Working prn while working elsewhere part time

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Has anyone done this successfully? It's my first foray off my unit where I now work 2 days a week. I want to sign up for prn shifts at another hospital closer to my house to make a little more money and to just "explore." Has anyone ever done this and what difficulties did you encounter? Did you tell your workplace that you left?

I don't plan on telling a SOUL that I have another prn job if I get this one. I want it to be my own little secret. If I like it, I might leave my hospital altogether.

Best way to try something new. I've done it. I am still at both places.

It can be hard if your prn job wants to know when you are available and you don't have the schedule for the other job yet. Unless you have a set schedule at the other job.

Most of the people I have known have not made it a secret that they have more than one employer. It is to be expected when one employer can't provide overtime or enough work to pay the bills. Usually, people have their "primary" job which takes scheduling precedence, and their "secondary" job that gets any left over availability.

Oh, I do it all the time. If I had to work at the same place all the time I'd have a heart attack. PRN (at least around here) only require 2 12s a month. Not a big commitment, and besides, one should always be looking for a better job .

Thanks. I think it actually sounds like I can make it work, and I SO look forward to trying out another unit. I just want off of mine, to stop thinking that it's the only game in town, and to stop allowing it to dominate my life and my thoughts all the time.

Does anyone just work prn at more than TWO hospitals? Like make it your only thing you do? I think it could be done and it would really provide variety, as well as better pay -- but would you also get the worst assignments and/or get all your procedures and computer systems mixed up? I can see myself doing that at times. I guess if you were organized, you'd just keep binders for each place.

I'm just excited to try out another hospital also.

Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.

Getting worse assignments is a risk you have to take with PRN, but as you work at a location more and they get to know you, the assignments will get better.

I know plenty of nurses who work full time as well as per diem somewhere else. Crazy if you ask me. No one seems to mind, it's almost expected around here. Especially in this day and age of spouses getting laid off or hours cut.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I've always done 2 and love it. There hasn't ever been a shortage of hours at either of them.

I've never NOT worked a prn or part time job somewhere else. I'm the kind of paranoid person that feels like I always have to have one foot in one door and my other food in another. In this economy, I think you can't afford not to. Plus it's good ti have perspective on two different places. One place might do things better a certain way and another place might teach you something different. It's beneficial for so many reasons. Good luck!

Thanks, all -- did know this was so common. I'm all for it, with my ADD type mind. It's sad, but after 2 years, I'm so bored I have to slap myself during the day at work. I need a CHANGE!

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