If you're the owner of a nursing business, you're in the collections business. . . unless you get paid up front before delivering your services. One way to make collecting easier is to ask for a retainer up front. Ask that 50% to 100% of the estimated charges be paid before the work gets started. Getting a retainer is a particularly good policy when working with new customers with whom you have no payment history. 

And, you not only want your nursing business customers to pay you, but you want your customers to pay you promptly without a lot of hassle. If you're billing for your services, be sure to note on the invoice when payment is due. Use a statement like 'Due upon receipt' or 'Due within 30 days of the date of the invoice.' 

If you are not paid promptly, begin to follow up when the bill is about 30 days past due. You can follow up by first asking if there was something wrong with the service and then moving into a discussion as to when you can expect to be paid. 

There are financial programs that report overdue invoices to make follow up easier. QuickBooks is the program I use. It reports invoices that are current or 30, 60, 90, or greater than 90 days past due.

Any bills that become 90 or more days past due have a very low rate of collection. Stay on top of your collections so you don't let unpaid invoices slip through the cracks. Your nursing business can't afford it!