Per Diem nurses seem to have it all–flexible work hours, self scheduling, higher pay compared to staff nurses, and the ability to work where you are fairly familiar with core staff and management. But if you are a per diem nurse you know that there are times when it seems impossible to get scheduled! My husband, who works per diem, recently encountered a situation like this. The hospital hired several waves of traveler nurses in anticipation for a spike in patient admissions during peak flu season which resulted in “low operational need” for their per diem nurses. It was frustrating to be faced with no way of earning for the foreseeable future. Here are the ways we continued to bring in earnings and managed during this dry period. The lists will be split up between benefitted staff RNs and non-benefited per diem RNs.
How to Earn Extra Income as a Benefitted Staff RN:
My husband and I are strategically employed. I am a benefitted staff nurse while he is a non benefited per diem nurse. I am able to work steady hours and provide my family with various health benefits. Conversely, he is able to work a flexible schedule at a higher pay rate due to not having employee benefits. When my husband’s hours and overtime took a hit, there were several things I implemented to maintain and even bolster my earnings.
- Take some classes to earn CEUs and use your education hours.
One of the best ways to supplement your income as a staff nurse is to use your education hours to take classes and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Not only will you be learning new skills and expanding your knowledge, but you will also be able to earn additional income. You might even be able to get certified in a specialty that would allow you to earn extra income or work extra hours. For example, you could get your chemo certification and be able to work with patient assignments that others would not. Or you can simply take nursing classes for the sake of expanding your knowledge while bringing in extra earnings.
- Communicate with staffing and management so they are aware you are willing to pick up and stay over so they are more inclined to offer you hours when available.
Communication is key when it comes to getting more hours as a staff nurse. Let your staffing and management team know that you are willing to pick up extra shifts and stay over if needed. By showing that you are willing to go above and beyond, you increase the likelihood that they will offer you additional hours when they become available.
- Join a committee so you can earn while you work on improving your working conditions.
One way that I was able to work toward bringing forth positive change on my home unit while also earning extra income was by joining a committee. Many hospitals sponsor committees that aim to improve staff morale, teamwork and compliance with unit standards. Joining a committee allowed me access to additional income by way of meetings and time spent working on projects that could measurably improve different aspects of where I work. Many times committee work can offer an enjoyable breath of fresh air from actual bedside nursing while making a difference for staff which can in turn positively affect patient outcomes and safety.
- Attend meetings and training that is required and paid.
It is inevitable that nurses will be required to participate in some sort of mandatory training or unit meeting. Mandatory meetings and training can work in your favor as they are most often paid hours. Meetings and training can be great ways to earn a few hours of additional income.
- Open up your availability on your online scheduler app or website.
Whether you have an online scheduler or communicate with your staffing department directly, make sure you mark yourself as available if you want to be considered for any available overtime or extra shifts. By making yourself available through official channels, you increase your chances of picking up extra hours.
- Cancel upcoming vacation days so you can work instead.
While canceling pre-approved time off may not be what you want to do, sometimes it makes more sense for you to change your plans and work instead. If you are trying to find ways to earn income, taking time off when hours are slow may not be the best option. Once your partner’s hours come back, then you can find ways to utilize the PTO hours you still have for the vacation you held off on.
How to earn extra income as a non-benefited per diem RN:
Creativity with how he continued to earn was crucial when my husband was not able to work as many days as he was used to working. Some of the challenges he faced included lesser seniority than other per diem nurses, child care concerns and working around my set schedule, and working shifts outside of his comfort zone. Keep reading to learn about some of the ways he managed when available hours were extremely low for him as a per diem nurse. Some of these actions he took could help you out if you are in a similar position.
- Be ready to apply for a second part time job at a different hospital or facility for more steady and reliable hours.
Update your resume, cover letter, and get in touch with your professional network of colleagues and friends who you can list as a reference. The dry spell might not last more than a few weeks to months, but if you are unwilling or unable to tolerate not being able to work and earn an income, then a staff part time position might be the right route for you.
- Offer to cover shifts for staff who have had vacation requests canceled or would simply enjoy an extra shift off.
Many staff nurses would love to help out a fellow colleague while also enjoying some time off to spend time with loved ones or take a staycation. When my husband’s hours got severely reduced, I went around to nurses on my floor and let everyone know that he was available and willing to pick up if they were interested. I had several staff nurses from different floors approach me about getting a shift covered.
- Collaborate with other per diem nurses to absorb a travel assignment before it gets fulfilled.
In some cases, your hospital will post travel nurse positions they will be fulfilling soon in a common area like your unit’s break room. The available positions will likely be posted for a set amount of time before they get fulfilled by an actual travel nurse. Talk with your manager about taking over one of these travel assignment templates before they get officially picked up by a travel nurse. You would be obligated to work the scheduled shifts as if you were a staff nurse throughout the entire assignment period.
You can split up the days of the assignment template between several per diem nurses. For example if the template calls for a 12 hour night shift every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but you are only available on Mondays and Tuesdays, you can have another per diem nurse take Wednesdays to completely take over the travel assignment template.
- Fill out an interfacility float request at any of your surrounding locations for the hospital you work at.
If this form exists in your hospital system, it would allow you to pick up shifts at whatever hospitals you get it filled out for. Your nurse manager will need to sign this form to say it is okay for you to pick up shifts elsewhere. You need to also get the manager of the floor on which you want to pick up shifts to sign the form (at the other location). From that point on you can be oriented to the other hospital and pick up any available shifts there if there are none for you to work at the hospital you originally got hired at.
- Keep in close communication with your manager and make it known to them that you are ready and willing to work whenever a shift is available.
Fill out your staffing availability as fully available so that it is obvious that you are ready and willing to pick up and work.
- Be willing to work shifts outside of your comfort zone. In some cases you might not be able to work the shift you prefer because there is no availability there. For example, although my husband prefers to work the night shift, when staffing reached out to him that an evening shift was available he did not hesitate to take it. During this time he was willing to take what he could get essentially until the hours opened back up again.
Challenges of Per Diem Nurses in Finding Work During Slow Periods
Although it is possible to creatively get by until hours pick up again, there will always be challenges to implementing strategies to earn while hours are inconsistent or low as a per diem nurse. Some of the challenges that we noticed for per diem nurses was that many of the lower seniority nurses would be worse off than ones who had several years of seniority under their belt. A second challenge was that when shifts were harder to come by, the per diem nurses would have to be extremely flexible. Sometimes shifts became available in real time and the per diem nurses would have to be able to pick up and come in to work with minimal notice and preparation. The phone might not ring all day, and in monitoring the phone all day one might not get adequate rest prior to a last minute available shift. What might make these last minute calls even less convenient is the idea of child care and having someone available at a moment’s notice in case a shift is successfully picked up. All in all, being a per diem nurse can pose various challenges that a regular staff nurse might not face.
Being Financially Proactive As A Per Diem Nurse
Being a per diem nurse can be extremely lucrative. Being able to fill in gaps of operational need at a hospital, higher pay due to non benefited status, access to overtime and extra shifts, and flexible scheduling are only some of the perks of working as a per diem nurse. Unfortunately the trade off is that the flow of hours can become periodically unpredictable and unsteady. When working as a per diem nurse it is important to balance out the great months with the not so good ones. Practice spending in moderation and setting some funds aside for when downtimes could unexpectedly occur. Whether you are a per diem nurse or not, it’s never too late to invest in yourself and plan for a worst case scenario. You can do this by putting money aside for an emergency fund. If you want to learn about how to create a 3 month emergency fund, click the button below to read more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, experiencing a slowdown in per diem nurse hours can be a challenging time. However, there are actionable steps that nurses can take to ensure that they have a steady income during these times. Staff nurses can earn additional income by taking classes to earn CEUs, joining committees, attending meetings and training, and opening up their availability. Per diem nurses, on the other hand, face unique challenges during downtime, including difficulty in securing hours and maintaining financial stability. By networking, actively seeking out local and remote work opportunities, and considering alternative income sources, per diem nurses can mitigate the impact of downtime and sustain their financial stability. In addition, one of the best things nurses can do for themselves is to create a 3 month emergency fund. An emergency fund can help reduce the stress and uncertainty associated with changes in financial stability and regularity. A per diem nurse who had a down turn in hours could rest assured if they knew they had an emergency fund to fall back on. Ultimately, by being creatively proactive and taking action during periods of low hours, both staff and per diem nurses can ensure that they have steady and reliable income.
