Nurse Writers: Who They Are and Why You Should Work with One
In this article:
•What is a Nurse Writer?
•The Unique Perspective of Nurse Writers
•Authenticity and Trustworthiness
•Tailored Content for Target Audiences
•Enhancing Brand Reputation
•Effective Collaboration with Nurse Writers
•Addressing Common Concerns
Nurse Writers. Have you heard of them?
If not, it's because they are the hidden gems among freelance health writers.
And if you have heard of them (and worked with one) you are likely singing their praises!
This article introduces the specialty role of nurse writers and why you are missing out if you don’t hire a nurse writer for your healthcare content creation needs.
What Exactly is a Nurse Writer?
Nurse writers are exactly what they sound like.
Nurses…who write.
Many nurse writers pursue writing in addition to their clinical practice, while others (like me) go all in and solely focus on freelance writing.
Educational preparation of nurse writers varies from Licensed Practical Nurses to Doctors of Nursing Practice (like me!).
Evidence-based practice is the holy grail of nursing education regardless of nursing degree. The higher the educational degree, the more evidence-based, theoretical coursework the nurse has completed.
So you can be sure that nurse writers are skilled at locating, evaluating, and deciphering scientific evidence and translating that evidence in a meaningful way.
Nurse writers are vitally important in healthcare communication because of their
• unique perspective
• authenticity and trustworthiness
• ability to simplify complex medical information for patients and consumers
Doesn’t that sound like all the things you’d want in a freelance health writer?
Let’s review each of these qualities to learn more about how nurse writers can enhance your brand.
The Unique Perspective of Nurse Writers
Nurses have insight into the healthcare industry that not all health writers have.
They are the boots on the ground in hospitals and healthcare systems. Not only do nurses work at the bedside providing direct patient care, but many leverage their clinical skills and expertise to become leaders and executives.
Nurses excel at communicating complex medical information effectively.
This is vitally important when teaching patients how to
• manage a new diagnosis
• adapt to using a medical device
• recognize the dangerous side effects of medication
Nurses interact with patients and families on the frontlines of healthcare.
Nurses are adept at understanding and empathizing with patient experiences.
They care for patients directly at the bedside or indirectly such as case managers or care coordinators. This gives nurses firsthand insight into the struggles, challenges, and joys patients experience when receiving healthcare.
This insight helps nurses to anticipate patients’ needs which may prevent unnecessary challenges or complications. Nurse writers draw on this insight to create compelling, practical content that reaches readers.
Nurse writers draw on their clinical experiences for personal anecdotes and stories from the frontline to inform their writing. Sharing personal stories and experiences makes content come alive and resonate with readers.
Authenticity and Trustworthiness
Nurses are consistently rated as the most trusted profession. A trusted nurse writer builds trust with readers.
Nurses are an authentic, credible voice in healthcare messaging. Readers may overcome skepticism if they are reading a nurse’s words. That is powerful in this age of misinformation and fake news.
Bonus
An RN (registered nurse) byline generates more organic traffic to your website. Google's quality rater guidelines (E-E-A-T) recognize the Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness of nurses.
Tailored Content for Target Audiences
Nurses care for patients of all demographics. Many specialize in working with specific populations, such as older adults, women, or children.
Nurse writers are experts in their specialty areas of practice. They leverage their clinical experience with special populations to craft content that resonates with specific audiences.
They are skilled at addressing common healthcare concerns and misconceptions for their intended audience.
Examples
A cardiac care nurse expertly crafts content about heart health, signs and symptoms of heart attack, and ways to manage hypertension.
I draw on my pediatric emergency room experience to create content on child health, safety, and prevention. I use specific stories from the ER to illustrate how parents can take steps to prevent injuries and illnesses.
Enhancing Brand Reputation
Nurse writers can enhance your brand.
Your readers recognize nurses as authoritative yet trustworthy.
Nurses are committed to delivering accurate health information. The credibility of nurse writers establishes your brand as a trusted resource in healthcare.
Effective Collaboration with Nurse Writers
If you’ve read this far, you most certainly recognize the benefits of working with a nurse writer.
So what is involved in collaborating with a nurse writer?
First, find the right nurse writer for your brand’s needs.
How?
Explore the clinical background and portfolio of any nurse writer you might hire.
Does the nurse’s clinical experience align with your target audience?
Does the nurse writer’s portfolio embody messages that will resonate with your readers?
If so, then schedule a discovery call! The nurse writer will likely ask you to complete a creative brief before the call.
If your brand and the nurse writer are a good fit, proceed with a project proposal and contract that sets clear objectives and expectations for the scope of work. This ensures everyone knows what to expect during the collaboration.
Be sure to provide the necessary support and resources for the nurse writer like:
• Keywords
• Style guide
• Content outline, if applicable
• Timeline for submission and revisions
• Examples of similar pieces to demonstrate the desired tone and voice
Clear communication at the beginning of the project helps the nurse writer best meet your content creation needs… and do a bang-up job!
Addressing Common Concerns
You are ready to hire a nurse writer. But after doing some preliminary research you find that nurse writers are expensive!
This might make you pump the brakes. Now what?
First, remember the common phrase “You get what you pay for.” While this may not be true across the board, this adage is TRUE for the cost of nurse writers.
Nurse writers add value and come with a high ROI.
Let’s recap what makes nurse writers so VALUABLE (and sometimes pricey).
Compared to more affordable health writers without a nursing background, nurse writers are:
• The most trusted of professions
• Rooted in science and evidence
• Subject matter experts in their nursing specialty
• Frontline healthcare workers with unique insight and firsthand experience
• Experts at simplifying complex medical information into accessible, actionable words
• Storytellers who draw on their clinical experiences with patients to bring content to life
You may be working within the constraints of a budget. Negotiate with the nurse writer to find a middle ground for a smaller, more affordable project. You’ll find that the work was worth every penny.
The Final Note
Nurse writers are authoritative and trustworthy subject matter experts.
They use authentic healthcare storytelling to transform boring, confusing medical information into relatable, understandable, and actionable prose.
Hire a nurse writer to energize your brand with high-quality, engaging content that will keep readers coming back for more.
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Ready to hire a nurse writer? Good thing you found me! I create compelling healthcare content that educates, engages, and resonates with your readers. Work with Nurse Pro Writer to elevate your brand’s authenticity, authority, and trustworthiness.