PRN pay vs. full time pay?

[everthesame, LPN, LVN]

I recently landed my "dream job" at a local hospital. I stayed on PRN at my old job more as a favor to them then for any financial need on my part. They were giving me first choice of available hours and begging me to pick up as many hours as possible. My old boss was supposed to leave a PRN contract for me to sign in my mailbox but she kept forgetting to do it.

Well, I just got my first PRN paycheck and discovered I am earning almost $4.00 per hour less than I did when I worked full time. I have worked PRN a couple of places in the past and PRNs were earning a little more per hour than full time benefited nurses. I know I should have asked about wages before agreeing to stay on PRN but when the request came up I was starting the new job and pretty busy with getting through orientation and getting some old credentials up to date.

I have decided I will not be working PRN at the old place anymore. I have one more scheduled shift and that will be it for me.

I was a little curious though about PRN pay. Do other facilities pay a little more hourly for non-benefited PRNs or did I just get lucky with previous positions?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I am surprised you did not confirm the pay before accepting the position. Have you talked to HR to see if this is a mistake or if it can be negotiated? Hope you find what you are looking for!

[everthesame, LPN, LVN]

The PRN was at the job I was leaving. I did not really plan to stay PRN and really did not think about wages when I told them I would pick up some hours when I could. My old boss had always seemed to be fair and honest with me so I was a little shocked to see the difference in pay without a "heads up" from her first. Now I feel like she kept forgetting to get the PRN contract letter to me so I would not find out that the pay was so much less.

Fortunately the new "dream job" is everything I hoped it would be and then some. Oh, and they pay more.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I was recently surprised to learn that our PRN's do not make any more than the benefitted staff. However, they don't make any less, eiether. Pay is based upon the usual length of time as RN, experience, etc.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I went per diem in 2002. The wages of per diem staff had just been raised to attract enough nurses to form an in-house float pool and eliminate the need for travel and agency nurses.

For me as a nurse with only 4 years experience, the raise was higher than my old hourly wage.

Of course, the pay rate has remained the same for the last 11 years around here...

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

PRN pay around here is a LEETTLE bit more than normal wages; they don't get bennies and obviously not much of a financial incentive, but the big 'pro' is that they choose when they want to work, how often, and they skip out on holidays.

[DEgalRN]

PRN was significantly better than full time pay for me. PRN is a straight pay for everyone so as a nurse with a year experience is was a tremendous bump. Too bad I hated the job!

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I worked PRN for years, and just recently became a full-time staff nurse again. As a PRN nurse I made $15/hr more for the same hospital than what I am making now as full-time. However, PRN could not get shift differentials, which I am now eligible for, and obviously I had no benefits. Pay wise I end up about the same, but I was only working 24hrs/week PRN for the same amount of money.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I currently work PRN/per diem and my hourly rate of pay is $11 more than the full-time wage I would be earning at the same facility.

PRN employees are paid more money than full-time staff for several reasons. It is to offset the inconvenience of having one's shifts canceled first, not being guaranteed any hours, and being rendered ineligible for most benefits.

[Med Surg RN, BSN, RN]

In NYC, my hourly pay was $45/hr (night shift), and then per diem was $60 an hour. At a previous hospital, my hourly was $44/hr nights and $45 per diem. This was a crappier hospital chain looking to cut costs and didn't really care about nurses. I heard from veteran nurses that per diem would be $60/hr but that was not the case. I believe all hospitals will be looking to cut per diem pay to save $$$.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

PRN was significantly better than full time pay for me. PRN is a straight pay for everyone so as a nurse with a year experience is was a tremendous bump. Too bad I hated the job![/quote

prn always was more $ s fir me

[RNKPCE]

I'd say it all depends. I know someone who was PRN and was making more than benefitted. Then she took a benefitted position and took a cut in pay. She wasn't going to get to take planned (tickets bought) vacation and was given the option to returned to PRN. However they didn't give her the extra money back. Non union facility that had recently been acquired by a big for profit company.