Accept per diem job?

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2012

Please describe the per diem position. How many hours, what area, etc.

baubleRN · Sep 17, 2012

It is at a rehab/long term care facility north of Boston. That's the thing, the recruiter didn't give me much information and I have been trying to contact her to get more info about hours and length of orientation...

kcmylorn · Sep 17, 2012

Like Been there, posted- find out exactly what this "per deim" position means. By this i mean- what are their expectations. Do they want you to be avail to them when ever they call? Do you sign up for specific days YOU are avail- you mentioned you had another job.

What I am trying to say is- perdiem years ago used to mean, one would sign up for specific days that were convenient to YOUR schedule, the rest of the days were yours to do as you please, usually work another job. There was a set requirement of the obligatory days you had to put in to remain "per deim" through the years, "per deims" were obligated to certain holiday shifts( usually one winter and one summer)

What I experienced 2008-2010 as a "per diem" was: I was obligated to rotating my obligatory holidays and had to commit to 2 shifts per month at a SLIGHly( and I do mean on a small bit higher than regular staff, not much- $3/hr more) and no benefits. OK, no problem. I signed up for more shifts through the month anyway and had no full time position. I made the mistaken impression ( going off what per deim meant years ago) i could work my obligated signed up for shifts and some extra shifts. Well due to "low census", I was being cancelled for all my shifts- obligated and non obligated. So with that, I found temp positions that were full time - 3 months here, 6 months in another position. I would get up at 5AM for my scheduled per deim shift only to get out of the shower and be cancelled. Some times I was told I was cancelled for the first 4 hours and I would sit around and wait until 9:30 AM rolled around to see if I was cancelled for 11AM and then repeat until 1:30 PM and be cancelled again for the last 4 hours of the 12 hr shift. Then the nurse manager was calling me at all hours of the day and night to come in and work on the days I was not signed up for. She was using this per deim position as an "on Call" position only I was receiving NO pay( and with bills to pay) and she then started calling me at the temp position. I was not going to give up a sure 8 hr pay for her whimms. i was nit picked, scrutinized and written up on the next shift I was not cancelled for. Sometimes she would call me(at the other job) leave a message and ask me to"swing by the hospital on my way home from this other job" That hospital was no where near on my way home. She ended up terminating me- I was not avail to her beck and call.

Find out just what that place means by "per deim" or is it "On Call" to them, without pay and there for not able to have a steady job to pay bills and a life. These facilites are slick, underhanded and dishonest.

wannabecnl · Sep 18, 2012

Per diem means different things at different places. One hospital near me requires a minimum of hours during a 6-week period, either 32 or 48 depending on pay and holiday obligations. Another is the opposite: per diems can work a maximum of 960 hours a year, or 19 hours a week on average. It also depends on the department; inpatient units fluctuate a lot in census, while OR/preop/PACU have scheduled surgeries and have a pretty good idea of their patient/case load ahead of time. Then there are units like the ED, where you might need a certain ratio of nurses to beds rather than nurses to patients because you don't know who will come in when. Get the particulars before you commit, and I'd advise trying to keep your other job unless you don't have time to do both; it's rough out there, especially for new grads.

netglow, ASN, RN · Sep 18, 2012

kcmylorn,

I remember an office that posted a part time ad for 2 days a week, but turned out that once I got there and asked questions it was more like they also wanted the entire rest of the week on call for them ONLY. So, after more questioning, this didn't mean more significant hours, it just meant "have your cake and eat it too" -- for them. They basically told me I'd be banned from obtaining "other" employment to fill in the other days of the week, and that this being available would just be when someone was sick, vaca. etc. Of course no salary or benefits, just perdiem. Then the original 2 days of work seemed iffy!

Talking about indentured servitude. Who can afford this type of thing? If you were to be a wealthy person who just wanted "out of the house" for a day or two a week, wouldn't you rather do something other than nursing????

msdaschcav · Sep 19, 2012

What will you gain from this position? On one hand experience but on the other you may be required to work 4 shifts per week or month depending in the facility. Find out what the facilities per diem policy is and map it out for yourself. I myself left a full time administrative position after searching for nearly 1 1/2 yrs, I got a nursing position in a hospital working per diem. I work full time hours anyway but the benefits are the only thing I don't get. I figured I can get my experience here and once a full time opportunity opens up, I can apply and more than likely or hopefully will get the job. Good luck to you hope it all works out.

I believe in losing to gain. Yes I lost a full time benefit position but gained so far 1 yr experience into my career.