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i was looking through the nursing jobs available at the hospital where i start nursing school in february and i need clarification. all the jobs listed say something like the following:

pay $25.12 - $38.25 differentials $1.60/hr eve diff, $2.00/hr weekend diff

so what the heck are differentials? is that how much more an hour you get for working evenings and weekends? some of the jobs say $5.00/hr weekend diff. also, what does per diem mean? :D

thanks!

-j

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shift differentials are what you make an hour after a certain like 3pm-7pm you would make so much more an hour or if you work nights 11pm to 7am is so much more an hour. Also some hospitals have shift differential on weekends where you make so much more an hour during your whole weekend shift. Hope that helps

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

Differentials are monetary incentives to get nurses to work the 'undesirable' shifts (overnights, weekends).

The vast majority of nurses want to work dayshifts or swing shifts during Monday to Friday; however, they'll willingly work nights or weekends if their employer pays them a slightly higher hourly wage to do so. The differential is a way to compensate employees for working weird hours.

The dayshift nurses are not getting paid an hourly differential. However, the night nurses are being paid the differential as well as the weekend employees.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

And per diem means as needed.

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Thanks for your replys. That is what I thought. Once I get there I will definitely be willing to work weekends! I'm single and childless so it's easy for me to work "weird" hours! Does per diem mean the same thing?

J

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
Thanks for your replys. That is what I thought. Once I get there I will definitely be willing to work weekends! I'm single and childless so it's easy for me to work "weird" hours! Does per diem mean the same thing?

J

per diem literally means "per day"

prn is as needed

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Heck I have a shift diff of $4.50 on the weekends...sure does help on a pay when your raising a family on 2 days a week!

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must be nice I have shift diff of $1.50 from 3-7 and absolutely nothing on the weekends, but I have to work every other weekend. Some of my friends get $6 more on the weekends. Not much of an incentive to work weekends, but unfortunately it is the only hospital in this city

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Specializes in Transplant, homecare, hospice.
i was looking through the nursing jobs available at the hospital where i start nursing school in february and i need clarification. all the jobs listed say something like the following:

pay $25.12 - $38.25 differentials $1.60/hr eve diff, $2.00/hr weekend diff

so what the heck are differentials? is that how much more an hour you get for working evenings and weekends? some of the jobs say $5.00/hr weekend diff. also, what does per diem mean? :D

thanks!

-j

here's an example, where i work my shift differential is 5% of my base pay from 7p - 11p and then from 11p-7a, 25% of my base pay. take that % and add those dollars back onto by base pay and that's how much an hour i make for that time period. then we have weekend pay, you can add an additional $6/h on top of the shift differential. i love it. i only work the night shift and trying to work as many weekends as i can get away with.

((( singing )):melody: i'm in the money....i'm in the money....:melody:

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Specializes in Postpartum/Nursery.
i was looking through the nursing jobs available at the hospital where i start nursing school in february and i need clarification. all the jobs listed say something like the following:

pay $25.12 - $38.25 differentials $1.60/hr eve diff, $2.00/hr weekend diff

so what the heck are differentials? is that how much more an hour you get for working evenings and weekends? some of the jobs say $5.00/hr weekend diff. also, what does per diem mean? :D

thanks!

-j

how did you find out the pay rates? my local hospitals don't put that information on their job postings.

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Okay - I'm moving to Florida as soon as I graduate! ;)

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Some hospitals here show pay rates and some don't. I think the hospital that pays the lowest in town is the one that doesn't show rates. You can check out the website if you want... legacyhealth.org. Then look under employment.

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