Attention PRN nurses

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 26, 2012

Do you mean to ask PRN nurses if they feel ungratefulness, jealousy, etc. from FT nurses?

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by ungratefulness? When we are properly staffed, I am happier than if we are working short. If someone is called at home and comes in at the last minute to prevent us from being short, I am grateful. I don't know that I need to show some extra level of gratefulness toward a PRN for scheduling themselves a month in advance for a shift. Sorry if that makes me a bad person, just how I feel about it.

FWIW, however, I have never seen a full-time staff member treat a PRN poorly. I have never seen a charge nurse who works full time give a PRN a heavier assignment. PRNs are a part of the team providing care to patients just like the full time RNs and I have always seen them treated as such.

If you are feeling looked down upon by being a PRN then try to go for a full-time position. :twocents:

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · May 26, 2012

Oh wow! The culture of your work environment sounds toxic!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE our PRN nurses! Our staff views them as "The Hero of the Day" when they come in. We don't treat our PRNers any differently than any other staff member, and view them as being part of the team...because THEY ARE!

I don't understand why your peers assume that your stress level is less that theirs. Huh? Am I missing something? Isn't a shift a shift? I would think that subliminally, your stress level might be higher simply because you don't have the peace of mind that comes with the benefits of a permanent position.

Keep your chin up, V. :hug:

sauconyrunner · May 26, 2012

I worked PRN for 2 years, 36 hrs a week. I never experienced what you are describing.

but really...if people are not nice, just move on.

I am not really sure why you would expect any nurse to be grateful to you for coming to work. I've never actually felt jealous about someone else being PRN either. I just don't care.

All I care about is that the person I am working with can actually work independently, and not cause a bunch of problems in the unit. With some of our PRN people, we don't always get that.

RNperdiem, RN · May 26, 2012

I have never experienced any of that either. If anything I am grateful that I am so welcomed and well treated at work.

I don't go out of my way to stir up jealousy either.

You won't catch me saying how my husband makes so much money that I only work one day a week and look after my kids on other days. The decreased job stress goes unmentioned as also the fact that I don't have as many holiday and off-shift requirements.

I have heard of places that dump on float staff, but it is not like that everywhere.

Whispera, MSN, RN · May 26, 2012

When I've worked with PRNs, I've never thought of them as anything other than nurses who come help when staff is needed....except....I know they get no benefits and I don't think that's fair to them when they often work full-time hours!

Vtachy1 · May 26, 2012

Do you mean to ask PRN nurses if they feel ungratefulness, jealousy, etc. from FT nurses?
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by ungratefulness? When we are properly staffed, I am happier than if we are working short. If someone is called at home and comes in at the last minute to prevent us from being short, I am grateful. I don't know that I need to show some extra level of gratefulness toward a PRN for scheduling themselves a month in advance for a shift. Sorry if that makes me a bad person, just how I feel about it.
FWIW, however, I have never seen a full-time staff member treat a PRN poorly. I have never seen a charge nurse who works full time give a PRN a heavier assignment. PRNs are a part of the team providing care to patients just like the full time RNs and I have always seen them treated as such.
If you are feeling looked down upon by being a PRN then try to go for a full-time position.

Not a chance!!! I am PRN because I like PRN and don't give a rats behind about benefits. I want to take off when my Grandma needs help or has a doctor appt. When my kids have an evening ballgame etc. I will stay PRN.

Vtachy1 · May 26, 2012

I have never experienced any of that either. If anything I am grateful that I am so welcomed and well treated at work.
I don't go out of my way to stir up jealousy either.
You won't catch me saying how my husband makes so much money that I only work one day a week and look after my kids on other days. The decreased job stress goes unmentioned as also the fact that I don't have as many holiday and off-shift requirements.
I have heard of places that dump on float staff, but it is not like that everywhere.

Thats the thing, they did not see all those years my dh and I went without air conditioning when it was way over 100 degrees outside. We went without TV for 5 years. We lived in an old beat up trailer for 7 years. We drove a car for 15 years with 2 doors and had to lug 2 baby seats back there so that we would not have a car payment!!!!! And now, yes I can finally be PRN so that I can take care of my grandma, and be available for my family. There's NOTHING to be jealous about, we sweat bullets to get where we are today.

We buit our home with our very own 2 hands, and when we moved in there was no flooring, just the sub floor, no kitchen cabinets, until we saved up we didn't buy a thing. 12 years later its getting a little closer to being completed.

Vtachy1 · May 26, 2012

If I didn't work all those hours, it would be a lot harder on them. Its hard enough right now. Everyone is burned out and just way way way over worked. I feel like they should be thankful to have an extra set of hands, when I am not doing it because I have to have the money I am doing it because I care for them and want to lighten their load.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 26, 2012

Not a chance!!! I am PRN because I like PRN and don't give a rats behind about benefits. I want to take off when my Grandma needs help or has a doctor appt. When my kids have an evening ballgame etc. I will stay PRN.

I don't mean to be rude even though it might sound like it is: this could be why people are jealous. Now, don't get me wrong...this is NOT an excuse for people to be mean toward you and the should not use this as a reason to not treat you with the utmost respect.

While I would not say I'm jealous of you (in fact, I am happy for you that you have the flexibilty), it rubs me the wrong way when you say "people hate me because I'm PRN" but then "I would never give up the benefits of being PRN, they are great." I've tried to schedule around my plans, and have gotten scheduled on for my "request off" days. I'm not bitter about it; that is a fact of life for a nurse. Unfortunately, some people are going to be jealous. Unfortunately the choices are: to find a new position (can be hard to do in this economy) or deal with other's misplaced negative feelings.

kcmylorn · May 27, 2012

I can't say I was ever treated like that by the staff nurses I worked with. I was treated poorly by nursing administration, namely the nurse manager. I was PRN for 2 yrs. I was cancelled on the days I commited too and asked to come in on days I could not. I too was helping to take an aging mother. I was called to come in at 5:30 in the AM for the 7A shift. I had my but rode and was called to come in to speak with the manager over trivial crap. One such call in sessions I was told I needed to schedule time with the Informatics nurse to go over computer retraining, when I asked the Informatics nurse about it, she hit the roof. She said she can't come in on her time off she has little kids. Then I was called to come in to speak with education nurse who called me the "sandwich generation" and suggested I put my mother in a nursing home. It was the managers expectation that we attend 50% of the staff meetings per year. To meet this quota I had to attend the staff meeting in December. These meetings were at 6P at night. It had just snowed 2 feet that day. I shoveled my drive way out to get there only to find out the rotton nurse manager had cancelled the meeting. When I showed up she had the nerve to laugh in my face. When I asked why she didn't call me(she called me for every other thing) her only response was "sorry" Yeah, she was sorry alright.

Their expectation was for me to get up every morning at 5:30, sit by the phone every day and get all dressed for work in the event they would call. There were months at a time I wouldn't come in for a shift. I was cancelled up on cancelled.

I don't know how PRN staff survive- money wise. The coming in and working in my area is few and far between.

Vtachy1 · May 27, 2012

I do wish it were that way for me. Unfortunately they work me a lot of hours and I rarely ever take a weekend off. I have worked 22 days in a row. I feel like I go way way way above and beyond for them.