As a per diem nurse, you have two jobs. While getting in and working with patients is your primary role, you also have another essential job to consider: finding work.
While PRN nursing is an excellent way to add flexibility to a job that can be demanding and stressful, a significant part of the role is building a network of practices and facilities that need your help regularly.
Overall, there are several approaches per diem nurses have traditionally relied on to discover nursing opportunities and begin building a reliable contractor network. This article covers a few of these traditional methods—plus one you might not yet know about.
Let’s get started.
1. Networking within the Healthcare Community
One way to find nursing jobs near you is by networking within the healthcare community. To network effectively, nurses can attend nursing conferences, workshops, or seminars in their area, connecting with professionals in the industry.
Joining nursing associations or online forums can also help with networking while engaging with fellow nurses can provide valuable insights into job openings that facilities have yet to advertise publicly.
Networking within the healthcare community is a reliable method for discovering nursing job opportunities, but it has some drawbacks.
Firstly, building a solid professional network takes time and effort. Attending conferences, workshops, or seminars takes time away from work or personal commitments, and seeing results can take time. Moreover, relying solely on networking may limit your exposure to a broader range of job openings. Additionally, if your network is limited or if you are new to the area, establishing meaningful connections may take longer, further delaying the job search process.
2. Utilizing Online Job Portals
Online job portals have become a primary resource for job seekers in the digital age. Websites dedicated to job searchers have specialized sections for nursing jobs. You can filter your search based on location, job type (per diem nursing jobs, for instance), and experience level to find positions near you.
In addition, many hospitals and healthcare facilities post job listings on their websites.
While online job portals offer convenience and a vast array of job listings, they also have severe drawbacks.
The sheer volume of job postings can be overwhelming, making it challenging to sift through and find the most relevant opportunities. Just go onto any of the popular job portals and search “nursing jobs near me,” and you’ll be inundated with hundreds of postings, only some of which are relevant to you.
Additionally, the competitiveness of online job applications is high, with numerous candidates applying for the same positions. Standing out in this crowded digital space can be difficult, especially if you lack a standout resume or cover letter.
Another major drawback is that online job portals might not always have the most up-to-date or comprehensive listings, and some employers may prefer other hiring methods, making specific job openings invisible on these platforms.
In many cases, there are more nuanced approaches to finding per diem nursing work than spamming your application out to hundreds of job listings around the area. Instead, nurses can directly locate excellent opportunities near them using apps like Nursa.
3. Finding Nurse Jobs near Me Using Local Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
Sometimes, the direct approach is best. Nurses can always reach out directly to hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities in their vicinity. In some cases, finding work is as simple as inquiring about job openings and expressing an interest in working with a particular facility.
In a field already overwhelmed with job postings, some healthcare facilities may only publicly advertise some job opportunities. In these cases, taking the initiative to contact them can work wonders.
See Also: Guide to CNA-to-Patient Staffing Ratios by State
While directly contacting local hospitals and healthcare facilities can be a proactive approach to finding jobs, it has drawbacks. This method can be time-consuming, as individually reaching out to each facility requires significant time and effort.
Beyond this, healthcare facilities may not have immediate job openings, and relying solely on this method can result in a prolonged job search. Moreover, there might be limited transparency regarding the job market, as some facilities may only openly disclose some available positions, relying on established networks or internal referrals instead.
Today, there are more efficient ways of finding job openings at specific facilities. Apps like Nursa display confirmed jobs at local facilities, helping you request nursing shifts that match your schedule.
4. Collaborating with Staffing Agencies
Staffing agencies have long been the go-to for per diem nurses searching for new work. These agencies often have established relationships with various healthcare facilities, which allows them to connect nurses with job opportunities in certain locations. They can also provide information about jobs or specific nursing shifts that match your availability.
While working with nurse staffing agencies can expedite the job search process, there are some significant drawbacks.
First and foremost, staffing agencies often charge fees to healthcare facilities for their services, which may influence the jobs they prioritize or recommend. This approach could mean that the opportunities presented to a nurse may not align perfectly with that nurse’s preferences or career goals. Additionally, agencies may have contractual obligations with certain healthcare facilities, limiting their available options to a select group of work settings.
Further, relying solely on staffing agencies may inadvertently limit your direct interaction with potential managers, making it harder to gauge the healthcare facility’s work environment, culture, or values before accepting a job.
One of the main benefits of per diem nursing is the ability to act as a free agent in your career. Apps like Nursa put the decision-making power back in your hands, allowing you to choose from available shifts without relying on a staffing agency as a middleman.
5. The Future of Per Diem Nursing
Over the past decade, new technology has laid the foundation for more nuanced and personalized experiences in almost every industry—and the field of nursing is no exception. Wearable devices, telehealth, and other tech-centric solutions have redefined and transformed the landscape of nursing and healthcare as we know it.
As a per diem nurse, integrating new technology into the job searching process can save time and effort, removing a significant barrier for many new and experienced PRN nurses. The decision for PRN nurses today is not whether to utilize technology in their job searches but how to best use it.
Nursa offers a unique experience for nurses who are hoping to limit the stress and difficulty associated with finding suitable jobs. Whether you’re looking for “nursing jobs near me” or hoping to tap into opportunities in other metropolitan areas, Nursa puts the power back in your hands, allowing you to customize your workload like never before.
All you have to do is register with Nursa, create your professional profile, upload your license for verification, and begin browsing available LPN or RN jobs near you. Request the shifts you are interested in and skip over those you are not. Make competitive wages and work as much or as little as you want.
Learn more about Nursa for clinicians today and sign up to pick up your first shift.
