Per Diem Nursing: Pros and Cons
3 min read
There are a lot of per diem nursing pros and cons that you have to keep in mind. Being a per diem or agency nurse can get paid very well and there are downsides to it too. So is Per Diem nursing worth it? Is it better to work per diem or full-time? Depends on what and where you see your career going.
You might be wondering, what does a per diem nurse do? Per Diem is a Latin phrase that means “per day. This was created to help meet the staffing requirement of hospitals and other health facilities. Per diem nurses are on temporary assignments rather than being employed on a permanent basis with set hours and days.
How many hours do per diem nurses work?
The shift in hospitals and health facilities may differ, but a per diem nurse may work eight to towels a day depending on the organization. It could also be pre-schedules so that you could fill in for the regular staff that is off on vacation. But it mostly depends on the contract that you have signed.
You could extend your contract a maximum of 3 months if the hospital or health facility you are working for really likes your performance, and maybe offer you a full-time job there, but at the end of the day, it is your choice.
Benefits of per diem nursing:
- Take Control of Your Schedule
As a per diem travel nurse, you have the flexibility in your schedule that everyone dreams to have. You could take long breaks in between your assignments for as long as you want, and you could turn down assignments if you don’t want to do them.
- High-Competitive Compensation
Per diem nurses are compensated at a much higher rate than regular full-time nurses. The average salary for full-time nurses is $43,170 while a travel per diem nursing’s average salary could reach as high as $100,000.
- Health Care Benefits
Having health care benefits usually come with the agency that you are working for. You could have 2 types of insurance, medical insurance, and the dental insurance
- Hone Multiple Specialties
Since you are traveling around, you get to work alongside experts in a wide variety of specialties. You could take this time to gain experience in multiple different states and facilities. This would allow you to keep growing with exerting stop of location that you go through. Making strategic assignment choices assures you that you would be able to hone your skills in all the specialties that you are interested in.
- Reimbursement Opportunities
Tax breaks added with the fact that per diem nurses get paid higher than full-time nurses just adds to a very flowery income.
- Balance Work and Personal Life
Work could be stressful and you may or may not need more time on your own to unwind and relax. Per diem nursing jobs allow you to make time for relaxation and rejuvenation between working hours since you are working at your own pace whenever you want. You have full control over your schedule.
- No Workplace Drama
Since you are moving around, you should do your job and leave without any strings attached. You can enjoy the job that you love with no extra commitment.
Cons of Working Per Diem
- There is no stability.
- Some per diem health professionals have no benefits like health insurance because they are not affiliated with any particular hospital, institution, or agency.
- Potential for low job security.
- The higher wages include sick pay and annual leave.
- Working in unknown locations that you are not familiar with and not knowing anyone can be scary.
- Shifts can be canceled last minute.
- You could be sent home earlier.
- Homesickness and loneliness.
You would be able to avoid any of the cons if you are aware of the rules and regulations so I suggest doing the research before accepting an assignment and going over all the rules and regulations.
Being a nurse is an in-demand job at the moment, it is a profession that will always be needed and opportunities would never falter. If you or other people you know want to be a travel per diem registered nurse, you guys could get a per diem registered nurse job at Advantage Medical Professionals.
