With the nursing shortage, there are a lot of opportunities for you to go and travel while helping other people while doing things at your own pace. That is a big advantage of accepting per diem nursing jobs in Arkansas, especially if you are a registered nurse who is so close to burning out. Here are 10 facts about per diem nurses that you should know when you are taking this career path into consideration.
10 Facts About Per diem Nurses
1. Vacation time
Since you are not obligated to work in just a specific healthcare facility or hospital and you get to make your own schedule, you could go on vacation whenever you want. You have all of the freedom to just pack your bags and go on vacation instead of waiting for a vacation week or taking a vacation leave from work.
2. Take a whole of your own schedule
You get to work whenever you want and make your own schedule when you are a per diem nurse since it gives you the flexibility to pick up the work that you want to take and get the shifts that you want to work at. You are not obligated to work at a specific healthcare facility so you get to focus on your jobs, schooling, classes, and hobbies so that you could balance your life outside the hospital.
3. Try before you make a permanent decision
Since you get to choose which part of the hospital you work in, you get to work in different departments that you think you are interested in before you choose the specialty that you are choosing to put all your focus on.
4. Season work
If you want to make more money, you could pick up some seasonal work since that is when they are the most in need of nurses to work for their healthcare facility or hospital. With seasonal work, you get to pick up more shifts during flu season and the holidays.
5. Traveling
There are a ton of traveling contracts that could be offered to you, allowing you to see the country and gain more experience in helping you gain the right experience to further your career while making more money.
6. Making more money
This would have to be one of the biggest advantages of being a per diem nurse since your hourly rate is higher compared to the salary of a full-time staff nurse because they are not on the full-time payroll. Though they would not give you health insurance and retirement plans, you do get your salary without having to worry about paying those since you get all of the money.
7. Workplace politics
Since you are not staying in a healthcare facility for a long time, and you are going to keep moving around, you are not going to get wrapped up in workplace politics and you would not have to permanently get involved with any of the drama. You do not have to be involved in any of the work committees and groups that are assigned to you since you could be working there one day and change facilities the next. You get to put all of your focus on getting your job done.
8. Work-life balance
Since you have no obligation in the hospital or healthcare facility that you are working in, you get to go to other obligations outside the hospital like your children’s recitals, sports games, birthday parties, and family reunions.
9. Decreased burnout
Nursing burnout would have to be one of the top reasons for the nursing shortage, alongside seasoned nurses retiring. But you would be able to decrease the amount of burnout you may feel since there would be less stress, and you would feel more satisfied with the work that you are doing since your life doesn’t revolve around the hospital and you actually have a life outside it.
10. Multiple jobs
You are free to work in multiple institutions when you are a per diem nurse, so you are able to work multiple jobs while picking the type of nursing job you are working in. You could choose to work different jobs around the hospital in different institutions if you want to, giving you more experience, and getting you to work in different work environments.
There are a lot of pros in being a per diem nurse, including making more money, getting to see more of the country, gaining more experience, and furthering your career much faster compared to when you are a full-time staff nurse.
