How do I Become a Per Diem Nurse?

In the field of medicine and health care, per diem nurses continue to be in demand to augment growing shortages in the nursing profession in many regions around the world. Per diem nurses work in a variety of part time, on-call and flexible assignments for health care providers in many areas of the world. In order to become a per diem nurse, it’s required to meet the same general requirements of full-time nursing professionals.

Per diem nursing can be a rewarding career option for the experienced nurse who doesn’t want to commit to long hours. In addition, per diem nursing work is often ideal for nurses with other responsibilities such as caring for children or other family members or going to school for advanced studies. If you want to become a per diem nurse, you can often request light scheduling so that other life needs can be balanced out within your career.

In addition to offering opportunities for experienced nurses, per diem work can be ideal for new nurses looking for general experience in health care. Oftentimes, becoming a per diem nurse means being willing to work shifts when others nurses are out sick or on vacation, or when patient numbers rise above normal and additional nurses are required to handle care. For nurses looking for experience in different areas of medical care, per diem nursing can be an ideal way to earn this experience.

To become a per diem nurse, the general requirement is that you must hold a current registered nurse license for the state or region you plan to work in. Additionally, having the ability to work with a nursing agency or rotate between health care facilities and shifts is a requirement of per diem nursing. It is advisable that you have a flexible schedule and the ability to work on an as-needed basis as a per diem nurse.

For some per diem nurses, being able to work as a travel nurse has a high degree of appeal. In this role, per diem nurses are required to travel to other regions or states to provide emergency care to patients in medical and nursing facilities or patient homes. Regional requirements and tasks may vary depending on the type of work to be performed and the level of care that is contracted, but these details are normally handled by the nursing agency that contracts with travel per diem nurses.

As a general rule, per diem nurses are expected to have a high level of adaptability and be well-prepared to handle any patient assignments as they are presented. To become a per diem nurse, it’s important to have the ability to think on your feet, especially since other nurses may be stretched to their limits. Hospitals and nurse care facilities generally seek out nurses with several years of clinical experience who are able to work as members of a team from the start.