score 80% or more, you will receive a personalised certificate that you can download and store in your NT Portfolio as CPD or revalidation evidence.
• Take the Nursing Times Self-assessment for this article

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How to Write a Nursing Business Plan

by Don Simkovich

Published on 8 May 2019

Providing care, comfort, and health education is a way to improve the quality of life for families and give them relief when faced with an illness or personal question. Nurses with an entrepreneurial spirit have a range of profitable options when starting a health business. Taking time to write the nursing business plan proves a vital first step to capture the business model and know how many months are needed to reach profitability.

1. Identify the Nursing Business Plan Purpose

Identify personal and professional reasons for starting a nursing business whether it's a desire to set a schedule around family needs or use the knowledge of a graduate degree in a for-profit setting. List related experiences: caring for elderly relatives; counseling parents on their child's health needs; or sitting through training at local hospitals. Evaluate the profit potential of your idea and then ask contacts in the health field if others have the same need.

2. Select a Business Model

health concept image by drx from Fotolia.com

Decide if the most effective business model is to form an independent company, join a home health franchise operation or start a division within a larger health care corporation. Compose the mission statement as the first step. Write it as “directed and focused as possible," states the Small Business Administration, so if potential business partners or investors read it then they will have a clear picture of the business purpose.

Edit the first draft of the mission statement to make sure the wording distinguishes how the health service will benefit the target clients like “helping senior citizens remain comfortable in their homes and offering peace of mind to extended family”.

3. Find a Unique Selling Proposition

Describe how the company will function and what level of personnel are needed: Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, or Licensed Vocational Nurses. Write distinguishing characteristics such as an “the only all male nursing business" or offering personnel with varying skill levels to match the variety of patient needs.

4. Create a Budget

Create a budget for supplies and necessary equipment. Include information like purchasing quality medical equipment at below market prices to show a commitment to quality and profitability. State whether strategic relationships with medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies or established medical clinics will be utilized. Look for care home business plan examples online to help with your drafting.

5. Comply with Licensing Requirements

Read the state board of registered nursing requirements to stay up-to-date with the “ongoing communication of competency standards to consumers, registered nurses, advanced practice nurses . . . and other regulators” as stated by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Verify that health practitioners in the company will stay current with licensing requirements by taking the proper continuing education units.

6. Make Financial Projections

Use a spreadsheet or software program to estimate the length of time to reach profitability. Account for the cost of state licenses, malpractice insurance and the costs of continuing education. Estimate travel costs, if any, and project when in the first three years or five years how much money will be needed for new equipment or supplies. Estimate the client revenue. Run a report to see when the client revenue will be greater than the expenses.

7. Write an Executive Summary

Write the Executive Summary last to state the most pertinent information about why the business exists, qualifications for providing health care, and the need in the marketplace like addressing the “rapid growth [that] is expected in hospital outpatient facilities, such as those providing same-day surgery, rehabilitation, and chemotherapy”, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook.

The business plan must also include how income and expenses will be tracked.

Do not inflate the income potential and accidentally reduce the number of possible expenses.

How To Write a Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for a nurse staffing agency that wants to improve its strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every nurse staffing agency owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Staffing Agency Business Plan Template

What is a Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan?

A nurse staffing agency business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, areas of competitive advantage, and information about your team members. Your nurse staffing agency business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Create a Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan?

A nurse staffing agency business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs looking to get involved in staffing agencies can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful nurse staffing agency business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a nurse staffing agency business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your nurse staffing agency  
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your healthcare staffing agency. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your nurse staffing agency , you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your nurse staffing firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen nurse staffing agency business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a nurse staffing agency’s business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the healthcare industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a nurse staffing agency business’ customers may include:

• Private practices
• Nursing homes

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or nurse staffing services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, or launch a direct mail campaign. Of course, you may also promote your nurse staffing agency business via word-of-mouth or a referral program.

Operations Plan

This part of your nurse staffing agency business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a nurse staffing agency include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new staff, reaching a certain number of customers, maintaining a retention threshold, or launching a new service.

Management Team

List your team members including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to healthcare staffing. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Nurse Staffing Agency

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Nurse Staffing Agency

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• investments

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup nurse staffing agency .

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Nurse Staffing Agency

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Plan for Success

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your nurse staffing agency company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written business plan is an essential tool for any startup nurse staffing agency. It not only lays out your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it. The business plan can help to attract investors.  

Finish Your Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan in 1 Day!

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Nurse Staffing Agency

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How to Start a Nurse Staffing Agency

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on April 11, 2022 Updated on May 8, 2024

Investment range

$3,550 - $10,100

Revenue potential

$80,000 - $400,000 p.a.

Time to build

1 – 3 months

Profit potential

$56,000 - $120,000 p.a.

Industry trend

Have you heard about the shortage of nurses in the US? It’s now reached record levels and become a full-blown crisis, as severely under-staffed hospitals continue to struggle with Covid hospitalizations. But you can be part of the solution by starting your own nursing agency and making a good living while providing reliable, much-needed nurses to area hospitals and clinics. The healthcare recruitment industry has nearly doubled in the last decade as a result of staff shortages, which means the opportunity is there. Whether you have a medical background or not, you could operate your agency from home for a small investment and start helping save lives. 

But before you start making calls, it’s crucial that you understand how to start a business. Fortunately, you can do all your homework by reading this step-by-step guide, which will put you on the road to running a successful nurse staffing agency. 

Looking to register your business? A limited liability company (LLC) is the best legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple.

Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the Best LLC Services .

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Pros and cons.

Starting a nurse staffing agency has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you. 

• Rewarding – Help save lives and fix a serious social crisis
• Flexibility – No office necessary, work from home
• Good Money – Make a nice living on commission
• Time to Start – It will take time and work to build a reputation
• Crowded Market – Compete with large, established staffing agencies

Nurse staffing industry trends

Industry size and growth.

• Industry size and past growth – The US healthcare recruitment agency industry is worth $25.8 billion in 2022 after steady 4.4% growth the last five years. The industry has nearly doubled in the last decade.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/market-size/healthcare-staff-recruitment-agencies-united-states/ )) 
• Growth forecast – The US healthcare recruitment agency industry is expected to grow more than 6% in 2022. 
• Number of businesses – In 2022, 3,182 healthcare recruitment agencies were operating in the US.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/healthcare-staff-recruitment-agencies-united-states/ ))
• Number of people employed – In 2022, the US healthcare recruitment agency industry employs 347,403 people.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/healthcare-staff-recruitment-agencies-industry/ )) 

Trends and challenges

Trends in the nurse staffing agency industry include:

• Most healthcare staffing agencies have begun technology and automation to improve process efficiencies, such as database mining to find nursing candidates, which is obviously faster than a manual process. 
• Pre-credentialing is an increasingly common practice that aims to quickly narrow down fields of candidates and speed up the recruiting process.

Challenges in the nurse staffing agency industry include:

• Driven by the pandemic, nurse burnout is causing many nurses to seek other professions , making nurse shortages even larger.
• The rising cost of skilled nurses may drive some healthcare facilities to move away from staffing agencies to eliminate the extra cost. They will instead go back to handling the recruiting process internally, which is likely to take longer and result in inferior health care.

Demand hotspots

• Most popular states – The most popular states for nurse recruiters are Washington, California, and Pennsylvania.(( https://www.zippia.com/nurse-recruiter-jobs/best-states/ ))
• Least popular states – The least popular states for nurse recruiters are Ohio, Mississippi, and Kentucky. 

What kind of people work in nurse staffing agencies?

• Gender – 73.7% of nurse recruiters are female, while 22.1% are male.(( https://www.zippia.com/nurse-recruiter-jobs/demographics/ ))
• Average level of education – The average nurse recruiter has a bachelor’s degree.
• Average age – The average nurse recruiter in the US is 41 years old.

How much does it cost to start a nurse staffing agency business?

Startup costs for a nurse staffing agency range from $3,500 to $10,000. Costs include a website, software, and nurse and healthcare facility databases. 

How much can you earn from a nurse staffing agency business?

Generally, the nurse staffing agency fee is 25% of the nurse’s first-year salary. Your profit margin when you’re working at home should be about 70%.

In your first year or two, you could work from home and place 8 nurses in a year, each with a $40,000 contract, you’ll be bringing in $80,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $56,000 in profit, assuming that 70% margin. As you increase your networking and contacts, you could do 40 placements a year. At this stage, you’d rent a commercial space and hire staff, reducing your profit margin to 30%. With annual revenue of $400,000, you’d make an impressive profit of $120,000.

What barriers to entry are there?

There are a few barriers to entry for a nurse staffing agency. Your biggest challenges will be:

• The networking and sales skills necessary to get contracts
• The competition from established agencies

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Step 2: hone your idea.

Now that you know what’s involved in starting a nurse staffing agency, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market. 

Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.

Why? Identify an opportunity

Research nurse staffing agencies in your area to examine their services, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a travel nurse staffing agency, an agency that recruits certified nursing assistants, or a temporary nursing agency. 

You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as travel nursing or home nursing.

This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away. 

What? Determine your products or services

Your services will be very straightforward. You’ll connect nursing candidates with health care facilities. You can specialize in certain types of nursing or work with all types. 

How much should you charge for nurse staffing agency services?

Generally, the fee is 25% of the nurse’s first-year salary. Your profit margin when working by yourself should be about 70%.

Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify your target market

Your target market will be nurses, hospitals and clinics, and healthcare organizations. You can find all of these on LinkedIn, and you can also find many nursing groups to connect with on Facebook. It’s also a good idea to buy access to the leading nurse and healthcare facility databases and reach out to those in your area. NurseRecuiter is a good place to start.

Where? Choose your business premises

In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out an office. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist , Crexi , and Instant Offices .

When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:

• Central location accessible via public transport
• Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
• Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
• Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed

Step 3: Brainstorm a Staffing Agency Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “nurse staffing” or “healthcare staffing”, boosts SEO
• Name should allow for expansion, for ex: “Synergy Staffing Solutions” over “TechTalent Solutions”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

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Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A brief summary of the nurse staffing agency business plan, highlighting its key points and objectives.
• Business Overview: A concise description of the nurse staffing agency, including its mission, vision, and core values.
• Product and Services: An outline of the specific services the agency will provide, such as nurse placement, staffing solutions, and related offerings.
• Market Analysis: An examination of the healthcare industry and the demand for nurse staffing services, including market trends and potential growth.
• Competitive Analysis: An assessment of the agency’s competitors in the nurse staffing market, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
• Sales and Marketing: A plan for promoting the agency’s services and acquiring clients, including sales strategies and marketing channels.
• Management Team: An introduction to the key individuals leading the agency, their qualifications, and their roles.
• Operations Plan: Details on how the agency will operate, including staffing procedures, technology systems, and day-to-day activities.
• Financial Plan: Projections of the agency’s financial performance, including income statements, cash flow, and balance sheets.
• Appendix: Supplementary materials, such as resumes, legal documents, and any additional information supporting the business plan.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose where to register your company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to nurse staffing agencies. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose your business structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your nurse staffing agency will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) – Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC , which just need to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have.

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

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Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number , or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a  tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans: This is the most common method but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans: The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants: A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding: Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal: Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a nurse staffing agency business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept. 

Step 8: Apply for Nurse Staffing Agency Licenses and Permits

Starting a nurse staffing agency business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments. Some states require nurse staffing agencies to have a medical agency license. Check with your state for requirements. 

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your nurse staffing agency business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account. 

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability: The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business Property: Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation: Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property: Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto: Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability: Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP): This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential software and tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks. 

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as ABILITY , Bullhorn , Akken , to manage candidate information, job openings, billings, and payments. 

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , Freshbooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial. 

Develop your website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.

You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

Launching a nurse staffing agency requires strategic marketing to stand out in a competitive healthcare staffing landscape. In addition to creating a website and networking, here are practical marketing strategies to boost your agency’s success:

• Targeted Social Media Advertising: Leverage platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to run targeted ads that specifically reach healthcare professionals, emphasizing the benefits of working with your agency, such as flexible schedules, competitive pay, and career advancement opportunities.
• Referral Programs: Implement a robust referral program for both nurses and clients, offering incentives for successful placements or bringing in new business. Word-of-mouth recommendations carry significant weight in the healthcare industry.
• Specialized Training Partnerships: Establish partnerships with nursing schools and offer specialized training programs. This not only helps you tap into a fresh pool of talent but also positions your agency as a supporter of ongoing professional development.
• Quality Content Marketing: Develop a content strategy that showcases your agency’s expertise in the healthcare staffing industry. Regularly publish blog posts, whitepapers, or case studies that address industry trends, challenges, and solutions, positioning your agency as a thought leader.
• Community Engagement and Sponsorships: Actively participate in local healthcare events, conferences, and community outreach programs. Sponsorship of relevant events can enhance your agency’s visibility while demonstrating a commitment to the local healthcare community.
• Utilize Online Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage satisfied clients and nurses to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or industry-specific websites. Positive testimonials build trust and credibility, influencing potential clients and candidates.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data analytics to identify trends in the healthcare staffing market. This information can guide your marketing efforts, ensuring you target the right demographics and provide the services in highest demand.
• Mobile-Friendly Campaigns: Optimize your marketing materials for mobile devices, as healthcare professionals often use smartphones and tablets. Ensure that your emails, website, and other content are easily accessible and navigable on mobile platforms.
• Strategic Alliances with Healthcare Facilities: Establish partnerships with healthcare facilities, hospitals, and clinics. Collaborate on solutions to their staffing needs, creating a win-win situation and solidifying your agency as a reliable staffing partner.
• Participate in Industry Associations: Join and actively participate in nursing and healthcare staffing associations. Networking within these communities can lead to valuable connections, insights, and partnerships that can propel your agency forward.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your nurse staffing agency meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your nurse staffing agency business could be: 

• Skilled nurses for your home healthcare agency
• Reliable travel nurses for short or long-term contracts
• Temporary registered nurses to meet your staffing shortages

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a nurse staffing agency business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in nursing for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in nurse staffing. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. 

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a nurse staffing agency business include:

• Recruiters – recruit nurses for open positions
• General Manager – scheduling, accounting
• Marketing Lead – SEO strategies, social media

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Nurse Staffing Agency – Start Making Money!

Nurse staffing agencies can help solve a major social problem, and you can be a part of that solution, and make good money, by starting your own nurse staffing agency. You could get started for a small investment and run the business from home while gaining a real sense of fulfillment from your important work. What could be better than that? 

Now that you understand the business aspects, it’s time to pound the pavement and get your successful nurse staffing agency off the ground!

• Nurse Staffing Agency Business FAQs

A nurse staffing agency can be very profitable. However, your real reward will come from knowing that you’re helping to solve the nurse shortage crisis that the U.S. is experiencing.

Generally, nurse staffing agencies get a fee of about 25% of the job contract that is signed for the nurse. The employer pays the fees.

Effective marketing strategies for a nurse staffing agency include building strong relationships with healthcare facilities, establishing an online presence and utilizing digital marketing, implementing referral programs, targeted advertising, and showcasing thought leadership through content marketing.

To expand a nurse staffing agency and reach more clients and markets, conduct market research to identify new areas of demand, develop strategic partnerships with relevant organizations, offer specialized services, expand recruitment efforts, and actively participate in trade shows and industry events.

To differentiate a nurse staffing agency from competitors, focus on providing exceptional customer service, offer customized staffing solutions, emphasize the quality and qualifications of your nursing staff, highlight unique value propositions such as technology integration or specialized training programs, and gather and showcase positive client testimonials.

A nurse staffing agency’s success is determined by factors such as building strong relationships with healthcare facilities and candidates, maintaining a reliable and qualified pool of nurses, effectively marketing services, providing excellent customer service, adapting to industry changes, having efficient operations and systems, and continuously striving for excellence in fulfilling client staffing needs.

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• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Staffing Agency Name
• Create a Nurse Staffing Agency Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund your Business
• Apply for Nurse Staffing Agency Licenses and Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Nurse Staffing Agency - Start Making Money!

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Nursing Home Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Nursing Home Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their nursing homes. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a nursing home business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Nursing Home Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your nursing homes as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Nursing Home

If you’re looking to start a nursing homes, or grow your existing nursing homes, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your nursing facilities in order to improve your chances of success. Your nursing home business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Nursing Home Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a nursing homes are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for nursing homes.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a nursing home.

If you want to start a nursing home or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below we detail a sample of what should be included in each section of a business plan for a nursing home.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of nursing homes you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have nursing homes that you would like to grow, or are you operating nursing facilities in multiple markets?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the senior care industry. Discuss the type of nursing homes you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target market. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of nursing homes you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of nursing homes:

• Skilled Nursing Care Facilities : this type of nursing home provides skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, activities, meals, supervision, etc.
• Assisted Living Facilities: this type of nursing home provides 24-hour supervision, including meals, assistance with daily activities, healthcare service, and common services that include assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, taking medication, transportation, and housekeeping.
• Independent Living Facilities: this type of nursing home are communities that offer fully equipped homes or apartments to residents. They are ideal for seniors who can maintain their independence with few medical issues impeding them.
• Alzheimer’s & Specialty Care Facilities : this type of nursing home offers 24-hour support for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.

In addition to explaining the type of nursing facility you will operate, the Company Analysis section needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of patients in care, number of positive reviews, reaching X amount of patients served, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the senior care industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

• How big is the senior care industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your nursing homes? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: elderly and aging adults, retirees, those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of business you operate. Clearly, Alzheimer’s or dementia patients would respond to different marketing promotions than recent retirees, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other nursing homes.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes rehabilitation facilities, adult daycare programs, family of the aging adult, etc. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other nursing homes with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be nursing homes located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of elderly care do they provide?
• What type of nursing home are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide exercise and activities for the elderly?
• Will you provide services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a residential care home business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of nursing home company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to a nursing home, will you provide nutritional advice and meal preparation, daily activities, rehabilitation, and any other services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your nursing home company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your nursing homes located in a busy retail district, a residential neighborhood, near a hospital, etc. Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your nursing home marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to websites
• Partnering with hospitals and rehab facilities
• Social media marketing
• Local radio advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your nursing homes, including coordinating nurses’ patient schedules, coordinating with doctors, communicating with family and loved ones of the elderly, managing staff duties, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to acquire your Xth patient, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your nursing homes to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your nursing homes’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing nursing homes. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a nursing home or successfully running a hospital or rehabilitation facility.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.  

Income Statement

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you take on one new patient at a time or multiple new patients? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.  

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your nursing homes, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.  

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a nursing homes:

• Cost of licensing and training
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your nursing home location lease or list of nursing, assisted living, and rehab services you are working on.  

Putting together a business plan for your nursing home is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the sample template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the senior care industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful nursing homes.  

Nursing Home Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my nursing home business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Nursing Home Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of nursing home you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a nursing home that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of nursing homes?

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Nursing Home business plan?

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Nursing Home Business Plan

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Bright House

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">, opportunity.

There is a lack of full-time assisted living facilities available that offer skilled and respectful care to residents. In addition, there are not enough medically skilled short-term care facilities for patients in CT.

Bright House aims to be that home for 14 lucky full-time assisted living residents, offering medically-skilled care in a respectful, self-sustaining community, and offering skilled nursing care for short-term residents. On our beautiful, newly remodeled 6 acre property (the former Wayfield Bed and Breakfast) in the small college town of Middletown, CT, Bright House brings together decades of experience and innovative, alternative visions of the potential in our elderly family members’ latest years.

The aging of the Baby Boomers is a well-known and much discussed fact of our times. More and more of this population, many of whom were instrumental in creating the counter-culture of the 1960’s and 70’s, are unhappily surprised about the options available to them as they age. Fortunately, just as AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) has become a major representative of this non-traditional group, elder-care alternatives along the Eden Care model are being founded.

Residents’/Patients’ Needs

Our own experience, based on years of caring for elderly patients, is that people seeking assisted living care and skilled nursing care have many of the same needs:

• To be treated with respect and dignity
• To be actively engaged in a community of some kind
• To be involved in his/her own treatment and living plan
• To be cared for by skilled, medically-knowledgeable clinicians and caregivers, working as a team

You may notice that our list of "needs" seems to go in the opposite order to that of most hospital-model nursing homes; this is not an accident. Unfortunately, most of our elderly population who need care are treated with the billing system’s needs, and not their own, in mind. 

Families’ Needs

Similarly, the families of people seeking caring environments have their own set of needs they are seeking to fulfill:

• Peace of mind about their loved-ones’ physical and mental state
• Relief from the time-consuming job of caring for their family members themselves
• Relief from the feelings of guilt which often overcome them when they find they do not have the physical, emotional, or intellectual resources to personally provide appropriate care for those they love

The big, unstated elephant-in-the-room for families seeking care is the feeling of being a bad daughter or son or spouse, who is not willing or able to put her life on hold to take care of a much-loved family member. At Bright House, we do not seek to dismiss this feeling, but to reassure families in everything we do that the choice to let us take care of their family member is a loving, kind, and generous act.

Competition

There are a number of different options for families seeking nursing home care, from in-hospital recovery centers, to for-profit chains, to specialized care for people with Alzheimer’s, AIDS, diabetes, and so on. The specialized care facilities, which are usually nonprofit, and offer individualized nursing care, come closest to our care model, but are usually reserved for people with a particular ailment in need of intensive medical assistance.

At Bright House, we promote the dignity and self-worth of all of our residents, and strive to give them excellent quality of life, as defined by the residents, individually and as a group. To that end, we encourage resident group decision-making through the House Councils, access to all areas of their homes here at Bright House, and self-determination in activities, socialization, and food preferences. Bright House is not just a caregiving facility—it is their home, and their community.​​​​​​

Expectations

Financial highlights by year, problem & solution, problem worth solving, our solution, target market, market size & segments.

We are basing our Market Analysis on data from Middlesex and Hartford counties, affluent portions of which, such as Glastonbury, are within a short drive of our facility.

Base Numbers for private residents:

The current total population of residents 65 and older, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, is 155,071 in Middlesex County, and 857,183 for the same group in nearby Hartford County. (The percentage of elderly in both counties is slightly higher than the 12.4% of the overall Connecticut population.) Our projections reduce that number by 70% to account for those healthy enough to care for themselves, or with family members able to care for them, leaving us with a total potential market of 303,676. We then reduce that number again by half to get the total potential customers living within a 35 minute drive of Middletown (these are small counties, and we are situated at their juncture), leaving us with 151,838. Of these, we estimate roughly 8.5% will have the means ($150,000 or more family income) to pay for full-time private care at our facility (based on the 2000 census data about Connecticut income).

This leaves us with roughly 12,906 nearby upper-income residents of Hartford and Middlesex County who are 65 or older, and in need of medical or other daily assistance in their living situation. To project into the future, we again looked to the 2000 Census. The Census’ Projected Population of Connecticut is as follows:

While the overall population of Connecticut is projected to decline over the next five years, before rising again, we know that the proportion of the overall population age 75 and older (our target market age) is slowly rising. We therefore include a modest projected increase in potential customers of 1% over the next five years.

Medicare residents and short stays:

A study published recently in the journal Health Affairs by Morrissey, Sloan, and Valvona found that the proportion of Medicare patients transferred to post-hospital care has doubled since the Prospective Payment System (PPS) was introduced. Rather than staying in the hospital until recuperated, the current system preferentially delegates recovery care to private non-hospital facilities, leaving room in hospitals for urgent or crisis care. We base our projections for Medicare residents on the same figures listed above, but looking at the percentage of elderly with family incomes between $30,000 and $75,000 dollars,* rather than just the highest bracket, we get 40% of the population, or 60,735. We apply the same conservative 1% growth rate, below.

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Market Segmentation

Although we have broken our target population into two groups based on income, our marketing strategies rely on another level of breakdown—marketing to potential residents, and marketing to the families of potential residents, who may or may not have similar needs.

Target Market Segment Strategy

The overall populations we wish to serve are older people (65 and older), in need of daily assistance, who value community and the contributions of their peers. Since Bright House will become their home, we especially are seeking residents willing to make this house a home, and learn from and teach each other.

We also recognize that we must meet the somewhat different needs of our residents’ families, who will help them make the decision to live with us, or recuperate here, and who will almost certainly be contributing to the monthly payments necessary to provide for their care.

Current alternatives

 Alternatives and Usage Patterns

Families choose one elder care facility over another for a variety of reasons. The most common issues involved in their decision are distance from their home(s), affordability, quality of staff and facilities, and particular medical specialties necessary for their family member. Families will usually choose the highest level of care affordable within 45 minutes to one hour of their homes, in order to make visiting their family member easier.

Main Alternatives

The following three organizations are representative of the types described above:

Fox Hill Center, Rockville

• For-profit, part of a chain
• 3.37 nursing staff hours/resident day
• 150 beds (not 150 rooms)
• 11 deficiencies in Medicare inspection

Fox Hill Center is typical of the hospital-model nursing home. It is large (150 beds), for-profit, and has a fairly low rate of nursing hours per resident day. Its size makes it able to care for many patients, but often at the expense of individual attention.

Sister Anne Virginie Grimes Health Center, New Haven

• Nonprofit, religious based, located in a hospital
• 3 deficiencies

The Grimes Health Center, like many religious care centers, is nonprofit, and has a slightly higher rate of nursing hours per resident day than the for-profit centers, despite its large size. Quality of care, however, is noticeably higher (3 deficiencies in inspection, compared to 11 at Fox Hill).

Leeway, Inc., New Haven

• 4 deficiencies

Leeway is a typical specialized private (not in a hospital) nonprofit care facility. It is much smaller than the other two described, has the highest rate of nursing care per resident day, and high quality marks in inspection. Its small size and nonprofit status allow it to focus on providing individual attention. Leeway is Connecticut’s first and only skilled nursing home dedicated solely to the treatment of people living with AIDS.

Our advantages

Although the hospital model of care practiced in most nursing homes provides good results for Medicaid and Medicare billing purposes—that is, easily quantifiable lists of procedures and medicines administered, test results, and billable nursing hours—it does not provide good quality of life for residents (or "patients," as they are referred to in the hospital model).

At Bright House, we see a different way of assisting our elderly members through a new stage in their lives. Acknowledging that where they live is their home, and belongs to them, not to the medical staff, we have established a facility that not only meets their medical and physical needs, but one that also nourishes their social connections, individual dignity, and personal preferences. Each resident has a private room with bath, opening onto a central shared common area containing the kitchen, living room, and dining room, where all meals are shared communally at our 15 foot farm-style dining table.

Far more devastating than physical illness to our elders, is lack of purpose. Studies have shown over and over that seniors who are engaged in activities they find meaningful are far more likely to retain mental acuity, physical health, and emotional well-being. Although the hospital model tries to provide such stimulation, its "activities" are usually organized by staff, with little or no input from "patients," and become just one more set of required tasks for all involved. At Bright House, we have already begun working with prospective residents to identify areas of interest and methods of community involvement that will appeal to them.

Keys to Success

We have identified four keys to success for Bright House:

• We offer more resident-oriented, small-scale, home-model care than our competitors;
• Our innovative use of Elder Assistants lowers the cost of providing this care considerably;
• Our fair wages and team structure lower dissatisfaction, and thus turnover rates among our staff;
• Our on-site Skilled Nursing Facility ensures continuity of care when our residents need more intensive assistance.

Marketing & Sales

Marketing plan.

The main means of marketing for Bright House is through word of mouth. Due to our respectful and medically skilled staff we trust our business to speak for itself. Therefore, we don’t need much marketing. In addition to word of mouth, we will offer tours Monday-Friday. These tours will allow us to show off our beautiful facilities, and will hopefully draw in more potential residents. Lastly we will have a website that we will use to promote our tours and will serve as marketing to our more tech-oriented customers.

Our sales will mostly come from tours, but some will come from our website as well. Our space is limited, especially for full-time residents, so potential customers will need to go through an application process. People are able to fill out an application in person at our main office, or can submit an application online. If the application is approved, we can talk to the family about the specific needs of the resident and when they can move in!

Locations & Facilities

We have now nearly completed the five-month renovation of the former Wayfield Bed and Breakfast into our two main facilities. The main building will house our privately insured, assisted-living residents. The skilled nursing facility across the courtyard offers more intensive care for post-operative and recovering temporary residents, as well as providing a setting for increased care for our residents as needed.

Each resident in our assisted living retreat will have a private bedroom and bath, opening onto a central social area containing the living room, dining room, and kitchen. We have two larger rooms that can accommodate married couples who move in at the same time, for a total of 12 rooms, holding up to 14 residents. Each room is wheelchair accessible, and can accommodate maintenance machines such as oxygen.

Middletown, where we are situated, is centrally located 25 minutes from Hartford, and 30 minutes from New Haven. Middletown is a small college town, with an ethnically and economically-varied population.

In addition to our advanced medical equipment, the main use of technology at Bright House will be the installation and use of our computerized medical record system. The benefits of this system (described in the Start-up Summary, above) are numerous. The system will also allow residents to access their own individual records with a password at will, to ensure that they understand as much as they can about their own situation, and how to maintain their health.

We are working carefully with DigInfoMedTel to ensure that all of our technology meets Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards before implementation. We will hold a series of HIPAA trainings with the software in mid-December to ensure that our staff is fully-knowledgeable in this area.

Milestones & Metrics

Milestones table, key metrics.

Key Metrics 

• cost effective housing and prcing 
• pharmacy inventory 
• twitter reviews and retweets 
• radio advertisements 

Ownership & Structure

Bright House is chartered as a nonprofit 501(C)(3) corporation in Middletown, CT, with the goal of providing holistic and respectful assisted living and skilled nursing home care to a small group of elderly residents. Our primary location is the old Wayfield Bed and Breakfast, on Farmer’s Road, which we have spent the last five months converting into a two building nursing home facility in line with Eden Alternatives "Greenhouse" model for enlightened elder living. (See architectural drawing, attached.)

Management team

Caregiving Management

Bright House offers a different management structure from that of the typical hospital-model nursing home. Our primary caregivers, the 6 Elder Assistants, work as a self-managed team, meeting with the Medical Director and the nurse on-call every morning to coordinate care for the coming day.

Although the Medical Director has the ultimate responsibility for the health and well-being of all residents and visitors, the nursing and caregiving staff, with their different kinds of knowledge about the residents’ physical, social, and mental well-being, are expected to note, discuss, and recommend courses of action for all residents who, in their combined estimation, need help.

A 2001 study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that the small percentage of Chief Nursing Officers reporting no nursing shortages in their facilities at the time of the study cited formalized programs focused on the needs of, and professional recognition for, their nursing staffs as the reason for their adequate staffing. Our compensation packages, management structure, and caregiving requirements are designed to continually remind our LPNs and Elder Assistants how very valuable they are. 

Dr. Mildred Johnson is our Medical Director. Dr. Johnson has served as the head of Gerontology for six years at The Connecticut Hospital, and oversaw the creation, last year, of their Elder Assistant training program, which provides certification for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) to provide in-home hospice and respite care. Dr. Johnson has 20 years of experience working with elderly patients in this area, and has been integral in designing the physical layout, management structure, and priorities of Bright House.

The rest of our already-hired caregiving staff brings a whopping collective 75 years of professional experience in caring for elderly patients.

Financial Management:

Madeleine Morgan has been overseeing financial management of nonprofit organizations in Connecticut for 27 years. She became involved in our project when her mother developed a long-term care plan with Dr. Johnson which included home-based hospice care. "I wish everyone could have the same love and attention Dr. Johnson showed to my mother," Madeleine said. Ms. Morgan will be in charge of all financial operations at Bright House, overseeing billing, personnel payment and benefits, and development efforts.

Advertising and Marketing:

We are fortunate to have a skilled public relations officer in our group. Janice Ruthers is a retired ad executive living in Middletown with her husband (a professor at the university). She will be working 20 hours per week in our offices as a volunteer for the first two years of our plan, helping us design advertisements and brochures, and to plan events like our Open House in December to let the public see the results of our efforts.

5.1 Management Team Gaps

We still need to hire one swing-shift LPN, and one Elder Assistant. We are currently recruiting through Dr. Johnson’s connections at The Connecticut Hospital, and expect to complete our team by mid-December, at the latest.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

Key assumptions.

A "full" elder care facility is generally 90% to 95% full. Our non-standard model allows us to forecast for full occupancy in the main building, since turnover rates for assisted living residents are expected to be quite low (1-2 per year, at most). The skilled nursing facility, on the other hand, requires a certain number of empty beds to offer the flexibility needed to accommodate shorter stays. We therefore are projecting reaching "capacity" of our eleven-bed facility at 10 full beds.

Our resident monthly prices are based on the current Medicare nursing-hours-per-resident-day rates for our kind of services. Medicare patients are billed at roughly $135/day for nursing care, not including the cost of any medication to be administered by our staff. Our private patients are billed at a slightly higher rate to account for the low Medicare reimbursement rate, but also to pay for the extra benefits they receive as part of living at Bright House. Our rates are roughly 2/3 of our nearest competitors, the difference being made up for in donations, and savings gained through staff retention and the use of highly trained, flexible, Elder Assistants.

The small size of our facility allows us a cost savings on maintenance and grounds.

One other important assumption concerns payables: We have assumed collection days of 60, which averages our private residents’ monthly up-front payment, and the typical 60-90 day reimbursement rate from Medicare.

Revenue by Month

Expenses by month, net profit (or loss) by year, use of funds.

Start-up Expenses

One of the largest items in our Start-up budget is a computerized medical records system. Preliminary designs of this system have already been constructed by DigInfoMedTel. In addition to the obvious benefit of allowing multiple care-team members to easily exchange information as they change shifts, this system will allow our residents and staff to keep track of chronic conditions, monitor gradual but serious changes in condition which might be overlooked in day-to-day interactions, and corroborate quantifiable medical data for our Medicare patients in the skilled nursing facility.

Start-up Assets

Long-term assets include our existing location, the former Wayfield Bed and Breakfast, currently assessed at $400,000 including renovations. The location was willed to us by Evelyn and Jack Bright last February, with the condition that we include a small Medicare facility as part of the overall plan. This category includes new Long-term Assets needed as follows: $200,000 for (long-term, resalable) medical equipment, and $150,000 for initial furnishings, after the renovation.

Medical Equipment:

• 1 Fully-loaded Crash Cart
• Standard monitoring equipment (blood pressure, sugar, etc.)
• Call-button system

Furnishings:

For the common areas of both buildings, we will need couches, self-lifting recliners, tables, and chairs suitable to our residents’ needs. We have allocated $35,000 for furnishing the four common rooms.

Each private room will need a hospital-capable bed, linens, a dresser, and a phone, at the minimum. With the remaining funding, that leaves just over $6,000 per room. This budget will allow us to provide attractive, functional, and comfortable surroundings to our residents in their new homes. Each bedroom in the main building will have enough remaining space that residents can bring plenty of familiar furniture with them (up to two side tables and wingback/reclining chairs, and a second dressing table or its equivalent).

Sources of Funds

We will get a low interest loan for $210,000. We have collected donations and pledges of $291,000 Our founders will provide $407,000 

Projected Profit and Loss

Projected balance sheet, projected cash flow statement.

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Politics latest: Keir Starmer accused of 'rank hypocrisy' by Rishi Sunak after setting out what he'll do to tackle small boat crossings

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer lays out his party's plans to try and tackle small boat crossings if it wins power. Listen to the latest episode of the Electoral Dysfunction podcast as you scroll.

Friday 10 May 2024 18:30, UK

• Starmer says small boat crossings 'one of the greatest challenges we face'
• Explained: What's in Labour's plan to try and tackle problem
• Darren McCaffrey: Will Labour's plan cut it with voters?
• Starmer says no flights to Rwanda will take off under Labour
• Sunak accuses Starmer of 'rank hypocrisy'
• Electoral Dysfunction:  Jess Phillips says Elphicke defection like 'being punched in gut'
• UK exits recession | Economy 'returning to full health'
• Faultlines:   Can British farming survive?
• Live reporting by Tim Baker

Across the UK, anger is brewing amongst some farmers.  

Protests have already been held in London, Dover and Cardiff, with more planned - mirroring similar tensions seen across Europe in the last six months.     

They say they’re annoyed about cheap foreign imports and changes to subsidies forcing them to give up land in favour of environmental schemes.    

But what does this mean for the food on our table - and does British produce risk becoming a luxury product for the wealthy only?    

On the Sky News Daily , Niall Paterson is joined by West of England and Wales correspondent Dan Whitehead to find out why farmers are so concerned, and speaks to Liz Webster, the founder of Save British Farming, about why she believes eating British isn't just good for our farmers - it's good for the nation's health, too.   

In response to our report, Farming Minister Mark Spencer, said: "We firmly back our farmers. British farming is at the heart of British trade, and we put agriculture at the forefront of any deals we negotiate, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers. 

"We've maintained the £2.4bn annual farming budget and recently set out the biggest ever package of grants which supports farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably."

The Welsh government said: "A successful future for Welsh farming should combine the best of our traditional farming alongside cutting-edge innovation and diversification. 

"It will produce the very best of Welsh food to the highest standards, while safeguarding our precious environment and addressing the urgent call of the climate and nature emergencies."

👉  Listen above then tap here to follow the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts   👈

Following the defection of the Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke to Labour, Beth, Ruth and Jess discuss the surprise move and whether it could have been handled differently by Sir Keir Starmer.

They also talk about Beth's interview with the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and his warnings about Reform UK.

Plus, how significant was the defeat of former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street? Beth and Jess were both there to tell the story.

And they answer a question on Labour and the Muslim vote, and what the party can do to restore confidence and trust.

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.     

👉 Listen above then tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

In January 2023, Rishi Sunak made five promises.

Since then, he and his ministers have rarely missed an opportunity to list them. In case you haven't heard, he promised to:

• Halve inflation • Grow the economy • Reduce debt • Cut NHS waiting lists and times • Stop the boats

See below how he is doing on these goals:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

Speaking to Sky political editor  Beth Rigby , Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to allow Tory MP Natalie Elphicke into Labour.

Ms Elphicke was on the right of the Conservative spectrum, and previously defended her sex-offender ex-husband, comments which she apologised for this week following her defection.

Addressing Tory voters, Sir Keir says he wants Labour to be a "place where they who have ambitions about their families, their communities, their country, can join and be part of what we are trying to build for their country".

Asked by Beth if he was ruthless, Sir Keir said: "Yes, I'm ruthless in trying to ensure we have a Labour government that can change this country for the better.

"Not ruthless for my own ambition, not ruthlessness particularly for the Labour Party - I'm ruthless for the country. 

"The only way we'll bring about a change in this country is if we're ruthless about winning that general election and putting in place a government of public service, that’ll be a major change.

"Politics, I believe, should be about public service, that's what I've been about all my life."

More now from political editor Beth Rigby's interview with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

She reminded him that he previously ruled out doing a deal with the SNP - but has not done so for the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Keir again ruled out a coalition with the SNP - adding that he is aiming for a "majority Labour government".

He says Labour needs "to keep working hard, keep disciplined and getting our message across, which is something fundamental to me".

Pushed on his lack of ruling out a possible agreement with the Lib Dems, Sir Keir says: "I'm going for a majority.

"That's the answer I gave you a year ago. It's the same answer I'm giving you now."

Sir Keir Starmer was earlier today pushed on whether Rwanda deportation flights will take off if he was prime minister - although it was not clear if he would cancel flights which had already been organised.

Sky News understood that previously booked deportation flights to Rwanda would still go ahead if Sir Keir entered Number 10. 

But the Labour leader has now gone further.

Speaking to political editor Beth Rigby , Sir Keir has ruled out any flights taking off.

"There will be no flights scheduled or taking off after general election if Labour wins that general election," he says.

He says: "Every flight that takes off carries with it a cheque to the Rwanda government. 

"So I want to scrap the scheme - so that means the flights won't be going."

Sir Keir says he would rather spend the money on his own measures to counter small boats.

"No flights, no Rwanda scheme. It's a gimmick," he says.

By Alix Culbertson , political reporter

Scotland's new first minister has told Sky News that the controversial gender recognition reforms "cannot be implemented."

John Swinney,  who became first minister this week , has faced questions over his stance on gender recognition after MSPs voted in 2022 to pass a bill to make it simpler for people to change their gender without having to obtain a medical diagnosis.

The UK government blocked the bill from being made into law and the Supreme Court rejected a request by the Scottish government for a judicial review.

Asked if he would be fighting to push the bill through, Mr Swinney told Sky News: "The reality of the situation we face is that the Supreme Court has said that we can't legislate in that area. We can't take forward that legislation."

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Economists had predicted the figure would be 0.4%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it showed the economy had "turned a corner".

He told Sky News's Ed Conway: "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

You can read more here:

Rishi Sunak has criticised Sir Keir Starmer's position on Rwanda as "rank hypocrisy".

Speaking to broadcasters, the prime minister says the Labour leader has announced things the government is "already doing".

He gives the example of "punching through the backlog, having more law enforcement officers do more, that's all happening already".

"We've announced all of that more than a year ago," the prime minister adds.

"The question for Keir Starmer if he cares so much about that, why did he vote against the new laws that we passed to give our law enforcement officers new powers? 

"They've now used those to arrest almost 8,000 people connected with illegal migration, sentenced them to hundreds of years in prison.

"And if it was up to him, all those people would be out on our streets, so I think it's rank hypocrisy property of his position."

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Inside Business | Maximize health care opportunities and minimize…

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• Ports and Shipyards

Inside Business | Maximize health care opportunities and minimize costs | Expert column

Inflation remains high, affecting health plans and providers. Hospitals seek increases from payers, while workforce shortages compound the issue. To manage costs, employers must focus on preventive care, assess employee health and stay informed about regulations. Employers must think creatively to provide high quality, affordable health care.

I see two key components for our businesses to consider. One is how we can help prevent health care claims and illnesses. Preventive care should be a focus throughout all operations — from providing a safe workplace to assessing and understanding your employee population’s health prior to making important health plan decisions.

We offer our clients an online benefit-compliant assessment that helps them to understand their risk, including Affordable Care Act compliance. The tool we offer allows you to answer benefit compliance assessment questions. Upon evaluation, the system assigns a risk score and provides needed actions to help you comply. This also helps you understand what regulations you are not familiar with for future planning.

Employee awareness of everything from illnesses on the horizon — such as the flu, new forms of COVID and RSV, respiratory syncytial virus — and their own specific conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or others is critical to maintaining costs. Whatever health plan you offer, employees often wait until a surgery or doctor’s visit becomes urgent. An effective online human resources communications platform assists employees with up-to-date information about their specific health plan and ways to gain the most value and reduce HR inquiries by 75% for most companies.

The second key component that employers should be including in their voluntary offerings is how employees access care.

Though health care costs are rising, the industry is constantly assessing new ways to facilitate care at a lower cost. The pandemic rapidly shifted the location for care from more expensive inpatient hospital settings to less expensive outpatient services or emergency rooms.

Health plans and providers have reported these practices as the path forward. Plans are factoring in higher utilization of less expensive locations for care. You may have already seen recovery from surgeries and treatments involves a quicker return home with an increase in home care services.

Health care isn’t limited to hospitals; your home is a crucial and cost-effective site for care. If your organization doesn’t offer a telehealth plan, consider implementing one soon.

Telehealth has evolved significantly, and choosing the right plan can eliminate claims for employee usage. It saves time, reduces wait times for specialist referrals and eliminates the hassle of multiple visits.

A robust telehealth plan provides on-demand or scheduled visits with U.S. board-certified doctors via phone or video. Members can address episodic health care issues like colds, flu, allergies and bronchitis. Mental health care via telehealth is also trending, allowing ongoing relationships with licensed professionals. Many find it more comfortable to engage with clinicians online.

A good telehealth program has no copays, no insurance billing, offers mobile access with electronic health records and provides 24/7 visits. It’s especially valuable during emergencies, like a child’s fever late at night or when a grandparent living alone experiences a minor fall. Understanding your employees’ needs and focusing on prevention is essential in managing health care costs.

Health care costs today require a joint effort, a collaboration of provision and use. As an employer, knowing the options and needs of your employee population is critical and keeping focus on both prevention through the right tools and options to make costs less painful will be an important focus in 2024.

Scott Wells is a senior vice president with Tower Benefit Consultants. He can be reached at 757-226-8297 or [email protected] .

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Dispute over ramadan hours leaves owner of turkish cafe facing big drop in business.

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A dispute that started during Ramadan between a northeast Minneapolis cafe owner and the city has led to allegations of police and city harassment along with a drop in business. 

Michael Mokhalad, owner of Mrs. Dessert & Kumpir, says the issue started as a misunderstanding that evolved into “harassment” by law enforcement.

Mokhalad attempted to get a temporary license to extend his hours during Ramadan. Those licenses became available in 2015 after the city approved an ordinance allowing businesses to apply for temporary permits to stay open late during the Islamic holy month.

But he was never approved to stay open.

“Sales have dropped, it’s really, really bad.” Mokhalad said. “People are saying my business is bringing the crime and violence.”

Now Mokhalad says he’s looking for a new location after receiving multiple citations from the city for operating after hours during Ramadan.

Records from city officials show that the police enforcement began after a large group altercation and shooting near his business. Both Mokhalad and the city confirmed that the business was operating after hours. 

Mokhalad said he was trying to work with the city to get an after-hours permit, but as the fines mounted, he just wanted to cover his costs. 

“I’ll stay open because I’m getting a citation anyway. Instead of losing money, let’s make money,” he said.

A Ramadan rush after sunset

Mrs. Dessert & Kumpir opened in late 2023 at 339 22nd Ave. N.E. after Mokhalad said he had the idea of bringing Turkish street food and sweets to the Twin Cities.

“I bring in some stuff that’s unique to the state, bring them to the community, and then let people come from all over the place,” Mokhalad said.

It was his first venture into business ownership but not management. It was also his introduction to the northeast Minneapolis community.

The bakery and cafe serves rolled ice cream, Turkish desserts, cakes and kumpir, which are Turkish baked potatoes.

Mokhalad said during Ramadan there’s always a rush after sunset when Muslims are allowed to break their fast but more people show up later in the night since some people prefer to go pray first before eating.

During a visit to the bakery last month, more than a dozen customers were lined up in the tiny space waiting for food.

Some people that night waited more than 10 minutes to order. Mokhalad told Sahan Journal his goal is for customers to wait no more than 15 minutes before getting their food.

On the day of the visit, Mokhalad had just received his third citation for staying open after hours.

He’d go on to receive a fourth before Ramadan was over.

Mokhalad also said his business has suffered because of this, and that during Ramadan his sales dropped 85% due to the city of Minneapolis not allowing him to stay open later.

“Every single night more than 20 missed calls from people,” Mokhalad said. “Because I was opening [late] and then now I can’t.”

Mrs. Dessert & Kumpir is licensed to close at 10 p.m. daily,  but during Ramadan, which started on March 10, Mokhalad wanted his business to stay open later.

He inquired about applying for a temporary license to extend his hours of operation.

On March 15, a city inspector sent Mokhalad application materials to extend his hours. A copy of Mokhalad’s application he sent to Sahan Journal shows that he signed the application that day. 

Immediately after turning in his application, Mokhalad said he began extending his hours, staying open until about 3 a.m.

And business picked up, according to him.

“I was selling almost 300 pieces of each flavor of the cake, now I’m lucky on the weekend, the best days, I sell like 40 to 50,” Mokhalad said.

Mokhalad said he turned the application into the Minneapolis Police Department’s First Precinct and didn’t hear back from the city.  

Nearby shooting brings scrutiny

Mokhalad operated at extended hours for about 10 days, but the back-and-forth battle between him and the city began after a shooting occurred near his business. 

At about 1:30 a.m. on March 24, police responded to the 300 block of 22nd Avenue Northeast, the same block Mrs. Dessert and Kumpir is located on, to reports of a disturbance involving a large group of people outside. Shortly afterward, there were multiple reports of gunfire. 

A 17-year-old male and a 21-year-old male later arrived at Hennepin Healthcare with noncritical gunshot wounds. No arrests have been made in the case, and it’s unclear where exactly the shooting occurred. The public police report for the incident does not list an exact address.

Mokhalad said that night he heard different variations of what happened but he thinks the shooting happened up the street from the bakery. 

In an email included in a public records request filed by Sahan Journal, Amy Duncan Lingo, manager of licenses and consumer services for the city, said she was notified about the shooting the next day. She wrote that “there was not an Extended Hours Conditional Use Permit nor that there was any pending or approved Extended Hours of Operations license.” 

Lingo also told Sahan Journal that the city of Minneapolis didn’t approve any license applications to temporarily extend hours for Ramadan this year.

“We only receive a few temporary extended hours applications a year. We did not enter any this year,” Lingo said.

Because the incident was a large group fight and multiple people were shot, Lingo writes that the city moved directly to a $200 citation against Mokhalad. Lingo said an inspector “spoke and emailed with the owner throughout the day. It was made clear that they were not to be open without approval.”

Citations pile up

Two days later, on March 27, police came back to the bakery for a follow-up inspection and said the business was still operating past 10 p.m. The city issued a second citation for $400.

Lingo wrote that she met with Mokhalad on March 27.

“Mr. Mokhalad told me of their struggles with slow business in the morning, which I understood but I stated again that his opening late unauthorized and unsecure created a dangerous environment for the neighborhood,” Lingo wrote.

During this time, Mokhalad learned his application wasn’t submitted to the right precinct. After trying to resubmit it, he ran into another roadblock.

Lingo said she took Mokhalad’s application, but said she would not process or approve it unless an inspector approved Mokhalad’s security plan. That plan was not approved, Lingo wrote. 

Lingo wrote that another incident occurred on April 2; it’s unclear what that incident was. 

“This incident clearly showed not only that they were still open beyond approved hours but that them being open was creating an unstable and dangerous situation,” Lingo wrote.

An $800 citation was then issued against Mokhalad. 

Lingo went on to write that she does not have the authorization to carry out an emergency closure of the business, but that the city’s “progressive enforcement” can lead to the business’ main license being revoked.

A city spokeswoman clarified the application to temporarily extend hours for Mrs. Dessert & Kumpir was filed “after the initial citations.”

Mokhalad maintains he submitted it, although to the incorrect precinct, before his first citation.

Meanwhile he said he’s begun looking for another location to move his business after receiving multiple citations.

“I don’t know if it’s the third, fourth or fifth [citation],” Mokhalad said. “I didn’t even open it because I don’t have the energy anymore.”

The city also taped a sign to his front window after his first citation, warning customers that the business has to close at 10 p.m.

Mokhalad said the sign was confusing customers and affecting his business so he took it down.

“Even though they’re gonna send me a citation for it, because I removed it. It’s fine, because I’m losing business anyway,” Mokhalad said.

Growing police presence

Around that time he also said he noticed an increase in police presence outside his business around closing time. 

“Police are harassing me and the rest of the customers and the employees because they come in and show off,” Mokhalad said.

According to him, police usually showed up around closing time during Ramadan. Sometimes they’d even park outside the business with lights on and allegedly tell customers showing up after 10 p.m. that the business was closed.

Mokhalad said he’s lost two employees who specifically cited concerns over the police’s presence at the business.

He also started locking his door and turning off his “open” sign by 10 p.m. but he does still serve customers who come in before 10 p.m. even if they stay later.

“The customers who were inside, I have to sell them,” Mokhalad said. “And I can’t tell them to leave because they’re already inside the store before we close.”

But that has resulted in some additional citations. 

One of the business’ citations obtained by Sahan Journal said Mokhalad has been notified that his business must “close, and customers vacate the premises by 10 p.m.” 

Dispute leads to drop in business

Since Mokhalad’s fourth citation he hasn’t received another one. His temporary license application to extend hours during Ramadan was never approved.

He’s also said business has dropped even more after Ramadan which he attributes to a “bad reputation” in the community and online due to his issues with the city

One Google review for the business said “the place has become a hotspot for late night crime, which they refuse to do anything about.”

The business’s last citation, according to Mokhalad, was because of a table and chairs he set up outside. He was given a citation and asked to remove it and told if he wanted to he could apply for a permit to have outdoor seating.

“I didn’t apply yet because I know what the result is going to be,” Mokhalad said.

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Alfonzo galvan.

Alfonzo Galvan is a reporter for Sahan Journal, covering work, labor, small business, and entrepreneurship. Before joining Sahan Journal, he covered breaking news and immigrant communities in South Dakota,... More by Alfonzo Galvan

Katrina Pross

Katrina Pross is a criminal justice reporter at Sahan Journal. Before joining Sahan, Katrina covered criminal justice at WFYI Public Media, Indianapolis’ NPR affiliate, through Report for America. There... More by Katrina Pross