Nurses nationwide are taking charge of their schedules by signing up with Nursa to pick up flexible and high-earning per diem nursing shifts when and where they want.
If it sounds like a match made in heaven for nurses who are students, parents, or just individuals who are busy and need scheduling flexibility, that's because it is. In fact, a featured article in Utah Business labeled Nursa as the "match.com" for last-minute healthcare staffing. It's a win-win for both facilities needing coverage and nurses who want to pick up shifts while maintaining an outstanding work-life balance.
At the same time, it may be difficult for some nurses to portray on an online profile that they are outstanding nurses with excellent communication skills, a strong work ethic, and a compassionate approach to patient-centered care. So, whether you are a nurse already using the Nursa platform or on the verge of signing up, how can you ensure you will stand out to facilities?
Here are some insider tips on how to stand out as a nurse and become the "pick of the litter" for nearby facilities.
Why Are Nursing Credentials and Experience Important?
Here's the truth: Showcasing the bare minimum on an online nursing profile doesn't help you stand out to schedulers at nearby facilities. Staffing managers want to see what sets you apart from other nurses or clinicians applying for the same shift. With this in mind, when you create your profile on the Nursa platform, after you have verified your license, you must include your "essential credentials" to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and qualifications to fill a shift. These include:
- State or Government-Issued ID
- CPR/First Aid Certification
- COVID-19 Vaccine Documentation
If you are a nurse or nursing assistant, you will be required to include your license or certificate in your profile, but you should also consider including additional credentials to your profile to help you stand out even more. Some credentials that facilities look for when approving nurse shifts are as follows:
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- References from past nurse managers
- Experience in various specialties
- Advanced training courses (e.g., Alzheimer's/dementia course)
- Telemetry certification
- Education verification
- Record of specific immunizations
- A resume showcasing hard nursing skills (e.g., bedside monitoring) and soft nursing skills (e.g., critical thinking)
Furthermore, including any pertinent nursing experience will encourage facilities to trust your competence as a nurse. Also, even though you might believe that the resume you uploaded will adequately highlight your prior nursing experience, it is a good idea to emphasize your experience on your online profile. You can make yourself stand out by highlighting your nursing experience and certifications to show that you have specialized knowledge and abilities that may be useful for particular roles. Below are some common nursing specialties and areas that Nursa lets registered nurses add to their online nursing profile to help them stand out to medical facilities:
- Emergency Room
- Certified Wound Ostomy
- Dialysis
- Endoscopy
- Home Health
- Intensive Care Unit
- Interventional Radiology
- Labor & Delivery
- Long-Term Acute Care Hospital
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- Medical/Surgical
- Assisted Living
- Oncology
While nursing credentials such as education, licensure, and certification provide you with credibility as a nurse, relevant nursing experience can help you stand out from the crowd. Before requesting a shift, therefore, step into the shoes of a nursing scheduler and ask yourself, "What relevant experience can I include in my profile to make me stand out for this particular nursing shift?"
Updating Your Profile on Nursa
Per diem nursing puts the power back in the hands of nurses. One of the most appealing features of Nursa is that it allows registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical or vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to work when and where they want. Likewise, Nursa allows you to find a schedule that fits your needs and fills the staffing needs of a facility. You can earn top hourly rates depending on the state and city, time of shift, day of the week, or time of year you choose to work.
The following are the next steps for nurses who want to update their profiles and start working per diem nurse jobs right away:
1. Sign up with Nursa and Download the App:
If you haven't already, sign up with Nursa to create your account and build your profile. Creating a free profile on Nursa is easy. You can download the Nursa app from the Apple Store or Google Play or head to Nursa's online portal. From there, you only need to tell Nursa "who you are"—name, phone number, and email—to register for an account.
2. Add Your License, Certificates, and Nursing Qualifications:
Once inside the platform, you will be encouraged to enter your current nursing license. While you can click "X" to bypass this step and continue filling out the rest of your profile details, you must upload your professional healthcare license before requesting facility jobs.
3. Add Your Nursing Credentials:
Here's where you will begin to make yourself a "standout nurse." Every facility has different requirements for the kind of nursing credentials they accept. After reviewing your profile, they will determine whether you are a good fit for the requested shift. One of the best ways to get a facility's attention is to include your nursing credentials. However, as mentioned above, there are other components to be noticed by potential facility schedulers.
4. Include Nursing Experience:
Once you have added all your pertinent nursing credentials, listing your nursing experience helps you stand out further as a nurse. This experience could involve working in emergency rooms, intensive care units, or other hospital units.
5. Add Payment Information and Complete a Background Check:
Make sure you get paid for all your hard work by updating your profile and including your bank information. After this, you will need a federal background check. You can initiate a background check by requesting any shift on the Nursa platform. Certain states may also mandate additional background checks or a state-level registry.
6. Find and Request Shifts:
Guess what? You're ready to start requesting per diem jobs. The great thing about Nursa is that you could pick up a shift in as little as two minutes to a few days. With this in mind, make sure you only request jobs you will be able to work. Once your request is approved, a facility will officially schedule you for your first shift.
How to Request Shifts
With Nursa, you can start applying for jobs within the app or using the online portal. Remember that you must upload your professional healthcare license before requesting shifts, so if you skipped this step, go back and make sure you complete it. When you're confident that your Nursa profile contains your license and all your relevant experience and specialties, you can request multiple shifts simultaneously. Make sure that your credentials match up with the facility's requirements. Also, you should request at least three shifts to increase your chances of being chosen for one.
Take into account that while some facilities approve shifts within minutes, others can take several days. When a shift is approved, ensure you have blocked out that time to work. Once a facility accepts your request, you will receive a notification, and the app will give you directions to the location where you will be working. Finally, if you have any questions about the specific nursing shift you requested, you can always message the scheduler directly.
Get Noticed by Facilities by Updating Your Nursa Profile
Searching for shifts as a per diem nurse can be time-consuming and exhausting using traditional methods. Nursa can make your job search easier by providing a platform to showcase your nursing experience and demonstrate your value to potential facilities and nursing schedulers.
As such, be sure to customize—a.k.a, make your nursing experience relevant to the shift you are applying for when creating your profile. This customization shows that you will be an excellent fit for the shift. So, what are you waiting for? It's time to request shifts, fill out your schedule, and earn some extra cash. Log in to Nursa to update your profile, or sign up to create your profile and begin filling shifts.
