New grad nurse--how soon for PRN job?

[coneal783, ADN, RN]

I am graduating in May, and have already lined up a full-time nursing job (3-12-hour shifts per week). Eventually, I will be wanting to get a PRN job at another facility to work 1 shift every 1-2 weeks. I want another facility so that I can have some variety and learn another area/field. How soon can/should I look for a PRN job...a whole year, 6 months, a few months? Anyone have advice who did this?

[beekee]

A lot of PRN jobs have weekend and holiday requirements, so be aware of that going in. It’s usually not just when you feel like working.

I think everyone is a little different, there’s absolutely no way I would have felt comfortable taking on a second position right away. I might have been able to handle it at the 6 month mark depending on what it was.

Truthfully, the best way to make extra money is to work overtime at your current job. Employers want people with experience in that area of nursing for PRN positions. They aren’t going to want to train you for a couple shifts a month.

[Sour Lemon]

Mine required two years of experience, minimum. I also have to work one major holiday (Christmas/Thanksgiving) and at least six days in a six week period. There is a weekend requirement, as well. And there's the seemingly endless healthstream modules, yearly skills check-offs, meetings, etc.
In most cases, you're better off picking up extra hours at your full-time job.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Most places hiring per diem want experience in that particular field. If you want to try a very different area of nursing, you will need some full-time experience first. Most places hire with a year of two of experience. Sometimes you are hired for a specific department, sometimes it is for a float pool that covers several related departments. For example, a float pool ICU nurse can work in ICUs and step-down units, but will not get sent to L&D or OR. These units have their own float pool nurses with a required amount of experience.

I went per diem after 3 years in nursing- 1 year in med-surg and 2 in ICU. My per diem job also involves a lot of floating to different ICU units since prn staff is the first called off and the first to float. A nurse needs the confidence to jump right in and get to work.