Per Diem Nursing and Other Flexible Nursing Jobs

Nursing is a rewarding profession vital to the health and well-being of individuals and their communities. Flexible scheduling options for nurses, such as per diem nursing, can yield numerous benefits, allowing nurses to maintain a healthier work-life balance, earn income, and contribute to continuous patient care.

Flexible nurse scheduling can also help mitigate the impacts of the nation’s nursing shortage. Both a result of and a cause of nurse burnout, nursing staff shortages often require nurses to work difficult schedules that can contribute to elevated stress levels and poor job performance and satisfaction. Offering nurses flexible scheduling options is one way to both overcome gaps in care created by staff shortages and relieve overworked nurses.

Nurses who wish to advance their nursing careers may benefit from earning a master’s degree in nursing. Per diem nursing is an avenue for advancing a nurse’s education because of the flexibility it offers.

What Is Per Diem Nursing?

Per diem (a Latin phrase meaning “by the day”) offers unique benefits for nurses and health care facilities. Health care facilities hire per diem nurses on an as-needed basis, typically to fill in for a facility’s full-time nurses. Assignments can last a single day or longer. Per diem nursing offers nurses flexibility in their hours and locations, as they’re free to choose when they want to work and aren’t committed to a full-time job.

Applicable to many nursing roles, per diem nursing is a scheduling option. Many nurses who work full or part-time schedules pick up per diem shifts on the side to earn additional income. Alternatively, some nurses use per diem nursing as a way to take a break from a full-time schedule while still earning hours toward retaining their nursing license so they can return to a full- or part-time position in the future.

An important skill of a per diem nurse is the ability to adapt to different environments, adjusting quickly to new facilities and different patient care settings. They also need strong and effective communication skills to work well with other health care professionals in a team environment, especially as they must adapt to the different work cultures and communication methods of different workplaces.

Additionally, per diem nurses should be able to work independently and take initiative when needed, as they may be required to perform some duties without assistance, depending on the workplace.

How to Start Per Diem Nursing

Like all nurses, per diem nurses must complete the necessary educational requirements and gain state licensure before starting to work. Aspiring nurses must first complete an accredited nursing program, such as a bachelor’s or associate degree in nursing, as a minimum educational requirement.

Next, they must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) — which tests the individual’s knowledge and ability to provide safe and effective nursing care — to obtain a license to practice as an RN in their state. Once licensed, RNs can work in any of a number of health care settings, such as hospitals or long-term care facilities, and would be able to seek employment as a per diem RN.

Earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can provide additional education and training for nurses, potentially leading to increased job opportunities. Prospective per diem nurses may consider graduate programs that offer specializations. These specializations focus on MSN careers like family nurse practitioner or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, which can lead to per diem offers for roles with higher pay.

Per Diem Nursing Salary

Salaries for per diem nurses vary depending on their location and experience, and the amount of work available. According to March 2023 data from Payscale, the median annual salary for travel nurses, a role that is essentially all per diem nursing hours, was approximately $81,100. However, income can vary greatly for per diem nurses, as they don’t have a guaranteed number of hours.

Per diem nurses sometimes earn a higher hourly rate than full-time nurses at a health care facility as compensation for the lack of a consistent schedule and benefits. Because of this, many nurses find that the flexibility and higher pay of per diem nursing make it a desirable job option.

What Is a Floating Nurse?

A floating nurse works across multiple units or departments in a hospital or health care facility. As with per diem nursing, floating nurses fill staffing gaps and ensure that patients receive continuous quality care. Floating nurses work in various departments, including medical-surgical, critical care, and emergency departments. They need to be flexible and able to easily adapt to different patient populations and care settings.

One of their primary responsibilities is maintaining continuity of care for patients. Floating nurses need to be able to quickly acclimate to new situations while also ensuring that they adhere to the standards of care established by the hospital or health care facility and of the department. Floating nurses must communicate effectively with other health care team members, including physicians and nurse managers, to ensure that patient care is coordinated and efficient.

Due to the nature of the role, aspiring floating nurses need to acquire skills that are similar to those needed in per diem nursing, such as:

Strong clinical skills and knowledge of various care settings and patient types
Excellent communication and teamwork skills
The ability to work a shifting schedule

Floating Nurse Salary

According to March 2023 data from Payscale, the median annual salary for floating nurses was around $69,000. Individual salaries vary based on experience, location, and type of nursing role, with Payscale reporting a salary range of about $48,000 to $96,000. As with per diem nursing, floating nurses can cover a wide range of nurse roles.

Per Diem Nursing vs. Floating Nursing: What’s the Difference?

While both per diem nursing and floating nursing involve working in multiple units or departments in a hospital or health care facility, the two roles are different in some key ways. Per diem nurses are hired as needed to fill staffing gaps, typically to cover for full-time nurses on leave. Per diem nurses are not committed to a set schedule or a number of hours per week and may work in different units or departments depending on the facility’s needs.

Floating nurses, on the other hand, are part-time or full-time employees who are regularly assigned to work in different units or departments within a facility. They are responsible for filling staffing gaps and maintaining continuity of care for patients, but they typically have a more consistent schedule than per diem nurses.

Another key difference between the two types of nurses is in their compensation. Per diem nurses are often paid a higher hourly rate than staff nurses to compensate for their lack of guaranteed hours and consistent schedules. Floating nurses typically receive a salary or hourly rate that is comparable to other staff nurses, equivalent to their experience and the responsibilities of their role.

Benefits of Flexible Nurse Scheduling

Flexible nurse scheduling can offer a win-win situation for nurses and health care facilities. For nurses, getting to choose when they want to work can provide them with a better work-life balance and can reduce the likelihood that they will experience burnout and fatigue. Nurses can schedule their work hours around their personal commitments, such as family time, educational pursuits, or other personal engagements.

For example, a nurse looking to pursue an MSN to advance their career might consider moving to per diem nursing to continue receiving income and building experience while freeing up more of their schedule to do schoolwork.

Another benefit of working as a per diem nurse is that they can work in many of a facility’s units and departments, which exposes them to a range of areas of nursing and helps them broaden their skills. Furthermore, per diem nurses often interact with various nursing administrators and other professionals, which can lead to many networking opportunities and connections.

Flexible scheduling also benefits health care facilities, allowing them to better manage their staffing needs and reduce their operational costs associated with understaffing or overstaffing. By adjusting nurses’ schedules based on patient volume, acuity levels, and other factors, facilities can optimize their staffing levels and ensure patients receive the best care possible.

Alternative Flexible Nursing Jobs

Other flexible nursing jobs are available that offer nurses the benefits of being able to tailor their day-to-day work experiences to their personal preferences. Nurses can travel for their careers, work remotely, or work closely with patients to create holistic health care plans.

Travel Nursing

Travel nurses move from one location to another for temporary work that generally lasts for a few weeks or months. Travel nursing offers a wide variety of benefits to nurses, such as increased mobility and greater flexibility. Because travel nurses work through independent staffing agencies, they have more freedom to choose when they work.

Travel nurses also often earn higher pay rates than staff nurses, receive housing and travel stipends, and have the opportunity to work in different clinical settings, gaining new experiences and skills.

Travel nursing can be ideal for nurses who want to explore different parts of the country or gain new experiences. However, travel nurses need to be skilled at adjusting quickly to new facilities and clinical practices. They must be comfortable working in new environments and adapting to changes in their duties. Additionally, travel nurses may need to obtain additional licensure or certifications, depending on the state they want to work in.

According to March 2023 data from Payscale, the median annual salary for travel nurses was around $81,100, with the potential for higher earnings based on the location and the demand for nurses in that area. Payscale reports that travel nurses’ base pay ranges from about $50,000 to $115,000.

Telehealth Nursing

Telehealth nurses work remotely and provide patient care through videoconferencing or other technologies. Telehealth nurses assess patients’ symptoms, provide health education, and coordinate patients’ care with other providers. Telehealth nursing is becoming more prevalent as technology improves and the demand for remote health care services grows.

Telehealth nursing provides flexibility for nurses who want to work from home or remotely. It also allows nurses to work with a diverse patient population, often those in rural or underserved areas where patients have limited access to health care.

Telehealth nurses need to have strong skills in communication, critical thinking, and the ability to use technology effectively. They must also be able to build strong relationships with patients and coordinate care with other health care providers, often without the benefit of face-to-face interactions.

According to March 2023 data from Payscale, the median annual salary for telehealth nurses was around $57,500.

Case Management Nursing

Case management nurses specialize in managing and coordinating care for patients across different providers and settings. They work with patients, families, and other health care professionals to ensure patients receive the appropriate care, resources, and support necessary to manage their health conditions effectively.

Case management nurses work in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. They work independently, make decisions, and collaborate with other health care professionals to provide patient-centered care. Because case management nurses can work in nearly every environment, including remotely, it can be a flexible option for nurses who seek autonomy and control over their work environment.

The median annual salary for case management nurses was around $77,100, according to March 2023 data from PayScale. Individual case management nurses’ salaries vary depending on their location, experience, and education, among other factors.

Take Control of Your Schedule

As they continue to grapple with the ongoing nursing shortage, health care facilities need to find innovative solutions to ensure their patients receive the care they need. By taking on flexible roles, nurses can help alleviate the strain caused by understaffing and reduce the risk of burnout among full-time nurses.

If you’re a nurse looking for more control over your schedule or a nontraditional nursing role, consider exploring the opportunities available in per diem nursing or another flexible nursing role. These positions can offer a range of benefits, including the ability to work in different settings, higher pay rates, and the chance to gain new skills and experiences.

To better qualify for these positions, you should consider the benefits of enrolling in Regis College’s online Master of Science in Nursing program. The program can help you prepare for any of a number of nursing certifications, such as those from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The program also offers a variety of nursing specializations, allowing you to pursue an education that can help you move forward on the career path of your choice.

Discover how you can advance your nursing career with Regis College.