Question about working per diem

RNKPCE · May 13, 2009

Yes. Some people also work 3 12hrs and one place and per diem somewhere else.

bill4745, RN · May 13, 2009

It's certainly possible. I know many people who do it.

Two things to consider:1. Is overtime available at your hospital? Even if is a little less per hour than agency the comfort of working in the same place may be worth it. 2. Be careful with taxes. What you make from another employer will be in your highest tax bracket. You might want to talk to an accountant or someone knowledgible about this so you don't owe a lot of taxes next April 15.

elkpark · May 13, 2009

It depends on the individual facility. Lots of them won't allow it because they aren't interested in paying you overtime. I work prn in three different facilities within a single system/employer, and it's my responsibility to make sure that I don't agree to work more than 40 hours a week total among the three different places (when they ask me to work, they don't have any way to know how many hours I'm scheduled at the other places that week). Now, if somebody really needs me and agrees up front that it's okay that it would put me over 40 hours and I'd make some overtime, that's okay -- but I can't just schedule myself for overtime without some kind of administrative approval!

If it's two different employers, the only problem is your potential tax liability.

RNperdiem, RN · May 13, 2009

If the hospital allows you to work agency at the same hospital you work full time, then maybe yes.

I do work with nurses on my unit per diem in addition to their full time nursing jobs elsewhere. They tend to be jobs that are not in bedside nursing. One guy has a research position, another teaches at a nursing school and another is an NP in a clinic.

It takes a lot of stamina to work more than a fulltime job in bedside nursing.

Many hospitals are cutting use of agency nurses to save money as well.