I haven't posted on here in a while! But I am currently a full time RN at a local hospital med/surg/tele unit. We were recently bought out/joined to a certain health network and I am now making .70 cents less an hour (because their shift differential is based on base pay and not the straight $4.00 like our previous employers were)... our insurance is more expensive, I'm now paying for student loans for my husband (who is proudly a stay at home dad) .. and needless to say.. we're broke!! No longer able to make it on just my base income alone...
I am really wishing to supplement our income with some PRN shifts. I have an interview at a nursing home and I was just wondering what is everyone's thoughts on working PRN in a NH setting on top of working in a hospital???
I am hoping to work at least 2-3 days a month. I would be happy if I just even worked 1 day a month. I know it will be hard on me (I also have a 1 year old) but this is what we have to do right now to pay down some debt and save money. My husband has actually looked for and applied at several part time jobs but no one is willing to work with a rotating schedule (mine)...
Do PRN nurses at NH'S typically make more money per hour?? I realize you do not receive benefits or anything. What if you went on maternity leave... do they keep your job for at least 12 weeks even though you don't get 'benefits'?
Also what is your experience in general working in a NH as an RN?? What do you find yourself doing most on night shifts?
Specializes in Tele, Stepdown, Med/Surg, education.
I have had a PRN job in addition to my FT one for three years. But not all PRN jobs pay more.
Can you pick up extra shifts with your current employer...even if it is on a different floor/unit? That would make you the most money since you'd get time and a half after 40 hours.
I dont' know about that taxes will eat that up (for me no dep) so I have to make the money on a totally different check.
I dont' know about that taxes will eat that up (for me no dep) so I have to make the money on a totally different check.
That's a common misconception. If you're only working 2-3 extra shifts per month you shouldn't see a difference in the percentage deducted on your paycheck.
At the end of the year, if you made enough extra money to put you into a different tax bracket, it doesn't matter if you made your money working OT at your current job or if you made it somewhere else; you will still pay the same amount of taxes.
The main difference will be that you can make more money in fewer hours with your current job, unless you happen to find a PRN job that pays a lot more per hour than your current job.
If you do end up working a PRN job that puts you into a higher tax bracket by the end of the year, you will need to be careful that you have enough taxes deducted or you could end up owing the IRS come April.
haha if I could get just any PT job other than nursing then my husband would be working extra not me. The only reason we're resorting to PRN work is because he is having a hard time finding a little part time job that will work with my ever changing schedule. I've thought about even doing home health care visiting (not particularly nursing) but if I am going to work extra away from home I would like to make as much $ as I can in those hours and PRN nursing seems to be the best option so far....
I have had a PRN job in addition to my FT one for three years. But not all PRN jobs pay more.
Can you pick up extra shifts with your current employer...even if it is on a different floor/unit? That would make you the most money since you'd get time and a half after 40 hours.
We have a float pool and I would say 2-3 people get VCD's every other day (voluntary call day for low census)... and they do NOT want us to stay later than 7:30 AM because they are crazy about money... I have actually picked up a 4 hour shift because they have been SHORT early in the week and I will have you know they have called me off of a 12 hour shift because I would be in overtime... NO JOKE.
I am just wondering for your PRN people with other jobs... how did you go about orienting to the facility?? Do they orient you once a week or part time like twice a week for so many weeks?
I am just wondering for your PRN people with other jobs... how did you go about orienting to the facility?? Do they orient you once a week or part time like twice a week for so many weeks?
I'm sure it varies with the facility, but at my facility, our charge orients the per diem for a few hours, gives them some printed instructions and then they're on their own. That's why you have to have experience before working per diem.
I wouldn't want to work PRN in addition to FT, but that's me. I work nights in LTC, and its busy. People don't sleep as many would assume. Someone needs to be toileted, gets sick, etc. There are more administrative type duties that are left to nights. But if you are only looking to work a couple of shifts a month, that would probably be ok.
I wouldn't do home health with your set up. Remember, they'll have your driving around and that takes a whole lotta extra time (no matter if they tell you you can be local). Then, there is usually lots of charting because they will have you doing all they need to get paid too. I know someone who prns at a LTC, most of the time she does front desk, so it's a nice change for her. Also it's very close to home for her.
My situation wouldn't help you. I was hired by my two jobs at the same time and was able to work it out so I started the PRN job first, did two FT weeks of orientation, then started the FT job. The PRN job finished my orientation by scheduling around my FT job, which took another two weeks or so (I don't recall exactly). I had a longer orientation than most PRN jobs because I was also floating to all floors so I needed to be trained on all of them.
Thanks GM, I can't imagine being hired to two jobs at the same time! I just hope they are flexible with the orientation because I believe I would be a great addition to their staff if they work with me.. and I assume that most prn people have other jobs so they are used to working with your schedule.. and my application does state that I have a full time job in a hospital so they know what they're getting themselves into..
I really hope I get this job! My only concern is keeping my job if I were to get pregnant and with maternity leave I know you have 12 weeks legally of leave before they give up your job but with prn and the 'no benefits' I don't know if it reigns the same...
Update: I had the interview and I think it went great but the person I spoke to said that they didn't know if they would want to put
so much effort into hiring and orienting someone that is only going to work 2 days a month (what?!?!?).. I asked her what the minimum was and she said... 2 days a month... and I asked her what their prn's usually work... she said 4 or so days a month. I am open to working up to 4 days but I can't guarantee that I am going to work 4 days every single month because I DO work full time ...
The pay is oh.. only about I dono, 7$ more than my base pay (but about $3 more than my actual pay if you take into consideration shift diff)...
I am still hoping for the job. It has been 1 week and 2 days and she said if I don't hear anything in two weeks to call back, because I guess the person that normally does the hiring is on sick leave. They did a urine test on the spot. The only thing I'm worried about is the orientation.. two days a week for three weeks. I will just have to ask for a LOT of voluntary call days at my FT job:) So would you wait until the official two weeks has been up to call them back or is it too presumptuous to call back tomorrow?
SRDAVIS
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I dont' know about that taxes will eat that up (for me no dep) so I have to make the money on a totally different check.