From SOAP Notes to Storytelling: A Guide for Nurse Practitioners Who Want to Write

If you’re a nurse practitioner secretly dreaming of writing your way out of burnout, this is your sign.

Maybe you’re tired of back-to-back sessions, inboxes overflowing with patient messages, or spending your energy on a system that doesn’t give you much in return. Maybe you’ve realized that the best part of your job is the storytelling: educating patients, simplifying the science, or journaling after a long shift to make sense of it all.

Writing isn’t a detour. It’s a natural evolution for so many NPs.

I know, because I’m in it too…

At Floriss Rx, we’re not just about healing minds, we’re about building lives that feel more aligned, balanced, and whole. And for some of us, that means putting down the stethoscope and picking up the pen.

After years doing clinical practice exclusively, I knew something had to give. I love psychiatry, but the constant pace, inbox overload, and emotional toll were unsustainable. I craved creativity, autonomy, and the chance to use my clinical brain in a way that didn’t drain me.

That’s when I leaned into writing, and it changed everything. Today, in addition to running Floriss Rx, I work as a freelance nurse writer, combining my expertise in women’s mental health with health content creation, patient education materials, and freelance strategy for digital health brands. It’s given me more flexibility, creative control, and the sense of impact I was missing in traditional settings. It’s nice to be able to utilize different skills in different capacities, while still very much contributing to direct care in a way that feels sustainable.

If you're a nurse practitioner who’s curious about a path like this, you don’t have to wait for permission. You can start small and build something meaningful, sustainable, and entirely your own!

✍️ Why Writing Is a Natural Fit for Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners make incredible writers. Here’s why:

• We communicate for a living. Whether it’s explaining a diagnosis to a patient or documenting in a chart, we know how to be clear, compassionate, and concise.

• We’re emotionally intelligent. We hold hard stories. We listen. We reflect deeply, and that shows in our words.

• We’re used to systems and structure. That SOAP note brain can work wonders when it comes to organizing articles, outlines, or persuasive pieces.

• We’re teachers at heart. Whether you realize it or not, you’re already writing health content every time you educate a patient. The transition is much easier than you think.

🌿 What Kind of Writing Can NPs Do?

You don’t have to write a novel (unless you want to!). There are so many ways to use your voice in meaningful, profitable, or creatively fulfilling ways:

🧠 Medical Writing

• CME modules (one of my favorite contracts!)

• Pharma education materials

• Clinical practice guidelines

💻 Health Content Writing

• Blogs for telehealth companies (Hello Mood, Medicine & More!)

• Articles for platforms like Verywell Mind, Healthline, or Psych Central

• SEO-focused content (aka what you’re reading now 😉)

📝 Copywriting / Strategy

• Marketing emails for mental health startups

• Web copy for online clinics

• Scriptwriting for YouTube or TikTok creators

💬 Creative or Reflective Writing

• Substack newsletters

• Essay submissions to MedPage Today or Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics

• Memoirs, poems, or narrative nonfiction

💼 How to Start Writing as an NP

Here’s a quick, low-stress guide to getting your foot in the door:

1. Start a Portfolio

   • Free options: Medium, Substack, or a simple Google Doc folder

   • Don’t overthink it — write 2–3 short samples on things you already know well

2. Update Your LinkedIn or Website Bio
   Add “Nurse Practitioner & Health Writer” to your headline. Mention your niche (e.g. women’s mental health, psychopharm, or chronic illness education)

3. Find Freelance Opportunities

   • Search for health writing jobs on:
     Upwork, Freelancer.com, Contena, We Work Remotely

   • Direct pitch to blogs or platforms you love (yes, cold emails still work)

4. Stay Inspired & Connected
   Follow writing-focused communities like:

   • AMWA (American Medical Writers Association)

   • Health Writer Hub

   • The Write RN

📓 A Reminder from Someone in the Middle of It…

You don’t need to have all the answers.
You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow.
You just need to know this:

You’re not broken for wanting more freedom. More creativity. More you.

Writing doesn’t mean abandoning your identity as a provider, it means expanding what it looks like to care. So go ahead. Write the blog. Share your story. Pitch that post. We need your voice, not just in exam rooms, but in the world.