So, what does per diem mean? Per diem is a Latin phrase that means per day. It suits well with per diem nurses as every day is different and brings different opportunities to work with. Working as a per diem healthcare employee means working as a supporting staff nurse in healthcare centers that need extra helping hands or workforce.

Working as a per diem nurse, you may be called and must be available the same day. Shifts may vary from partial shifts to eight to twelve-hour days (depending on the facility you are working with). Per diem nurses are sometimes pre-scheduled to fill in for vacant regular staff on leave or vacation.

Per diem nurses also get hired for seasonal staffing coverage, for example, during cold and flu season or during certain endemic or pandemics where patient care demand massively spikes.

Being a per diem nurse brings many benefits to you. The most crucial one is that you can take control of your career. You can choose a shift at your convenience and work in the kind of facilities you want. You can say no to offers when you are unavailable and pick when you are available. You can choose the location at your convenience and raise salary demands accordingly.