PRN Nurse?

Trauma Columnist · Mar 20, 2004

PRN is an abbreviation for a latin phrase which means "as needed." Means different things in different hospitals. Where I work - it means that you can sign up for the hours that you want to work and don't work a regular schedule.

morganrt1416 · Oct 6, 2010

As a PRN, can you pick the days out of the week that you want to work or is it up to the hospital? For example if I only wanted to work monday and thursday would I be able to do that? Do you just have to fill your quota by the end of the month or is it a weekly schedule? I am thinking about running a part time training business as well as becoming a nurse and I was wondering with scheduling if it is possible??? Thank you in advance for any feedback!

pers · Oct 6, 2010

As a PRN, can you pick the days out of the week that you want to work or is it up to the hospital? For example if I only wanted to work monday and thursday would I be able to do that? Do you just have to fill your quota by the end of the month or is it a weekly schedule?

Depends on where you work. My current manager provides a list of days she has open and PRN people can select which of those days they want to work. My former manager asked the PRN folks what days they could work and made the schedule around it. The way it is currently done feels more like what PRN should be in my opinion as I think the way my former manager did it was somewhat unfair to the regular employees since the PRN folks got the pick of the schedule. Though I imagine my current manager would revert to that system if she had trouble finding PRN people to cover the excess shifts.

Our PRN folks are required to work one shift a month to retain their position but they get no benefits. That includes not getting sick or vacation pay, so if they don't work they don't get paid. They are also required to take call offs when census is low if regular employees want to work.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Oct 6, 2010

As a PRN, can you pick the days out of the week that you want to work or is it up to the hospital? For example if I only wanted to work monday and thursday would I be able to do that? Do you just have to fill your quota by the end of the month or is it a weekly schedule? I am thinking about running a part time training business as well as becoming a nurse and I was wondering with scheduling if it is possible??? Thank you in advance for any feedback!

It entirely depends on the facility. Most do have requirements for PRN's to do so many off shifts a month, be it weekends or night shifts. I currently work PRN at two separate facilities. The one facility I am in the float pool, so I can literally set my own schedule. It's great. My only requirements are that I do 3 shifts in a 4 week period, with 2 of the 3 being either night shifts or weekends.

My other facility I work PRN on a specific floor. So the manager will let me know what days they are short and I pick from those. Usually she'll have a big list of day and night shifts. My requirements here are that I work 3 days in a 6 week period, with 2 of the 3 being weekend shifts.

Between the two PRN jobs I am able to work at least 3-4 12 hr shifts a week. It gives me great job security.