PRN JOBS – Career Benefits & drawbacks

What is a PRN Job?

PRN nurses are licensed and qualified professionals who have chosen to work in a hospital’s pool of on-call staff or for an agency that offers temporary medical staffing solutions. They consent to work for a number of hours a month and may work nearly full-time if they are employed by an agency.

To being, let us first understand what PRN stands for, it is a Latin phrase “pro re nata” which means “as the situation demands.” Therefore, if your job is PRN, it means you only work when there is a need, or when they need you. Working as a PRN, it is difficult to plan your life or your expenses, unless you’re the one who decides when and how often to work, but there are also some added benefits to work as a PRN.

How does it works

In the hospital, working pool or per diem is similar to working PRN. As the hospital can not be closed when people call in sick, most hospitals have back up of nurses, technicians and other ancillary personnel, who can be asked to join when their regular staff gets sick or goes on a vacation.
A PRN job typically demands a commitment for a certain number of hours per months, usually you won’t have a problem getting the hours you need, but you’ll have to be available with a specific number of weekend or holiday hours.

As a PRN nurse you can get the opportunity to deal with a variety of patients and in a variety of areas, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages involved:

Advantages of PRN Jobs

·         As far as the benefits linked with paid time off or sick time, you probably can't expect either of them when you are working as a PRN.

·         Another benefit of working as a PRN is that you do not have to beg or plead for a day-off.

·         PRN nurses simply do not accept work when they don’t want to

·         You can manage your work-life balance as per your convenience.

·         You can take complete flexibility of working hours and availability.

·         As a PRN you usually earn more than you would make working in a full-time position.

·         You can explore different opportunities, work more than one hospital.

·         Less Pressure involved

·         Having fewer work hours implies that you can focus on other important areas of your life.

Disadvantages of PRN Jobs disadvantage

Although there are very few disadvantages of taking up a PRN Job, they are; 

·         Lack of a consistent salary

·         You may have to work nights, holidays or weekends

·         No job security. No benefits like paid time off days, insurance and retirement.

Here 3 tips that can help you restore your energy and excitement to continue working as a PRN

for an extended period of time in your career. They are,

1.      Be organized

2.      Set boundaries

3.      Choose shifts that are right for you

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