Nay's Note by Naomi James, MSN RN CPAN CNEcl
JULY 2021
Travel Nursing is one of the most lucrative career shifts that a Registered Nurse can venture into.
I have been traveling per diem (on & off) since 2012 and it has been an enriching journey. Travel Nursing can broaden your geographical horizons, refine your passion for the bedside, and improve your caretaking and critical thinking skills. The level of professionalism, adaptation, and flexibility that is required of a travel nurse is paramount and can help any nurse highlight strengths. However, you must make sure that from the JUMP-you and the healthcare institution or agency that you are working for are in mutual agreement of what the terms and conditions of your "temporary" employment are.
So let's dive into some basic information, terms, and guidelines.
Traveler (Travel Nurse): A Nurse that is hired by a travel agency and assigned to work at a location that is more than 50 miles from their home address for a temporary timeframe with a contracted agreement of terms for compensation, living expenses, and benefits.
PRN: An agreement between a Nurse and a healthcare facility for the employment of the nurse to be temporary and contingent upon the "need" of the facility - the nurse works "as needed" determined by staffing, census, and acuity of the patient population.
Per Diem: A agreement that a Nurse works for a staffing agency or a facility for "shift work." The nurse will fill gaps in staffing (possibly with very short notice) for high compensation. There is NO guarantee of shifts, hours, or location. {....side note....this is TRUE independent contracting}
*** Please understand that there are very blurred lines between PRN & Per Diem work *** ......hence why we are going to really break this topic down......
One of the biggest hurdles that Nurses encounter when venturing into travel nursing is THE CONTRACT! This is a huge deal ladies and gentlemen. This is more than can you read big words. This is about do you thoroughly understand your job requirements and do you agree with what you are about to do. This contract agreement is YOUR opportunity to set the stage for the type of compensation (pay rate) you want, the benefits, the work schedule, the orientation, everything. You have to be an active participant in the contract agreement process. You need to read it line by line and request clarification when needed. Some contracts (like for PRN & Per Diem jobs) are very very small-one page long with one paragraph. And the contract may simply just state the basic facts....example
"The Registered Nurse agrees to work as a PRN staff employee in the Critical Care department for the season of December 1st through April 1st for a pay rate of $55.00/hr with no overtime or weekend differential. The nurse will not receive benefits of any sort and there are no guaranteed hours granted to the nurse. The nurse can terminate this contract at any time and the employer can terminate the contract at anytime with notice to the nurse."
Simple right? Know that there are many contracts for Nurses just like this one. The HR (Human Resources) representative will provide you a copy. You will sign it. The Representative or Manager will sign it and then you start working. No frills, no fuss, no strings. They get a Nurse and you get a paycheck. I have done many PRN and Per Diem contracts for a plethora of facilities...and the pay is great! However, there truly is NO guarantee of consistency. You can be called off at anytime. You can be terminated at anytime. You can be working on the unit and have a charge nurse or house supervisor send you home at anytime. Therefore, you have to go in with an understanding that this is temporary and you'll have fun while it lasts. When they have NEED (when they call you to come in) GO! When the manager says she needs a Nurse for Friday "nights" or Tuesday "days" say YES! That is how you will make your fast cash. Fill their needs. Fill their gaps. But, if you are unable to be truly flexible, be somewhat on-call, and be readily available-then I would say PRN & Per Diem is NOT for you. Case and point, even if the contract is small or one page long, read it and ensure that you agree with it before signing.
Let's un-blurr the lines a bit. For a PRN job you will work when they need you (when they need a nurse). Typically, you will work directly for the facility and a supervisor will ask you about your availability. They may ask you if you prefer day shift or night shift. They may ask you if you can work weekends or if you can be on call. Usually, they will give you access to the employee schedule so you can see how you can assist their staffing gaps. Even if they don't ask you any of these questions, I encourage you to sit with the Unit Director, Supervisor, or Manager and provide this information to them-as well as take a look at their schedule. For Per Diem jobs you will pick up shifts. This is sometimes termed a "float pool." You an other nurses will make up a group of PRN staff that have the skill and ability to float around the hospital and pick up shifts that are un-filled. The notice of need is typically shorter and not much detail. You may get a call at 5:15 am with a manager asking if you can come in for a shift on the spot-like at 7am or 9am. Facilities that do Per Diem really want to see your flexibility. They want to know that if a staff nurse calls off or doesn't show up, you can help out-immediately if needed. Truthfully, PRN & Per Diem can be a little overwhelming at times-especially if you are not very flexible and if you don't handle short notice well. There is also an unspoken claim that if you say "no" a lot then the facility will most likely terminate your contract with them. Now in their defense they pay very very well plus you are there to fill a NEED and if you truly cannot do that then the PRN & Per Diem contract is just NOT the one for you.
Finally, we can address the beloved travel nursing contract. Travel nursing is a completely different type of contract. Typically, you are going to agree to work for a facility for 12 weeks or more. Therefore, every details of your work agreement needs to be in writing and clearly defined. Your contract agreement is not going to be short and sweet. It is going to be longer than 1 page and it is going to get quite specific. It is going to determine your start date, end date, pay rate, benefits, lodging, travel expenses, liability, and everything in-between. No stone should be left un-turned. Your agent should be open and provide full disclosure of your agreement and commitment. After all, this is truly a 3-part harmony. You are making a contract between yourself, the agency, and the facility that you are being sent to. Everyone has to agree and everyone has a little say so in the contract process. Honestly, if your contract is brief and leaves you with loads of questions, then RUN FOR THE HILLS. This isn't like a PRN contract-this contract should have some bulk. You do NOT want to partner with any agency that is omitting information, not disclosing pertinent details, or just out right lying. The beauty of this type of contract is all in the details....so what should you be looking for????
Let's talk about What you NEED to know....about your contract:
#1. What is the base hourly or weekly pay rate of compensation?
#2. Are your work hours gauranteed? (Will you be working the max full-time hours?)
#3. Do you get paid additional compensation for overtime, holidays, and weekends?
#4. Is there additional compensation for your housing, travel, and eating expenses?
#5. Can you request days off or sick leave?
#6. Do you need to have your own health and dental coverage or does the agency provide this?
#7. Is Liability insurance provided or do you need to have this insurance for yourself?
#8. What are the terms of termination? (Is there a penalty is you terminate the contract early?)
#9. How are hours compensated if the facility sends you home early or cancels your shift?
#10. Are you required to do additional duties, such as on-call shifts or classes?
Trust that there a many more clarifying questions and agreement terms that must be discussed during the contractual process. Yet, these are some of the primary and important questions that need to be addressed before moving any further. I want to drive home that you need to view the contract as an agreement-a partnership between you and whoever you are going to be working for. The contract is very IMPORTANT-it just is. You need to read it, review it, understand it, and sign it (if it fits your fancy).
Traveling, PRN working, and Per Diem assignments have varying degrees of fine print and I want you to get better at choosing the right one for you.
Listen, being new to the traveling experience of nursing can be difficult to navigate. Take it from me-you want to talk to a Nurse who has been there and done that. My Mentoring and Coaching skills are geared to help you get the information and support that you need to reach your fullest potential in your Nursing career.
I want to help you SOAR! CLICK the Link below to BOOK your FREE Mentoring consultation with Me today!
CLICK THE LINK TO SEE ALL THE SERVICES THAT I PROVIDE!!! CLICK HERE
HAPPY SOARing!!!
Naomi James, RN MSN CPAN CNEcl
Nurse Educator/Mentor
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