If you are a medical aspirant or a nurse, you have career benefits that most people envy. This medical profession is in high demand, which tells that you have job security. You spend your time making patients feel better, which is why several aspirants consider nursing to be one of the upstanding professions. After choosing and completing the Per Diem course, you can leverage the flexibility that most other jobs can never offer, deciding where, when, and how frequently you work and even working at more than one hospital or job if you have enough time and are willing to make extra money. That is the benefit of the per diem nursing profession, and here are five reasons you need to consider. Dive below to know more about the per diem profession and why you should take a per diem assignment.
What Does Per Diem Mean?
Per diem means “each day” in Latin. People generally use the phrase per diem when discussing business travel costs and employee classifications. You might have heard of the phrase “per diem meal allowance” or “per diem employee.” This blog is all about per diem nurses. Per diem nurses are those temporary nurses who work in a hospital or healthcare facility. Facilities might hire per diem nurses for one day (also known as per diem for temporary assignment) or several weeks to offer nursing services to the patients. Many facilities hire per diem for long-term assignments.
Per Diem Vs. Independent Contractor
Per diem nursing employees sound much like independent contractors. So, what differentiates them? Although both kinds of employees work on an “as-required” basis, there are a few major differences when it comes to benefits, taxes, and worker security and protections.
First of all, per diem nurses are actual medical employees. Like other employees, per diem employees also get W-2 income, and their taxes are automatically deducted from their paychecks. Being a business owner, you pay taxes for your workers. Per diem nursing employees can also receive minimum pay and overtime wage.
On the other hand, independent contractors are not workers. They get 1099 NEC income, the IRS indenture that accounts for non-employee remuneration.
Unlike your regular workers, you do not reimburse FICA taxes on the wages that you pay out to contractors. Moreover, contractors are not entitled to employee benefits and workers’ protections as your full-time employees.
Below, we mention a few other major differences to aid you in properly classifying your workers:
- Per diem nursing workers generally receive training, but you typically don’t train contractors.
- Your per diem employees merely work for you (save for any authorized side jobs); contractors can operate for multiple clients, hospitals, or healthcare facilities.
- You (as an employer) have the authority to direct or manage the ways your workers using to accomplish tasks; with contractors, you merely have the power to direct or opt for the result you want
Benefits Of Taking Per Diem Assignment
Most facilities hire per diem nurses for a short period, which is why some people also know them as a short term assignment per diem. Below we have compiled a list of perks of taking per diem temporary assignment for medical aspirants. Find the list below:
Enjoy The Ideal Work-Life Balance
There may be possibilities that you’ve been employed as a full-time medical nurse, but for some reason, you want to slow down the pace a bit. Possibly you are taking care of a dear one suffering from a critical illness or have just started a family. Whether you are going to school for a higher degree, or maybe you would rather like to spend more time going with your hobbies that have nothing to do with your profession. In any of these cases, you will get work flexibility in the per diem nursing profession, which means you can decide how frequently you need to work to make a perfect work-life balance for you and your loved ones. Plus, per diem nurses are typically eligible for similar perks, such as 401(k) savings accounts and health insurance, as regular, full-time employee nurses. These benefits can vary based on which medical staffing agency you are thinking of working with.
Per Diem Nursing Profession Offers Unbeaten Flexibility
You might be wondering what is a per diem assignment, exactly? So, it is a temporary work opportunity in a hospital or healthcare facility. The per diem translates to “per day” in Latin. In the medical profession, it actually means temporary or contractual nursing employment that could last for one day or a few days, typically filling in for a healthcare or hospital facility’s unanticipated vacancies in coverage. The hospital or clinician you are covering for could be out for a vacation or sick, and for any reason, the facility will be bound to depend on per diem nursing staff to fill the vacancy. This is typically a last-minute requirement so that wages can be at the best possible, particularly around holidays. Per diem profits and consequences can differ by person-to-person, but most healthcare per diem nurses would say the best part is the work-hour flexibility. You have the authority to choose when or where to work. Being a per diem nurse, you can decide if you want to work, say no if you don’t. You are allowed to perform one per diem shift a month or a few per week. It’s all up to you. So, this is why most nursing aspirants consider choosing this profession. In this profession, flexibility and lucrative opportunities are the most prime benefits.
Also Read:- What are the Roles and Responsibilities of A Traveling Nurse
Make Extra Income
Everyone on the planet wants to generate extra income, so do you. You always want to make extra money no matter what you are doing. Whether you plan your dream vacation, pay off your student loans, or make a huge purchase such as a new home or car. Several people also want to make additional money for vacations or holidays. You may be sweating that working too many shifts in your full-time facility could cause burnout, which would make generating that extra dollar tougher. So, making it easier with choosing per diem nursing jobs. It is ideal for raising your bank account balance by working a lot or a bit until you save what you require. If a hospital facility hires you for a per diem travel assignment, they will reimburse your travel expenses.
Enhance Your Nursing Skills And Knowledge
You are undoubtedly enjoying working with your current hospital or healthcare facility. Still, you’d like to learn a new skill or technology or work in an educational institute or hospital to enhance your skill set. Per diem nursing shift work is a great opportunity for you to traverse these choices without the bound for a permanent commitment. You may realize that you are keen to explore the new facility or technology that your career path switches to direction. Picking to advance your nursing career in this way is yet another one of the perks of working as a per diem nurse.
Try A New Facility Or Specialty Before You Commit
A few people value consistency and stability so much that they thought it could restrain their career ladder. For instance, maybe you are willing to switch to the facility or specialty where you currently work, but you are scared you might regret it later and lose your consistency. Per diem profession is an excellent way to explore these opportunities beforehand. You can choose some per diem shifts to try something new to determine if it’s something you’d like to work full-time without having to risk the persistence you already have. When you realize this is something that you actually like, you can make a decision to switch your career path, knowing you’ve completed your research to make sure that it is the correct move for you.
So, are you ready to give per diem a chance? We are here to help you get one. I’Kare Consulting Firm LLC is an agency that offers medical staffing services. If you want to work as a per diem nurse, search our current per diem nursing openings on our website.