Can a nurse survive on several per diem jobs?

[ihatethisjob]

Has anyone just done a few per diem jobs at once rather than one scheduled job? I have worked every other weekend and holiday for over 25 years. Enough?

[Nurseinprocess]

I am about to start a second contingent job. My husband makes enough to cover our household, and he covers our insurance. I am not sure if I will keep both jobs, it seems like it could get a little complicated trying to coordinate my schedule, even though both positions only require two shifts per schedule, one must be a weekend shift. Contingents don't make extra at the two hospitals I work at, which stinks. But choosing the days I work and avoiding holidays and most weekends is priceless :).

[bell1962]

Agency work could keep you busy until you decide what you really want to do.

Do you want to stay in the hospital? If not start searching for other areas. I had 30 years in when I found my dream work from home job.

Good luck!

May I ask what type of work you do from home? ..always looking..

[ihatethisjob]

Me too. I wouldn't mind a little work from home business too!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Have you thought about private duty? My agency does not staff any cases (except private pay) on holidays, and no weekends are required- even of the full-time staff. The pace is a little slower- which is a perk if you ask me.

[maxvoca]

Do you mind me asking what your work from home job is? Are you still in the nursing field?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I have two per-diem jobs, soon to be three. It's possible to survive and even thrive; however if you are looking for consistency in both your scheduling and income, you're taking a chance. I've found that even with two jobs, I'd still have dry spells where I only got a day or two of work each week. But for the most part I do well.

I don't need the benefits. One job doesn't have a weekend/holiday commitment; the other does but it's not enforced.

[ceebeejay]

The only experience I have is in Private Duty and Per Diem School RN agency work. When I am working I love it. Especially, the school RN work. The issue is always finding enough hours/days to support financial needs. I have never had scheduling issues. I am never obligated to accept anything beyond what I agree to. By and large, I can tailor the schedule to meet my needs. I told my husband that I wish I could find a way to keep the work consistent because then I would just stop applying to hospitals all together. I have ACA insurance for all of us. Hubby's insurance sucked; this sucks less.

[LadysSolo]

I worked for 3 agencies at a time once - keeping track of who I was working for and when so nothing overlapped, and I was wearing the correct name tag required a calendar, but I paid the bills and worked when and where I wanted. (Had left one job and was waiting for the next to start.)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

One thing to remember if you have multiple per-diem jobs: each employer will expect from you that your other job(s) will not impinge on your committment to them. Each employer will expect them to be your priority.

Basically, don't expect employer A to be willing to work around employer B's needs. It will be YOUR responsiblity to manage your schedule and see to it that all committments (hours, holiday, weekends, training, whatever) are met for each employer.