PRN jobs

I work agency and I am now making over 8 bucks more an hour than my last employer! Oh heck yes, taking advantage of that for sure!

If I work a holiday swing shift at hospital I will make over 12 bucks more an hour! But so far...well...I like holidays with the family (it is the first time in 8 years my hubby, who is paramedic, has the holidays off...so well worth it to me!).

Good luck! :)

Because some people need to provide for insurance benefits for their families and selves and also need SET and reliable schedules. Those are two reasons right there why I can think many do not work PRN.

Because some people need to provide for insurance benefits for their families and selves and also need SET and reliable schedules. Those are two reasons right there why I can think many do not work PRN.

Right, if you're PRN and the hospital is slow, you don't work.

Agency is an option, but you really need 1-2 years of experience first.

I did both for awhile, worked agency and PRN at hospitals. Not having benefits sucked and when the hospitals weren't busy, I was the first called off because I made more. Trying to coordinate schedules was a nightmare, also. Also, commuting to one hospital cost me more in gas and car maintenance. Also, keeping up with each computer charting system was a headache for me.

I have thought of PRN work. :) I believe that I need the constancy of regular scheduling, same hours and days when possible.

A returning student,

Angels'

"Footsteps In The Sand"

I have just done this-work 2 different hospitals both PRN. I didn't like one of the hospitals so I am staying with one, and though there is the chance that you may get called off or cancelled, the only times that I have seen this happen was during the summer. I think it might work better being a PRN in a more "rural" community where nurses are harder to come by these days. Also at this particular hospital a PRN can sign a contract which for 3 months at a time you have a "set" schedule and the "contract" nurse is the last to be cancelled. This has doubled my salary :) . I didn't sign a contract but am on the schedule regularly. So far it has worked to my advantage. We do have to work at least 1 scheduled holiday per year, which is fine with me b/c that means time and a half to boot!! I will work all the holidays if they need me with the exception of Christmas!! I was really astonished that they would consider new grads for this PRN as well!! Again, I think that is an advantage that the rural settings can offer versus the larger metropolitan hospitals.

I have left my staff position to do per diem/agency full-time. I also incorporated so I can do independent contracting. I do supply my own health insurance but got a good BC/BS family plan for $10 more a week than I was paying as a staff nurse. It works for me because I love the flexibility and love deciding when and where I work. I can mix up shifts and do things I could not do as staff. I work psych, chem dependency, and LTC/skilled..so I never seem to be short on shifts. I'm flexible and I get all the hours I need.

For me, being per diem, is perfect! I can work as much or as little as I want, make my own schedule; and the weekend and holiday committment is minimal. In fact I haven't worked any holiday's that I haven't wanted to in the last several years. The drawbacks, of course is the lack of benefits...if you need them. For many, many people, that is not the case. Also very feasible is to set up your own insurance and retirement contributions. You do get paid a significant amount of money extra to be per diem.

There are pros and cons to each side, although I know that in the majority of hospitals...."set schedules" are not possible. Obviously they are out there somewhere, but most hospital units will not guarantee set schedules.