PRN or full time - help me decide?

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Specializes in neuro/med surg, acute rehab.

Hi everyone,

I'm a floor nurse and I'm currently PRN working 2-3 shifts week. I have the opportunity to either stay PRN or return to full time (I was full time last year but switched to return to school, but now I need to return to 3 days a week whether PRN or full time)

Anyway, I am playing with both and would appreciate outside opinions to make sure I'm not forgetting anything when weighing the options.

PRN is $32.50/hr with, obviously, no benefits. Also, first to be called off.

Full time is $26.25/hr. Full benefits (I do need health/dental - I had a policy on my own but now with the Affordable Care Act, my cost is actually doubling for insurance. Also, I just learned I need some pretty extensive dental work so I would love to have dental) and PTO.

PRN is obviously a lot more $$. . .but I was thinking about things like taxes. Would it end up being that much more after taxes? Won't I be paying more?

I am torn between the flexibility of PRN and the stability and health plans of full time.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Tele, educator, FNP.

If you are still in school and keep PRN.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Depends on what your priorities are. If it's the flexibility, stay PRN. If it's the stability and the benefits, go full-time.

Whenever your income goes up you will pay more in taxes--that is a given. Now whether you'll make enough income at the higher salary to go into a new tax bracket--and a higher tax rate--is the more important question. And the answer to that is...I don't know. Depends on how many hours you get as a PRN.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

If you are up to working 3 days/week the PRN rate seems a little low. I heard once that benefits add approximately 30% to your base pay. That may not even be accurate now as you discover how valuable health benefits are.

If you are still in school your employer might also offer tuition reimbursement and that can add thousands to your pay.

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Another issue with prn is if the census goes down, you don't work. How bad is it going to hurt you to go for a week or 2 without working?

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