Benefits of Per Diem?

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Anyone have any advice for per Diem nursing? Benefits and drawbacks? I've been offered a job as a per Diem nurse on a unit I love and wanted to know what people's thoughts are on it?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I've been working PRN/per diem for two years and enjoy the flexibility. I can pick and choose the days that I prefer to work, earn a significantly higher hourly pay rate, schedule myself to have a week off in a row, and so forth.

Drawbacks include no fringe benefits such as health insurance, 401k retirement plans, PTO, etc. In addition, in the event of low patient census, per diem/PRN staff members are usually the first ones to have their shifts cancelled.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I am prn and I love it! I make more per hour and have benefits through my husband. It allows me to go to graduate school because I can pick and choose my schedule.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Benefits: you have more control over your schedule including the exact days/shifts you want, you can work as much or as little as you want, usually (but not always) a higher pay rate than the permanent staff, and lots of opportunities for floating.

However, as a per diem, they owe you NOTHING. You have to commit to X hours a pay period, but you are not guaranteed a single one of those hours. If you get called off every shift d/t census or too much staff, too bad so sad--it's not their problem but yours. You also don't learn about being cancelled until a few hours before the shift begins. And even if turn into a long-term per-diem person at one facility, don't get too comfortable because at any time they can replace you with permanent staff...or another per-diem.

If you do decide to pursue the per-diem route, try to get a second per-diem or agency job. That way, if hours are skimpy at one, you may be able to make up the difference at the other job.

All4NursingRN

377 Posts

In my opinion

Pros: Not being obligated to the unit: hence management isn't down you back like the regular staff nurses

Better hourly pay (as stated before)

Flexibility of schedule!!!!

Ability add a part-time or full time job around your per-diem schedule and not have it conflict

Safety net- For extra money or when you leave or lose your full time gig! lol

Keeping one foot in the door- you'll have a leg up on external candidates on getting a full time job there or transferring to another unit

Cons: Loss of benefits

No guaranteed schedule

Being dumped on with heavier assignments by regular staff (although the nurses who I worked with who have worked at my job for everrrrrrrr get good assignments when they work, even though they are only part-time)

I'm seriously contemplating going PD/PT at my current job and trying out agency nursing. I want to get away from the politics.

Specializes in Medical Surgical.
IceGuy[/url];6856367]Anyone have any advice for per Diem nursing? Benefits and drawbacks? I've been offered a job as a per Diem nurse on a unit I love and wanted to know what people's thoughts are on it?

I worked for 6 yrs at a hospital full-time, now I am looking at per diem positions mainly to have more flexibility.

With that said the largest downfall will be when work is slow and there are no shifts available.

Most places want you to commit to a certain number of weekend and holiday shifts as well. So there goes the "flexibility" if you work in a facility that requires that, unless you do not mind weekend and holiday shifts. The other con is you may not be included in regular staff meetings and decision making that will effect your position.

And of course..no benefits.

The pro's (for me) are, can decide if I can work a shift, am able to communicate with the staff and let them know when I am looking for hours and what weekends I would be available etc.. the hourly pay rate is usually higher. I still have to go to all the mandatory training and in services, sometimes that is my only hours. I also have the flexibility to look at other options in nursing and continue education if I desire (at my own expense..no employee benefit).

If you do not need the benefits and can afford to not work for extended periods at a time it is a lot better than having to take what you get with the weekly schedule of a full-time nurse.

hstats44

13 Posts

Pros for me, More pay, don't get caught up in the units politics, no staff meetings, builds character and level of skill.

Cons, no unit to call home, have to be well liked, even by difficult people, no benefits, have to go the extra mile to be well liked

cantdoit

33 Posts

do you find it easy to make a living PRN/Per Diem? That would be my one concern.

Do agencies offer benefits? Do you have weekend/holiday requirements?

I'm considering PRN as well...

hstats44

13 Posts

@candoit, yes I do. Sometimes I may only get 60 hr a pp around the holidays when regular staff works a lot of overtime. I think some agencies offer benefits, but in house float pool is more secure than agency. I don't work any weekends unless I want to, I do some holidays, but since its double time, most staff snatches those shifts up.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Do agencies offer benefits? Do you have weekend/holiday requirements?

Many facilities and agencies do have weekend/holiday requirements for per-diems: you will have to put in for X number of weekend shifts per month and X number of holiday shifts every year. Whether you end up working them is another matter, but you will have to put in for them if you want to fulfill your per-diem agreement. You can get the most accurate answer for your specific facility/agency from HR.

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