per diem and night shift pay difference? just curious?

TriciaJ, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Every place of employment has its own pay scale. Some have a union contract and some have workers who are unrepresented. You have to check with the facility or agency where you have applied to work.

LobotRN, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Hey, in general, night pay is a premium category (e.g. a little extra based on company scales) and then per diem (aka part time, even if you do a lot of hours) is also a little/lot more, because you don't get the benefits at all of health, prescription, life, AD&D, 401K (depending on what they offer). So, yes, you make a lot more cash on payday being per diem, you also don't have employer sponsored benefits.....

JSBoston · Nov 18, 2011

Also if you are per diem you are not guaranteed hours at all, so if you are not needed for 2 weeks or however long, then are you really are not making more at all of course.

sf415 · Nov 18, 2011

thanks for the replies. What about if you work a 12 hour shift? Do you get overtime if it's a unionized hospital? I'm wondering if a per diem position is worth it if it's close to where I live, compared to a hospital that is full time with benefits but an hour commute.

I'm just a new grad curious about random things!

JSBoston · Nov 18, 2011

I might be wrong, but I don't know of a single place that gives overtime for a 12hr shift. I haven't received overtime unless I'm over 40hrs per week, and as a per diem, like I said, you are totally not guaranteed anything. Sometimes when it's crazy, I'll see a per diem nurse all the time, and then not again for weeks or more. I'm not sure about being union or not, I've never belonged to a unionized hospital.

With a FT job you'll have benefits, Per Diem you won't. FT you'll be guaranteed hours unless your facility does some on-call or canceling which some places do. Per diem are usually the first to be cancelled depending on census. If there are a ton of hours available, you'll be able to basically pick your schedule with a per diem position, but nothing is set in stone and you could end up with very few shifts and very little money.

As a new grad, I know a lot of you have a hard time getting jobs and sometimes you have to take what you can get. But personally I would NOT recommend a per diem job being brand new to nursing, or that specialty specifically. After orientation, what if you don't get called for 3 weeks? New grads need to see a lot and see it often for learning, IMO. The commute sucks, but I'd recommend trying for the FT position. Not to mention, hospitals might be very hesitant to hire a new grad as a per diem. Usually they want someone who will require less training and monitoring. But every place is different.

Good luck!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

I might be wrong, but I don't know of a single place that gives overtime for a 12hr shift.

States such as California pay daily overtime for anything over 8 hours. Therefore, some CA hospitals pay overtime for the last 4 hours of a 12 hour shift.

oshkosh20 · Nov 18, 2011

Night shift is $3 above base rate and $4 more dollars on top of your base pay for weekends. So if you worked nights and weekends that would be $7 on top of your base pay. Overtime is only given for hours over 40hrs for the week. PRN requirement for my hospital is 48 hours a month, which is one 12 hour shift a week. Every hospital is different, this is just what I have seen at the hospital I am at now.

GM2RN · Nov 18, 2011

As a new grad, I know a lot of you have a hard time getting jobs and sometimes you have to take what you can get. But personally I would NOT recommend a per diem job being brand new to nursing, or that specialty specifically. After orientation, what if you don't get called for 3 weeks? New grads need to see a lot and see it often for learning, IMO. The commute sucks, but I'd recommend trying for the FT position. Not to mention, hospitals might be very hesitant to hire a new grad as a per diem. Usually they want someone who will require less training and monitoring. But every place is different.
Good luck!

I have a different take on this. Sure, per diem means you aren't guaranteed any hours and they might end up being hard to come by, but per diem also means that you are not obligated either. You don't want to work the weekend or Christmas Day, you don't have to. So I say, taking the per diem job isn't going to hurt you at all. If you don't get any hours you've lost nothing and you can still look for a FT position. On the other hand, any hours you do get are better than nothing. PLUS, you have that proverbial foot in the door and will be considered for any positions posted for internal applicants only. It's a win/win situation in my opinion.

JSBoston · Nov 18, 2011

OT for over 12hrs/shift! I went to the wrong state! Massachusetts doesn't pay over 12, unless that 12 is over 40/week total.

Do-over, ASN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Some per diem or contingent contracts require a certain portion of weekends and holidays to be worked.

sf415 · Nov 18, 2011

thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it. And yes as a new grad I will accept any offer- even working all weekends and holidays! =) Youre right in this economy you just have to get a foot in the door (especially in san francisco which is where I am from).