Has anyone been successful changing their job status from full time to PRN?

Nurses Career Support

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Hello, I don't know if this is something to talk to HR about or my nurse manager, but I thought I'd see if anyone had done something like this.

Has anyone had a full-time job that they switched to PRN status? Is it easy to do? The challenge for me is that I have an employment contract with my unit right now, but I think I'd be happier having two PRN jobs.

I like the idea of PRN becase its more flexible. And I kind of miss med/surg so I'd like to go back at least part of the time.

I made the change without problems.

I had worked 3 years full-time on my unit, and when I became pregnant and wanted to switch to per diem status, I spoke with the nurse manager about what I wanted, got the OK, applied for the per diem job through HR, made the switch and have been per diem on my unit for the last 10 years.

It helped that I had years of full-time work, and my husband's job provided the health insurance.

Per diem has its benefits and drawbacks, I would recommend looking up some of those older threads on the subject.

I actually resigned (effective at the end of this month) from a FT M-F clinic position to return to a hospital setting in a PRN status. I am fortunate that I have benefits through my spouse but I do need work. My spouse works shift work - non-nursing - am working M-F really impacted a lot more than I thought/realized it would and frankly, for me, doing little but getting up, going to work, coming home and doing that over and over, stressing over how to get everything done on the weekend or not getting anything done because I was too tired or because it was one of the 4 days a month my spouse and I actually had off together just was not worth it to me. There was also the pressure of not taking time off for routine doctor visits or to get appointments taken care of that were on the same work hours as I was. I am taking a huge pay cut but we don't have bills other than mortgage and utilities so as long as I can work a few shifts a week we will be ok - if I find where I'm going doesn't have enough I will look to supplement. But in short, yes, it can be done going from FT to PRN and while many, many, many nurses on here complain about working in the hospital, I would much rather pull 1 or 2 12 hr shifts/week then M-F and no life at all.

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