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The nursing profession has garnered a lot of media attention over recent years. With the clinician shortage and the growth of healthcare worker contractor jobs, many nursing professionals are wondering:
“Should I pick up PRN shifts?”
We recently sat down for an interview with Ken, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who lives and works in the state of Washington.
He’s been using our PRN staffing app since 2024 to pick up shifts—over 200 shifts, actually. So, we reached out to hear about his experiences.
Here’s what we learned about Ken.
Reasons why he became a nurse
Ken is an immigrant from Kenya, and his path seems like it was tailor-made to turn him into a nurse.
He comes from a family of healthcare professionals—his sister is a pharmacist, and his uncle ran an adult care home. The mother of his U.S. host family is also a nurse. He was very clear that this profession is his calling.
“I said, ‘Nah, this [nursing] is what I really want to do.’”
During the interview, Ken’s thoughtful and compassionate character shone through. His character, memories of spending time helping at the adult care home, and his family influences definitely impacted his decision to pursue nursing.
“I really loved it. From there, the experiences working with people, helping the vulnerable ones and talking to them…”
Strong relationships with facilities and patients are valuable
Ken explained that he doesn’t travel around much. He has picked up shifts in Seattle, Blaine, Bellingham, and Tacoma, but for the most part, he picks up shifts in a facility near where he currently lives.
"It’s close to where I live, and I go to school here. But more than that, I’ve built a good relationship with the residents.”
Ken’s positive relationships with facility residents have made him a valuable part of the staffing team—so much so that they’ve offered him a permanent employee position.
“I think they see that and say, 'This is someone we’d like to keep here with us for a while.' They’ve wanted me to join full time, but I’ve said, ‘No, let me do PRN first.’"
Why did he turn down their offer?
Flexibility and control over his work-life balance.
Flexibility and control over scheduling is a priority
Ken values the flexibility that PRN shifts give him to have a healthy work-life balance.
"The only thing I can say it [Nursa] has really improved for me is my flexibility. The way we pick shifts here and there… If you feel like you don’t want to work, you don’t pick a shift. If you want to work, you look for a shift and pick it. That’s very flexible for me. I think I’ll do it for a while."
He appreciates that with Nursa, he doesn’t have to worry about working a certain number of shifts to meet a quota.
“I love working; I typically pick three to four shifts a week, something like that. Before PRN shifts, if you didn’t follow the schedule, you had to call off, which sometimes created tension with management. Now, I can decide my own schedule without any stress."
"The flexibility is very, very important. It really gives me the freedom to do whatever I want with my time."
Strategies for PRN shifts to support career advancement
Ken shared that he started out as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), then became an LPN, and is now working towards becoming a registered nurse (RN).
Nursa is essential in helping him manage his time effectively so that he can attend classes, do his homework, and still earn an income.
"I have classes, so when I have classes, I don’t pick shifts on those days. Or sometimes, I pick night shifts. That flexibility allows me to balance school and work."
In addition to balancing his days off for classes, he’s also decided that he prefers working the night shift.
"The main reason I do night shifts right now is school. During my break, I’m able to do one or two homework assignments or read a little. It’s a little bit quieter, and that helps. Night shifts have their own challenges. If something happens at night, you might be the only nurse there. But overall, I prefer it because of the flexibility."
Ken’s tip for the nightshift
When asked for tips on how he gets through the night shift, Ken confessed that he’s not into energy drinks or even coffee. However, he does have his own special drink that he prepares at home and takes with him to work.
“I normally make my concord here. In this cup, I normally make apple cider vinegar, and I put some lemon in it, and then I mix it with hot water. When I drink this, it controls my sugar.”
How Nursa compares to other PRN options
Ken has been picking up shifts with Nursa since 2024, but before then, he worked with an agency.
“You were given a specific schedule that you have to follow, and if you don't go to work, you have to call off, which sometimes becomes a little bit hectic.”
Again, Ken emphasized how flexibility and control over scheduling are significant motivations for using Nursa.
How can Nursa support your life goals?
From our interview, we see that, for Ken, the advantages of working PRN shifts with Nursa are similar to those we hear from other clinicians.
The flexibility and control to balance personal obligations with work schedules are themes that come up again and again—emphasizing just how important they are in the pursuit of wellbeing and career goals.
What would this type of flexibility help you achieve in your life?
Did you enjoy this clinician spotlight? For more clinician stories, per diem nursing best practices, and helpful nursing guides, explore the Nursa blog.
