Career change for nurses into remote work

Nurses have more remote options than most people think, in Australia and the US. The main ones are telehealth and triage nursing (which usually still needs your nursing registration), clinical documentation and coding, health education and content work, health-tech or medical device sales, and remote sales roles (closing and appointment setting) for health and wellness businesses. The right pick depends on one big question: do you want to keep practising as a nurse, or use your nursing skills in a different kind of job?

The five main remote paths for nurses, side by side

Here’s the honest comparison. Pay varies a lot by employer, experience and location, so treat any figures as a starting point and check current job ads in your area.

Role	Needs nursing registration?	Extra training	Pay basis	Flexibility
Telehealth / phone triage nurse	Yes, in almost every case. AU: current Ahpra registration. US: an active RN licence, and you may need to be licensed for the patient’s state (a compact multistate licence helps).	Usually employer training on triage protocols and software; clinical experience often expected.	Usually salaried or hourly, similar to nursing awards and wages.	Medium. Rostered shifts, often including nights and weekends.
Clinical documentation / coding	Often not required, though a clinical background helps.	A coding course; in the US certification may be required or preferred.	Salaried or hourly. US median below RN pay (see below).	Medium to high once established; some roles are output-based.
Health education / content	Depends. Some roles want it for credibility; freelance writing usually doesn’t.	Writing, instructional design or a teaching qualification can help.	Salary, contract rates or per-project fees.	High for freelance, lower for employed roles.
Health-tech or medical device sales	Usually not, though clinical experience is valued.	Product training from the employer; sales skills you build on the job.	Commonly base plus commission or bonus.	Mixed. Some roles involve travel, hospital visits or set territories.
Remote sales (closing / setting) for health and wellness businesses	No.	Sales skills: a process, role play and feedback.	Often commission-heavy or commission-only; some base plus commission.	High. Calls are booked into the hours you make available.

What the public pay data says (AU and US)

It helps to know what you’d be stepping away from. In Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia lists median full-time earnings for registered nurses of $2,192 per week before tax, according to ABS data from May 2025, and notes that 44% of registered nurses work part-time. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for registered nurses at US$97,550 (May 2025).

For comparison, the BLS median for medical records specialists (which includes coding-type work) was US$51,140 in May 2025, and BLS notes certification may be required or preferred. We couldn’t find a reliable official figure for Australian clinical coders working remotely, so we’ve left one out rather than guess.

Medians are the middle of the pack, not a promise. Your own pay will depend on your role, hours, employer and experience.

Path 1: Telehealth and triage nursing (you stay a nurse)

This is the closest thing to “nursing from home”. You assess symptoms by phone or video, give advice using set protocols and direct people to the right care. It suits you if you love clinical work but are worn out by the physical side or shift travel.

Registration in Australia

Telehealth nursing is still nursing practice, so you keep your Ahpra registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and meet the usual standards, including recency of practice and continuing professional development.

Licensure in the US

In the US, licensing is state by state. The Nurse Licensure Compact gives eligible nurses one multistate licence, and the NCSBN says it lets nurses practise in person or provide telenursing across compact states without extra licences. It also says 43 jurisdictions are currently part of the compact. If you or your patients are in a non-compact state, check with that state’s board of nursing before you accept a role, because you may need an additional licence.

Honest con: telehealth is still shift work in many services, and calls can be intense. It’s flexible on location, not always on hours.

Path 2: Clinical documentation and coding

Coding turns patient records into standardised codes for funding, billing and data. Your clinical knowledge is a real advantage because you already understand diagnoses, procedures and how charts are written. It suits detail-lovers who are happy working quietly on a screen for long stretches.

Honest con: it’s a separate skill with its own training, and the US data shows the median sits well below RN pay. It can also feel isolating if you love people.

Path 3: Health education and content

Think patient education materials, online course content, health writing, or training staff for a health organisation. Nurses are natural explainers, which is gold here. Some roles are employed, many are freelance, and building a portfolio takes time.

Honest con: freelance income can be lumpy, especially in the first year, and you’ll need to market yourself.

Path 4: Health-tech and medical device sales

Companies selling clinical software, devices and equipment love hiring nurses, because you speak the language of the people they’re selling to. Some roles are remote or hybrid; others involve travel, theatre visits and set territories. Pay is commonly a base wage plus commission or bonus, and targets matter.

Honest con: “remote” can mean a lot of driving in this field. Ask exactly how much time is spent on the road before you apply.

Path 5: Remote sales (closing and setting) for health and wellness businesses

This is the path I know best. Many health, fitness, coaching and wellness businesses sell programs through booked calls. An appointment setter starts conversations and books interested people in; a closer runs the longer call and helps the person decide. If you want the difference in detail, read remote closer vs appointment setter.

Nurses tend to have a head start. You ask good questions, you listen, you stay calm with stressed people and you explain things clearly. Those skills transfer straight into a good sales call. What you need to learn is the sales process itself, which is why most people need training and practice. Our guide to getting into sales with no experience covers the first steps.

Let’s be straight about commission

Many remote sales roles are commission-heavy or commission-only. That means your income depends on calls booked and sales made, and it usually builds slowly. My own first month in remote sales back in 2020 brought in $440. That’s my result, not a typical one, and it’s a fair picture of how most people start. You can see the public pay data in how much remote closers make.

In Australia, if you’re hired as an employee, the Fair Work Ombudsman says you can only be paid commission-only when an award or enterprise agreement allows it, and award-free employees on commission still need at least the National Minimum Wage. Many closing roles in both countries are contractor arrangements instead, so read your agreement and know which you’re signing. In the US, contractors generally handle their own taxes too.

Honest con: you’re giving up a steady nursing wage for income that can swing month to month. And watch for red flags: anyone asking you to pay to start the job, earnings that depend on recruiting people, or promises of a set income.

Should you keep your registration current?

This is the question nurses ask me most, and it’s a smart one. Leaving clinical work doesn’t have to mean closing that door forever.

In Australia, the NMBA’s recency of practice standard asks you to show you’ve practised for the equivalent of at least 450 hours within the past five years, and the hours don’t need to be continuous. “Practice” isn’t limited to direct clinical care: the NMBA includes roles in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy work where you use your nursing skills and knowledge. Whether a sales or health-tech role counts depends on whether it genuinely uses your nursing knowledge, and the NMBA decides what evidence it accepts, so ask Ahpra about your situation. If you fall short, the NMBA says you may need supervised practice or an approved re-entry to practice program.

In the US, renewal rules (continuing education, practice hours and fees) are set by each state board, so check yours before you let anything lapse.

A practical option many people consider: keep a small casual or agency nursing load while you build a remote career. It protects your registration, keeps some steady income coming in, and gives you breathing room while new skills grow.

Pros and cons of leaving clinical work

Pros

• Fewer night shifts, weekends and physically demanding days.
• More control over when and where you work, which matters if you’re juggling kids and school runs.
• Your skills (assessment, communication, calm under pressure) are valued in plenty of other roles.

Cons

• Losing a reliable wage and penalty rates, especially if you move into commission-based work.
• Your clinical confidence can fade, and getting back may take extra steps.
• Some people miss the purpose and team feel of the ward more than they expected.

How to choose your path

1. Decide whether you want to stay a nurse. If yes, look at telehealth first. If no, the other four paths open up.
2. Be honest about income needs. If you need fixed pay from week one, salaried or hourly roles come first, or keep some casual shifts while you build.
3. Match the work to your personality. Love quiet focus? Coding. Love explaining? Education. Love conversations and a challenge? Sales.
4. Get the skill, then get the job. Every path here needs some new learning. Pick training that includes practice and feedback, not just videos.

I started as a primary school teacher in a small town, not in sales, and I’ve since generated over $10M in online sales. If remote sales is the path that interests you, She Sells offers two programs: She Launches (live coaching, role play and frameworks, without direct placement) and She Soars, a career program through the She Sells Cert III in Remote Sales certificate. With She Soars, once you’re certified, our recruitment team works with you to land a role within 90 days, or your money back. You can compare them on our programs page or read the FAQ.

Frequently asked questions

Can nurses work from home?

Yes. Telehealth and triage nursing let you keep practising remotely, while coding, health education, health-tech sales and remote sales for health and wellness businesses use your skills in a different job. Each has different training needs and pay structures, so compare them before you jump.

Do I need my nursing registration for remote work?

For telehealth and triage nursing, almost always yes: Ahpra registration in Australia, or an active RN licence in the US, where you may also need licensure for the patient’s state unless a compact multistate licence covers it. Coding, content and sales roles usually don’t require it, though some employers value it.

How many hours do I need to keep my AHPRA registration?

The NMBA’s recency of practice standard asks for the equivalent of at least 450 hours of practice within the past five years, and the hours don’t need to be continuous. Non-clinical roles that use your nursing knowledge can count, but check with Ahpra about your own situation.

Is remote sales a good fit for nurses?

It can be, because nurses already ask good questions, listen well and stay calm with stressed people. The trade-off is that many roles are commission-heavy or commission-only, so income takes time to build and isn’t steady at first.

Can I go back to nursing after a remote career?

Often yes, but it’s easier if you keep your registration current. In Australia, if you haven’t met recency of practice, the NMBA may ask you to complete supervised practice or an approved re-entry program. In the US, check your state board’s renewal and reactivation rules.

Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.

Keep reading

• Is remote sales legit? How to spot the scams
• Returning to work after maternity leave, remotely
• How to make money from home as a mum
• What you need to work from home in sales: tools and setup