Advantages of Per Diem Nursing

[NursesPRN]

In the earlier years of the country's economic crisis, we saw a lot of hospitals implementing hiring freezes for nurses despite their needs for more to fully staff their shifts. Now that things have stabilized a bit, hospitals still don't have it in their budget to hire full-time nurses so they've turned to agencies, like Nurses PRN, to fill in the gaps their staffing cuts created. So what are some of the advantages to working agency per diem? Many people with business careers like to think of themselves as their own boss, so can you as a per diem nurse! You'll have the flexibility of making your own schedule. It also gives you the opportunity to get experience at different facilities, maybe get your foot in the door at the Magnet hospital you've been dying to get into. If that wasn't enough, often times hospitals are so desperate for RNs they'll offer time and a half for the entire shift.

If you want to love your profession even more, don't wait! Call Nurses PRN at 888 830-8811.

[SFRN225]

I'm a new grad RN/MSN just getting my first paid work as per diem with hospice and adult day health. The hourly wage is mid-$20s, which is low for nursing, but it's been soooo hard to get a first RN job, I'm glad just to get my employment ball rolling. With experience, I know my prospects will improve. Can anyone advise me as I accept the offer, such as: Is it better to be an employee (so employer pays Social Security, etc) vs independent contractor? If the latter, shouldn't I ask for a higher hourly rate to pay the extra Sched C taxes? Anything else I should know going into this? Thanks!

[scotttyna]

I'm a new grad RN/MSN just getting my first paid work as per diem with hospice and adult day health. The hourly wage is mid-$20s, which is low for nursing, but it's been soooo hard to get a first RN job, I'm glad just to get my employment ball rolling. With experience, I know my prospects will improve. Can anyone advise me as I accept the offer, such as: Is it better to be an employee (so employer pays Social Security, etc) vs independent contractor? If the latter, shouldn't I ask for a higher hourly rate to pay the extra Sched C taxes? Anything else I should know going into this? Thanks!

Per diem means different things at different places. One hospital near me requires a minimum of hours during a 6-week period, either 32 or 48 depending on pay and holiday obligations. Another is the opposite: per diems can work a maximum of 960 hours a year, or 19 hours a week on average. It also depends on the department; inpatient units fluctuate a lot in census, while OR/preop/PACU have scheduled surgeries and have a pretty good idea of their patient/case load ahead of time. Then there are units like the ED, where you might need a certain ratio of nurses to beds rather than nurses to patients because you don't know who will come in when. Get the particulars before you commit, and I'd advise trying to keep your other job unless you don't have time to do both; it's rough out there, especially for new grads.