How Demand for Nurses Gives You Career Flexibility
We know that nurses are already in high demand, and as the years go on, the need will only continue to grow for various reasons.
Let’s take a look at the numbers. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers conducted a survey in 2018 with 50.9 percent of the RN workforce responding as 50 or older. This means that it is projected that one million nurses will retire by 2030.
Another factor for the high demand is that the Baby Boomers generation is either approaching the need for geriatric care or already require it. This alone nearly doubles the number of people that will need to be cared for.
With all of that being said, the urgency and need for nurses with the amount of work required has put a ton of pressure on those in the profession. If the stress and requirement of days and hours worked don’t align with the lifestyle they want to live, then they may walk away from the profession, which is another causation for the shortage of nurses.
What the High Demand for Nurses Means
In order to fill the demand for nurses, facilities have a need for more than just PRN nurses. They are also hiring for per diem nurses, which can come with a higher pay incentive for those who fill the shifts.
This creates an opportunity for not just some extra money but also advancement and for a nurse to gain more experience in another area of specialization or a different role.
Think of this type of opportunity for a way to get your foot in the door. If there was somewhere you have tried to apply to but have not yet gotten an interview, or if there is a facility that you have always wanted to work for, this could be a way to get your “in.”
This is especially helpful to those who began their careers working in a long-term facility and are now looking to get their foot in the door at another facility or hospital.
Taking Advantage of the High Demand
With the need for nurses in some areas higher in demand over others, the urgency for RNs in major medical corridors like Ohio or Texas — where facilities are popping up everywhere — is a great place to be if you want to always have work.
In particular, these are the types of places that rely on getting additional outside staffing to help fill shifts at their facilities.
What this means for you is that if you are looking to make some extra money, want to work a different type of shift or hours, or just want to see what other facilities are all about — this is the place to be.
This also opens opportunities for those who are just beginning their nursing careers. For a CNA, STNA, LPN/LVN that is looking to gain valuable and relevant nursing experience while navigating through school to obtain a higher degree, working per diem is a way to set your schedule when convenient for you. Only you know when you’re truly available.
The relevant working experience you will gain by working in the field rather than just finding a job that can work around your school schedule but provides no other value is a great advantage to those in the nursing field.
Useful Tools to Find Information
If you are unhappy with the schedules you have been working, need to transition from your full-time job, or are just looking for more flexibility, NurseDash can help you in a cinch.
What’s great about NurseDash is that the hiring facility can see your reviews, education, and career path on your profile. This provides a better way to fit and match nurses with facilities rather than hoping your resume gets picked up, or that you get assigned by a traditional staffing agency to a facility you may know nothing about and in turn, they know nothing about you.
The easy-to-use platform has you begin by downloading the app and entering your information. From there, you can see what facilities are nearby and what kind of nurse they are looking for to add to their staff on any given day.
If you find a shift you would like to work, all you need to do is accept the job, and your information is sent to the facility. Once they review and approve you, you are all set!
Beginning a career in per diem nursing has never been easier. Download the app today!
