A career in nursing is a noble and rewarding vocation. But it’s also, at times, highly stressful and emotionally and physically exhausting. Long shifts, staffing shortages, inflexible scheduling, and non-stop patient care have increased burnout in the nursing profession to all-time highs.
To prevent becoming a statistic, you need to set boundaries and protect, at all costs, your work-life balance. It’s not always easy, but with a whopping half of all nurses feeling burned out, it’s necessary. For a growing number of healthcare workers, the answer is per diem.
What Exactly is Per Diem?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, per diem means “by the day” in Latin. Nurses who opt to work per diem do so on an as-needed basis. Rather than working a fixed schedule, per diem nurses are called in by health care organizations to cover things like staff shortages due to illness or call-outs, vacations, and surges in patients. In other words, per diem nurses are there to fill the gaps in staff, and typically choose where and when they want to work.
Why Per Diem is The Answer For Many Nurses
Per diem isn’t right for everyone, but many nurses love it. The flexibility of scheduling and being able to set your own availability are the top reasons nurses enjoy working per diem. Whether you need two weeks off for a big vacation or every Wednesday open for a weekly commitment, you are in charge of your schedule.
The payoff for going per diem is immeasurable for nurses with busy families or full lives outside of work. Many nurses find this way of working offers:
- Less stress
- Better sleep
- Time for a social life
- Opportunities to pursue outside activities (hobbies, going to the gym, taking a class, etc.)
- Better relationships with loved ones
In short, you’re not counting the minutes until your next PTO day. You choose when to be there and show up ready to do your job.
Is There a Financial Downside to Per Diem Work?
Quite the opposite is true for many nurses. Per diem work generally pays a higher hourly wage. That’s because you are being compensated for a non-permanent schedule and benefits. For those nurses who have a working spouse whose job offers benefits, a side gig that pays well, or the ability to pay out of pocket for insurance, the pay differential is a big incentive.
The Cons to Working Per Diem
There are some downsides to working as a per diem nurse. The biggest one is probably the lack of benefits. Most of these positions don’t pay for health insurance, contribute to your retirement savings, or give you paid time off. Some nurses find these gaps too big to fill on their own. Especially if you are the sole provider in your family, or have ongoing medical issues.
Income unpredictability is another downside to per diem work. If hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing, or other healthcare facilities see a turn toward a lower census, the first ones called off are usually the per diem nurses.
Those nurses who enjoy being a part of a team or building relationships with their coworkers may not want this type of arrangement. As a per diem nurse, you rotate from unit to unit or work in different facilities at different times, foregoing the camaraderie of being part of a team.
Some Nurses Thrive in A Per Diem Arrangement
Nurses in transition, like those returning after taking some time to raise a family, or who are slowly scaling back towards retirement, want the flexibility these life transitions demand. Likewise, nurses, upon whose income the family doesn’t entirely depend, may be able to afford the gaps in income and forgo the benefits.
Experienced nurses who are confident in their skills and knowledge make excellent per diem nurses. Those nurses who are self-assured enough to work in unfamiliar surroundings will find this arrangement well-suited to them. And nurses who possess the self-discipline necessary to manage their schedules will succeed in per diem nursing.
Could Per Diem be The Right Arrangement for You?
The secret to maintaining a successful nursing career without sinking into the stress and burnout caused by an imbalance in the work-life connection is per diem. For more on how you can work as often as you like and grow in your nursing career, please contact BOS Medical Staffing today.
