Question about PRN nurse pay differential

Nurses General Nursing

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I just started a new position and found out after I started that the administration had discontinued PRN differential (even though it was still listed as a benefit on the company web page when I submitted my application....they have removed that after I questioned this, I had a screen save).

I just found out through other staff that they are no longer paying PRN staff holiday pay either even though it is a requirement to pick up two holidays.

My question is: I have never in all my years have heard of either of these things. Has anyone else seen this? Is this a new trend?

They also rolled my certification pay into my hourly rate that was quoted to me in my offer letter without specifying that.

I’m really discouraged. 

 

 

 

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43 minutes ago, lavenderskies said:

 

I just found out through other staff that they are no longer paying PRN staff holiday pay either even though it is a requirement to pick up two holidays.

Not every facility pays per diem nurses a higher wage. As for the holiday pay, I hope there's some misunderstanding.

As PRN staff myself, I absolutely DO get paid (time and a half) for the holidays I work. What I don't get is the extra eight hours of "holiday pay" that regular full time staff get on every holiday- whether they work or not. I believe that is fair.

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Specializes in Rehab/Nurse Manager.

It's my understanding that PRN staff are usually paid with some sort of incentive.  In fact, that's something that drives me nuts about my own job.  I'm a manager, and some of the nursing staff I supervise actually make more than I do because they are PRN.  Regardless, back to you.  I would say that it is typical for PRN staff to receive a differential, but honestly, each employer can pretty much decide what they want to pay as long as it's livable.  Of course, in order to inspire people to work for them, many employers will do their best to make their pay competitive, which may include offering incentives or differentials, but it is not guaranteed and should not be expected.  

As far as the holiday pay goes, at my facility, the PRN staff do not get paid holiday pay since their hourly pay is considerably more than the regular staff's pay rate. 

So as far as trends go, I'm not sure about any of that.  I do know that it's obviously going to vary between facilities, so if what this facility is offering to you isn't satisfactory, you can always look around to see what other options are available. 

Good luck! 

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As PRN, you are the red headed stepchild. Administration can do what they will. It does not matter if this is a new "trend". Only you can know if the perks of PRN outweigh the negatives. Keep your eye out for something better.

 

 

8 hours ago, SilverBells said:

It's my understanding that PRN staff are usually paid with some sort of incentive.  In fact, that's something that drives me nuts about my own job.  I'm a manager, and some of the nursing staff I supervise actually make more than I do because they are PRN.  Regardless, back to you.  I would say that it is typical for PRN staff to receive a differential, but honestly, each employer can pretty much decide what they want to pay as long as it's livable.  Of course, in order to inspire people to work for them, many employers will do their best to make their pay competitive, which may include offering incentives or differentials, but it is not guaranteed and should not be expected.  

As far as the holiday pay goes, at my facility, the PRN staff do not get paid holiday pay since their hourly pay is considerably more than the regular staff's pay rate. 

So as far as trends go, I'm not sure about any of that.  I do know that it's obviously going to vary between facilities, so if what this facility is offering to you isn't satisfactory, you can always look around to see what other options are available. 

Good luck! 

Nice hijack.

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On 3/28/2021 at 8:40 PM, SilverBells said:

It's my understanding that PRN staff are usually paid with some sort of incentive.  In fact, that's something that drives me nuts about my own job.  I'm a manager, and some of the nursing staff I supervise actually make more than I do because they are PRN.  Regardless, back to you.  I would say that it is typical for PRN staff to receive a differential, but honestly, each employer can pretty much decide what they want to pay as long as it's livable.  Of course, in order to inspire people to work for them, many employers will do their best to make their pay competitive, which may include offering incentives or differentials, but it is not guaranteed and should not be expected.  

As far as the holiday pay goes, at my facility, the PRN staff do not get paid holiday pay since their hourly pay is considerably more than the regular staff's pay rate. 

So as far as trends go, I'm not sure about any of that.  I do know that it's obviously going to vary between facilities, so if what this facility is offering to you isn't satisfactory, you can always look around to see what other options are available. 

Good luck! 

At the last two facilities I’ve been PRN and I make the same exact hourly wage as my peers which is dependent on experience. I have zero benefits and my only compensation is a perdiem pay so I can purchase my own insurance.

I am not guaranteed anything including hours. So it’s critical I set aside this perdiem to purchase my insurance. I love how admins and managers see this perdiem pay as extra salary. It’s not. How convenient to not compare apples to apples.

An FTE’d employee is a very expensive hourly employee when their benefits are prorated per hour.

Staff and managers need us PRN to fill the holes and cover vacations. So didrespectful to treat us like a problem and like they’re doing us a favor. No wonder nurses are leaving in droves.

 

 

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On 3/28/2021 at 10:30 PM, lavenderskies said:

I just found out through other staff that they are no longer paying PRN staff holiday pay either even though it is a requirement to pick up two holidays.

My question is: I have never in all my years have heard of either of these things. Has anyone else seen this? Is this a new trend?

They also rolled my certification pay into my hourly rate that was quoted to me in my offer letter without specifying that.

I’m really discouraged. 

I wouldn't work the holiday if they won't pay you the same wage as everyone else. It seems you they want you to own up to your end but won't own up to theirs. 

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

This is becoming more common. I  switched to PRN at my current job about a year ago and they do not give a PRN differential. 

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Our hospital has not had a per diem differential in the four plus years I've worked there. However, they are paid holiday pay and overtime the same as staff (time and a half over eight hours). The reasoning as told to me was that the benefit of working per diem was the flexibility of the schedule with very little required (ours are required 8 hours per pay period, but that's on average so they can miss many pay periods and then work a full time week), and one weekend day per six months, so no extra pay is offered. 

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3 minutes ago, JBMmom said:

Our hospital has not had a per diem differential in the four plus years I've worked there. However, they are paid holiday pay and overtime the same as staff (time and a half over eight hours). The reasoning as told to me was that the benefit of working per diem was the flexibility of the schedule with very little required (ours are required 8 hours per pay period, but that's on average so they can miss many pay periods and then work a full time week), and one weekend day per six months, so no extra pay is offered. 

Yeah that’s not happening out west at least in the places I’ve been and have peers at. Minimum shifts to pick up are increasing more and more. They are to be met monthly. There’s a significant push to punish PRN into applying for unfilled FTE positions. I don’t see my peers applying for them tho they’re leaving the profession.

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On 8/10/2021 at 12:45 PM, cutiepie2012 said:

This is becoming more common. I  switched to PRN at my current job about a year ago and they do not give a PRN differential. 

Do they require you to pick up a certain number of shifts/weekends/holidays?

If so do they pay you differentials for those?

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On 8/10/2021 at 7:25 PM, JBMmom said:

The reasoning as told to me was that the benefit of working per diem was the flexibility of the schedule with very little required (ours are required 8 hours per pay period, but that's on average so they can miss many pay periods and then work a full time week), and one weekend day per six months, so no extra pay is offered. 

This has really changed.

It used to be that they are paid more due to no benefits of any kind (including PTO) and no guarantee of work.

More recent practice seems to be yet another sign related to the nursing shortage.....or lack thereof.

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.
11 hours ago, lavenderskies said:

Do they require you to pick up a certain number of shifts/weekends/holidays?

If so do they pay you differentials for those?

They require 5 shifts per 6 week schedule. Shift differentials are the same for all nursing staff. It’s $1.50 for weeknights and $3 for weekends. In the past when I have worked PRN, the pay ranged from $30-35/hr and you still got shift diff. These were HCA facilities though and they tend to pay more in my area. 

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