new grad and per diem?

oMerMero · Mar 7, 2008

Generally you need experience before you will be hired per diem.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2008

That's not really realistic. New grad orientation typically is full time for 12 weeks, plus another few days of orientation to the hospital at the begining. An employer probably isn't going to invest that kind of time in you for you to work 1 to 2 days a month. It isn't unheard of for new grads after orientation to work a part-time schedule, lots of nurses work part time, but 1 - 2 days a months probably isn't worth their investment in you.

Probably you should just concentrate on your grad school program, you're probably not going to have the time to orient as a new grad. Good luck.

elkpark · Mar 8, 2008

I agree completely with Tweety. Frankly, I would be v. suspicious of any facility that would hire a new grad to work per diem (esp. as little as 1-2 shifts/month). Nursing school teaches you the bare minimum necessary to get started as an entry level nurse -- most everyone in the field agrees that, nowadays, the first year or so of work after graduation is, essentially, a vitally necessary extension of your education. If you are not working steadily in a consistent setting, you are not going to develop the expertise you need to in order to actually become a competent nurse and, more importantly from the hospital's point of view, to be a productive employee for them.

traumahawk99 · Mar 8, 2008

you'll be totally lost, and even if you could get someone to do it, it would be so miserable that you'd quit after the first time or so. heck, working a day a month would be extremely difficult even for an experienced nurse.

breaking in is a very stressful period. some take longer than others. i was going to get an mba, but i myself got trapped on the floor, probably for another couple of years.

not to fret, i made 100k last year, and will make 100k this year.. even though the economy is dreadful. in all honesty, i'm glad i got stuck doing this a lot longer than originally intended. i've learned heaps about people, including myself. it's certainly clarified my thought processes.

best wishes whatever you decide to do.

shock-me-sane · Mar 9, 2008

Thank you all for the advice. I figured that is what I would hear, but somehow I hoped that there would be a place that wasn't questionable that might hire me.

I have funding through my program, but ~$1600 a month may prove difficult to live on with the cost of rent and the likely needed new car.

Thank you for your thoughts!

labrador4122, RN · Mar 10, 2008

all the other postings are possible. but working per-diem as a new grad is also possible.

I know my bff passed boards and could not find a job for the life of her. she applied where i worked, all over other hospitals, and no one wanted her.

she ended up putting her resume online, I do not remember what site, and she doesn't remember when I asked her either!! lol

but anyways, she ended up taking a job finally per-diem for a company for home health care, no benefits, and another job working for a hospital in downtown miami, doing vitals before patients go on to their eye procedures!

she is totally content, she can't belive that her job is so easy.

so put up your resume online, or look for a company that will take you for easy patients.

my friend was super lucky, a position opened up, so she stopped working for the agency, and now is working at the facility as a full time employee. they pay her $24/hr for miami pay, that is awesome for day shift!!!