What Is A Per Diem Nurse? Know About Their Role In Detail

202 Comments / Job Seekers / By adminpost / July 1, 2022 July 1, 2022

A per diem nurse is a professional nurse who works with healthcare centers on a requirement basis. A per diem nurse is often utilized as a secondary alternative to full-time staff nurses to meet a facility’s or healthcare center’s staffing needs. A per diem nurse generally works in multiple healthcare settings such as acute care facilities, emergency rooms, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, mental healthcare centers, public health departments, military units, and others.

If you are a professional nurse looking to work extra shifts or just a change of pace in your job, you can switch to per diem nursing. A career in per diem nursing provides individuals the opinion to get flexible in their career. You can choose the shifts that fit your lifestyle and the facilities you want to work with.

What Does Per Diem Mean

So, what does per diem mean? Per diem is a Latin phrase that means per day. It suits well with per diem nurses as every day is different and brings different opportunities to work with. Working as a per diem healthcare employee means working as a supporting staff nurse in healthcare centers that need extra helping hands or workforce.

Working as a per diem nurse, you may be called and must be available the same day. Shifts may vary from partial shifts to eight to twelve-hour days (depending on the facility you are working with). Per diem nurses are sometimes pre-scheduled to fill in for vacant regular staff on leave or vacation.

Per diem nurses also get hired for seasonal staffing coverage, for example, during cold and flu season or during certain endemic or pandemics where patient care demand massively spikes.

Being a per diem nurse brings many benefits to you. The most crucial one is that you can take control of your career. You can choose a shift at your convenience and work in the kind of facilities you want. You can say no to offers when you are unavailable and pick when you are available. You can choose the location at your convenience and raise salary demands accordingly.

How Do I Start As A Per Diem Nurse?

If you are interested in building a career in per diem nursing, here are a few key steps to start and proceed with.

Complete your degree in nursing and clear your state-specific nursing exam.
Apply for a state license.
Connect with a good healthcare staffing firm to explore your career and learn more about the per diem department
Start building up your career.

Per diem nursing has to offer many opportunities for everyone, whether starting as a new grad or having many years of experience. It is also great to gain new experiences in different facilities and specialties and discover what you love doing.

I’kare Consulting Firm utilizes its massive network and offers a team of recruiters to help find the ideal position for you in a healthcare establishment. We listen and like to understand what you are looking for in a job. We are always here to help you build a superb career.

Advantages Of Being A Per Diem Nurse

Besides a flexible job, per diem nursing offers many benefits. To know such benefits, let’s continue reading the story below.

You Can Make More Money

Working as a per diem nurse, you can make more money as compared to full-time nurses. The hourly pay rate is higher because the facilities are not provided with other essential benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans.

Must Read:- What Is Interim Placement? Know It All Here

You Can Work As Per Your Convenience

As we say, a per diem nursing job is a flexible job. So you can work when you want, as per your convenience. You are not obligated to work on specific shifts, facilities, or places. You can be open to choosing your location, facility, and shifts. A per diem nursing job benefits you if you have children and need to look after them. This job is also advantageous when you are playing other roles as well, such as looking after your sick parents.

You Can Go On Vacation Whenever You Want

Working as a per diem nurse, you can choose to go on vacation whenever you want. You don’t need to wait for a specific time when you can ask for vacation leave at your facility. You can communicate with your employer till what time you can be available. You just need to complete your contract period and pack your bags, and that’s it. It’s time to head for a vacation.

You Can Balance Your Personal And Professional Life

One of the most significant advantages of being a per diem nurse is that you can make a balance between your professional and personal life. You don’t need to miss anything important due to your working commitments. You can attend family functions, parents’ meetings, and other school activities for your children.

Less Burnout

Burnout is a harsh reality affecting 90% of employees in the private sector. And specifically, those who are working as full-time employees. It goes the same with full-time working nurses. Working continuously in a stressed-out environment leads to burnout and other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Being a per diem nurse, you don’t need to work continuously and follow the same hectic daily schedule at one specific place. You can switch and pick a workplace as per your convenience.

You Can Work With Multiple Institutions

Being a per diem nurse, you are not obligated to work at one facility. You can work with numerous facilities and locations. You can choose the jobs that offer you the most favorable working environments. Also, you will never get bored while working with different healthcare facilities and locations. Per diem nursing jobs offer variety as well as flexibility.

You Can Travel And Work At the Same Time

Another significant advantage of being a per diem nurse is that you can pick up contracts that offer you the benefits of traveling and working at desired locations. You will have the advantage of exploring your country as well as the world.

You’ll have the advantage of picking seasonal work and making additional money.

Working as a per diem nurse, you will get the opportunity to pick up seasonal work and make additional money. This includes seasonal flu, malaria, dengue, and others.

Final Thoughts

Per diem nurses are an important part of the healthcare sector. They work on an hourly basis and provide critical services to hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. They often work for shorter periods with multiple healthcare facilities. While per diem nursing refrains you from permanent job security, retirement plans, and health insurance. It offers many other benefits such as flexibility, convenient workplace and location, and additional money.