I would say for about half of my nursing career, I have been employed as PRN status, or per diem, versus full-time status. It has worked for me better than full-time multiple times in my career.
Why working as a PRN status nurse has worked for me:
- Flexibility
The biggest reason I have worked under PRN status as much as I have is the flexibility in scheduling! I have complete control over my schedule and when I work. - Increase in Pay
As a PRN nurse, you get an increase in your hourly wage. Some companies even offer different PRN tiers for pay. One place, the lowest to the highest tier ranged between $6 an hour! - Variety in Jobs
I typically would have two or three PRN jobs at a given time. In one place I may do the minimum requirement (usually one shift every 30 days) and work most of my hours at the other(s), or split it up pretty evenly. By having multiple places of employment, I don’t usually get bored. I also like having multiple jobs to ensure I get the number of hours and the schedule I want!
Cons of working only as PRN status:
- No insurance
Fortunately for me, my husband carries our health and dental insurance. - No paid time off
When I decide to go on vacation or take time off, we have to budget and plan for that since I do not get any PTO under PRN status. - No 401k (sometimes)
Some places have offered 401k if you work over a certain number of hours as a PRN nurse, but others have not. If an employer does not offer 401k for PRN status employees, I have to consider other ways to save for retirement. - You might not be able to start a new specialty as PRN
This definitely depends on the specialty because I did work at an outpatient surgery center PRN but some companies won’t train you for only PRN status if you do not have experience already.
