Per Diem outside of ER?

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care Transport.

I'm sure a lot of you have per diem jobs outside of your ER experience. I'm thinking about taking on a per diem job for some extra money and some different experience- for one, I miss working with my pediatric patients (I'm in an ER where it's a seniority thing to work with kids, even though I came from an EDAP and have my ENPC... whatever).

I love being in the ER, I was just thinking about checking something else out for variety's sake. That's all. I'd really love pediatrics OR ICU - CCU especially (so cool).

What jobs do you find help to round out your experience? Anybody do anything else?

Just curious.

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Specializes in Cardiac care/Ortho/LTC/Education/Psych.

I work as CCU Per diem, also part time as instructor and full time as educator and thinking just thinking to take psych ( just for fun) - I like that aspect of nursing . I also have long term care - boy that was an eye opener for sure and tried ortho , maternity , obgyn surgeries . So , I love to change it just gets boring doing same old same.

So sure I would try something else, why not? ( Yeah, just be sure that your hubby doesn't ask you to MAKE UP YOUR MIND as mine did it - I laughed :)))

Good luck to you .

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

op: i am always amazed by the politics of various places of nursing. there is no consistency within this profession and that is one aspect that bothers me. as an example, i started off with pediatric and ob patients with noooooo experience as a rn prior to working in my current er with those two populations (and no training to do so either). i had 100% experience working with adult cardiac patients and that is where i should have started. yet, you had to be a senior or popular to work with the cardiac patients (no joke, nurses with no experience with adult cardiac traumas but lots of experience with peds or ob were assigned to work them... suprisingly, they were not trained, so they were not successful) over nurses who had experience in my er…. but enough of my rant …

back to you … it is not unheard of to work per diem to gain experience in something else. in fact, i hear that most places look at er and icu experience as a plus when offering positions to those with little to no experience in other areas. for example, i work with nurses who work per diem in home health, psych, prison, and other ers and icus. a few work peds, ob, and med surg but the floors they work are the floors they left prior to coming to this er. gl!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

My other jobs: desktop publishing/graphic design for one client (a holdover from my former full-time career), and I just got hired per diem at a Level 2 ED close to my house. So my per diem is still ED, but I have coworkers who work per diem in hospice and home health. I wouldn't mind trying something outside of the ED, but I have to admit that the flu clinics I worked this fall were incredibly boring to me.

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Specializes in ED.

This won't get you money, but it is an interesting experience to volunteer at a local free clinic. They will *love* you for it (if they don't you should find another place). A sense of fulfillment comes with volunteering.

It doesn't even have to be often. One day per month is fine. That would leave you time to do per diem for $ elsewhere.

DC :)

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care Transport.
This won't get you money, but it is an interesting experience to volunteer at a local free clinic. They will *love* you for it (if they don't you should find another place). A sense of fulfillment comes with volunteering.

Absolutely. I spend some time at the local family planning clinic monthly or bi-monthly, depending on my schedule. Totally love teaching teens. :heartbeat

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Specializes in Emergency, CCT.

I work full time ER and part time as a CCT nurse. It's a fun way to make some extra cash and get some different experience

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Specializes in ED.
I work full time ER and part time as a CCT nurse. It's a fun way to make some extra cash and get some different experience

How does one get started in CCT?

DC :)

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Specializes in Emergency, CCT.
How does one get started in CCT?

DC :)

It will depend on the cct agencies in your geographical area. In my location, for example, several years exp in ER or ICU setting is needed, as well as the usual certs; ACLS, BLS, PALS, TNCC

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