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Nursing is rewarding, but balancing full-time work is challenging, especially if you have young children or care for an elderly parent. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between your job and personal life. Per diem nursing is one of the most flexible employment options for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Keep reading to learn more about per diem nursing and how it benefits employers, plus get tips for landing high-paying per diem nursing jobs.
How Per Diem Nursing Differs
Per diem nursing, also called PRN nursing, involves working on an as-needed basis instead of committing to a full-time or part-time schedule. It differs from travel nursing jobs, where you commit to a set duration and schedule, usually working with an agency and signing a contract.
PRN jobs usually involve no contracts or long-term commitments. Nurses can pick up shifts when they want, based on facility needs, such as nursing shortages due to maternity leaves or increased patient load during flu season. Many facilities bring on per diem nurses before the holidays, expecting more staff members than usual to request time off. You may also find more per diem opportunities than normal during the summer when many employees take vacations.
If you land a long-term PRN job, the facility may call you when another nurse calls in sick to see if you can cover one or more shifts until their return. Hospitals also may call in per diem nurses if a natural disaster or other mass casualty event requires more nurses immediately.
Not all facilities structure their PRN programs the same, so read each job posting carefully to find out what it entails. For example, one job may require you to work at the same hospital each shift, while another requires you to rotate through several facilities owned by an extensive healthcare system.
Benefits for Employers
Hiring PRN nurses has several benefits for employers. One of the most significant is the ability to maintain safe staffing ratios. When departments are short-staffed, nurses and other employees face increased workloads, reducing their capacity to monitor patients effectively. Per diem nurses provide essential coverage, prioritizing adequate staffing levels and patient safety.
Implementing a PRN nursing program helps healthcare facilities save money. When a hospital hires a full-time nurse, they typically provide health insurance, tuition reimbursement and other valuable benefits, increasing the cost of employing each person. In most cases, PRN nurses aren’t eligible for these benefits, making it possible to address staffing shortages without hiring as many full-time employees.
Hiring per diem nurses also helps reduce recruiting expenses. For example, when a hospital requires temporary coverage, advertising, interviewing and conducting background checks for potential candidates is time-consuming and costly. By utilizing a pool of per diem nurses, healthcare facilities can quickly fill temporary gaps without incurring the high costs and delays associated with traditional recruitment processes.
Advantages of Per Diem Nursing
The biggest advantages of per diem nursing for nurses are flexibility and the potential for a higher salary. Combined, these perks potentially enhance your work-life balance and quality of life.
Some hospitals allow per diem nurses to work just a few hours daily, allowing you to work while your kids are at school and still be there for drop off and pick up. If you care for an elderly parent, working as a PRN nurse gives you more days off to take them to medical appointments or simply enjoy spending time with them. Per diem work is also ideal if you’re enrolled in an educational program and need extra time to study or complete clinical requirements.
Per diem nursing offers an excellent way to transition from full-time work to retirement. As you age, the physical demands of a full-time nursing position may become challenging, but that doesn’t mean you need to leave your career entirely. PRN nursing allows you to work a few days per week, keeping your mind engaged and your skills sharp until you’re ready for full retirement.
When you work in the same department all the time, you get used to doing the same tasks day after day. After a while, you may find the job mundane and less rewarding. Depending on how your facility’s PRN program works, you could rotate through several departments, allowing you to learn new skills and continue challenging yourself as a nurse. As a bonus, working in multiple departments makes building relationships with other healthcare professionals easier.
Disadvantages of Per Diem Nursing
Despite its advantages, per diem nursing has some drawbacks. For example, most facilities don’t offer benefits to PRN nurses. You may be able to buy coverage on the federal Health Insurance Marketplace or your state’s health insurance exchange, but it becomes an added expense without employer contributions.
You probably won’t qualify for paid time off, either. That means you won’t get paid for any days you have to miss due to medical appointments, vacations, family obligations or other activities. On the plus side, you don’t have to get vacation time approved. You simply don’t schedule yourself during whatever time you want off. Also, PRN nurses don’t have as many required holiday commitments as staff nurses.
Another drawback is that you may get fewer shifts than you need to cover your expenses. Sometimes, you won’t get called into work unless another nurse calls in or there’s a sudden need for additional nursing staff. If you only work a couple of days per week, you won’t make as much or get paid as regularly as you would if you worked a steadier part-time job.
If you get floated to a department where you don’t have much experience, you may need time to adjust, making the job more stressful. Most staff nurses are happy to have extra help but don’t take it personally if someone seems frustrated by your questions or your lack of familiarity with the department’s policies and procedures.
Earning Potential for Per Diem Nurses
The demand for PRN nurses remains high, with close to 300 per diem jobs available on the Vivian jobs marketplace on May 15, 2024. According to Vivian Health’s salary data during mid-May 2024, hourly rates for per diem nursing jobs ranged from $38 to $250. How much you earn depends on where you live, what type of nursing you prefer and which employer you choose.
The table below offers an overview of hourly per diem rates nationwide for RNs in different specialties and locations, providing an idea of earning potential in these roles.
| Specialty | State | Hourly Rate |
| Operating Room | California | $92 |
| Medical-Surgical | California | $73 |
| Intensive Care Unit | Texas | $64 |
| Emergency | Washington | $61 |
| Operating Room | New Hampshire | $60 |
| Emergency | Virginia | $54 |
| Intensive Care Unit | Florida | $54 |
| Medical-Surgical | Utah | $51 |
Vivian Health’s salary data indicated that California routinely offers higher per diem rates, with wages often between $57 and $92 per hour based on specialty. Conversely, Florida tends to have lower-than-average rates for per diem nurses, ranging from $28 to $54 per hour during the same period.
Generally, the more specialized your skills, the more you’ll earn as a per diem nursing professional. No matter where you work, per diem, nursing usually pays better than working as a full-time staff nurse.
How to Become a Per Diem Nurse
To become a per diem nurse, you need a valid nursing degree, either an Associate of Science in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Registered Nurse license, which requires passing the NCLEX-RN exam and meeting state licensure requirements. Typically, one to two years of clinical experience is necessary.
A great way to find per diem nursing jobs is on Vivian’s jobs marketplace. Our platform allows you to search for positions based on location, specialty and other preferences. Networking with colleagues and contacting hospitals, clinics and nursing homes can lead to additional opportunities. Staffing agencies specializing in PRN placements can also match you with suitable per diem positions.
Employment Options
Various hospital settings offer per diem nursing jobs. These jobs may be available in the following types of facilities:
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
- Specialty Hospitals
- Urgent Care Centers
- Freestanding Emergency Departments
- Outpatient Clinics
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
Per diem travel nursing is also an option, combining the flexibility of PRN work with the benefits of traveling around the country. Travel per diem nursing allows you to move whenever you want instead of being stuck in a contract. The drawback is that you’re on the hook for your license fees and travel and housing expenses, making it unrealistic for some nurses.
As of May 2024, 41 states or U.S. territories enacted the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). Nurses who qualify for a multistate Compact license in one participating state can practice in another participating state without obtaining additional licensure. If you want to work as a travel per diem nurse in a state that hasn’t adopted the eNLC, you must go through that state’s licensure process before accepting assignments.
Some travel and staff nurses may work full-time for one facility and work per diem shifts for another facility as a side hustle. Depending on a per diem nurse’s agreement with a facility, they may take a 13-week travel contract in another state and then return home to their per diem role. These arrangements help travel nurses keep their permanent tax home, which is needed to qualify for tax-free stipends.
RELATED: How Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Work
An alternative to per diem nursing for nurses wishing to work fewer hours or have a better work-life balance is work-from-home jobs. Besides telehealth, several remote nursing jobs allow you to give up the commute and work from home or wherever you have internet access.
Future Outlook
Per diem nursing is gaining traction due to healthcare legislation, economic factors and workforce dynamics. The aging population, the Affordable Care Act and proposed nurse staffing laws significantly increase the demand for healthcare services and more nurses. Facilities frequently turn to per diem nurses to fill staffing gaps and forego the increased costs of hiring full-time or part-time staff. Nurses value per diem for schedule flexibility, accommodating personal commitments and further education.
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Discover exciting healthcare opportunities when you browse Vivian Health’s jobs marketplace and find the perfect per diem nursing position for you.
