There’s a need for per diem healthcare workers in Idaho including jobs for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). The state is home to several medium-sized and small cities, so finding PRN jobs in Idaho is mostly a matter of knowing where you want to look. Below are 10 of the best places for PRN jobs in Idaho Once you know what part of Idaho you’d like to work in, healthcare staffing apps that are organized by location can help you find the shifts you’re looking for.
Read More About Idaho's Use of Per Diem Nurses
1. Boise (pop: 229,993)
Boise is the capital of Idaho, and it’s the state’s largest city. As for healthcare and PRN jobs in Bosie, the city is home to several hospitals, including an Intermountain Healthcare facility, a VA hospital, and a children’s center. Boise is in the southwest part of Idaho, north of the Snake River, and about 55 miles from the Oregon border. This area of Idaho is full of state parks, fishing lakes, ski areas, and hiking trails. In October 2021, a new outdoor walking trail overlooking the city was named Heroes Trail in honor of veterans and healthcare workers who have given so much for the good of others, especially in the last year.
2. Meridian (pop: 129,555)
Meridian has a distinctly suburban feel and is nestled right between Boise and Nampa. It is one of Idaho’s fastest-growing cities. With proximity to both Boise and Nampa, as well as a St. Luke’s and a Treasure Valley Hospital within the city, there are plenty of opportunities for per diem healthcare jobs in Meridian. The city is also home to the state’s police academy, as well as good schools and plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.
3. Nampa (pop: 105,405)
Nampa is located about 20 miles west of Boise in the southwest part of Idaho. It’s the third major city in the greater Boise metropolitan area. It is also ranked as one of the safest cities in Idaho. The city has several hospital centers as well as rehab and memory care facilities. Nampa is near hiking, boating, and other recreational activities, and it’s well known for hosting the Snake River Stampede Rodeo–one of the country’s top rodeos–every year in July.
4. Idaho Falls (pop: 64,618)
Idaho Falls lies along the Snake River in south-eastern Idaho, and it’s about two hours (just over 100 miles) south of the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The city is home to several community hospitals, including Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. A newly revitalized downtown offers locally-owned shops and restaurants to explore, and the city’s riverwalk trail runs for several miles along the Snake River, with several art installations and points of interest along the way.
5. Caldwell (pop: 62,487)
Caldwell is a small suburb of Boise, situated just northwest of Nampa. Caldwell is also one of the most diverse suburbs in Idaho, based on census data. There are a variety of medical clinics and care centers in Caldwell itself, and it’s near other PNR job opportunities in Nampa, Meridian, and Boise. Caldwell has a dozen city parks, as well as two skateparks. While it definitely has the feel of a smaller town, Caldwell is close to the larger city offerings of the Boise metropolitan area.
6. Pocatello (pop: 57,947)
Pocatello, in southeast Idaho, is the county seat and largest city in Bannock County. A small portion of the city is on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Medical centers in the area include the Portneuf Medical center and a VA clinic, along with assisted living and rehab facilities. Some areas of the city have a college-town feel as you get near the campus of Idaho State University. Pocatello is near the Pebble Creek ski resort and is home to the Gate City Grays, a semi-pro baseball team.
7. Coeur d'Alene (pop: 54,822)
Located in Idaho’s panhandle, Coeur d’Alene is the largest city in northern Idaho. It’s roughly 100 miles from the Canadian border and only 35 miles from Spokane, WA. There are several healthcare centers and clinics in the city, as well as a Shriners Hospital for Children. The city is named for the Coeur d’Alene people, a federally recognized Native American tribe. The downtown waterfront area and the floating boardwalk of the Coeur d’Alene Resort are popular attractions. And the city boasts five destination golf courses. Silverwood Theme Park, the largest theme park in the Northwestern U.S., is about 30 miles south.
8. Twin Falls (pop: 51,165)
Twin Falls lies in the center of the state near the southern border, on the southern rim of the Snake River. It’s only about 50 miles from Nevada, and it is the largest city in roughly a 100-mile radius. In Twin Falls, healthcare jobs are concentrated in a handful of medical centers, along with several St. Luke’s facilities and a VA clinic. The College of Southern Idaho, a large community college, calls Twin Falls home. In 2008, the state-funded a state-of-the-art nursing facility at the college to support its nursing program.
9. Post Falls (pop: 39,452)
Post Falls is a suburb of Coeur d’Alene in the northern panhandle of Idaho. It’s also close enough to Spokane to serve as a bedroom community for that area. Healthcare workers looking for PRN jobs from Post Falls, Idaho, could take advantage of opportunities in both Idaho and Washington. Since the city is relatively close to Spokane International Airport, it’s easy to get to from almost anywhere. Post Falls is near lakes, rivers, and mountains, and the city has a growing tourism industry around these recreational areas.
10. Lewiston (pop: 32,978)
Lewiston is in the state's north-central region, on the western border. It’s located where the Snake River and Clearwater river meet. In fact, the Port of Lewiston can be reached by some ocean-going vessels and so has the distinction of being the furthest inland port of the West Coast. The largest town in the area, Lewiston is the center for healthcare for the surrounding area with facilities that include the Tri-State Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. Lewiston is near Hells Canyon National Recreation Area with nearly 900 miles of hiking trails.
