Most nurses are starting to come to terms with a simple truth: healthcare and nursing are changing incredibly fast, and, for many, the profession looks different today than when they started. Now, more than ever, clinicians ask themselves: How do I make this career work for me?

Nursing isn’t “one-size-fits-all” anymore, and careers don’t follow a straight path. These days, our careers evolve in seasons â€” some seasons are about growth, others about stability. Some seasons push you forward, others call for rest. What you need from nursing will change, and that’s okay. Actually, that’s the best part.

That’s why more nurses are choosing per diem nursing. It’s not just about picking up extra shifts — it’s about staying connected to the work while having control over how, when, and where you do it. At the same time, hospitals rely on per diem nurses more than ever to adapt to constant change. What was once a “side gig” is now a key part of how nursing works today.

For nurses at a crossroads, per diem is a way to explore all your options. It lets you test different units or hospitals without the long-term commitment of a staff job. Before I became a traveler, I worked per diem. That experience gave me the space to figure out what I actually enjoyed before jumping into a travel assignment or my next permanent job. In a way, it’s like travel nursing â€” minus the travel. The freedom to work when, where, and how often you choose is what made it so appealing to me.

Stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, clinicians today want more flexibility, and per diem is making that possible. Staffing analysts predict the demand for per diem nurses will keep growing, and technology is making it easier than ever to access those opportunities. With apps like , nurses can claim open hospital shifts with a quick swipe in seconds. In just six months last year, per diem RNs picked up 113,000 shifts through the app.

Per diem isn’t just changing how nurses work—it’s changing who it works for. For nurses over 50 (who make up nearly a quarter of the nursing workforce), per diem offers a way to stay in patient care, share their knowledge with the next generation, and work on their own terms. For younger nurses with a few years of experience, per diem offers the freedom to build a family, take time off for a vacation, or focus on a side hustle. Nursing is shifting, and we’re seeing it happen in real-time. More nurses are choosing flexibility, and per diem is at the center of that shift. Hospitals depend on per diem staff to keep up with changing demands, but more importantly, nurses are using it to create careers that actually fit their lives.

If you’ve been thinking about trying per diem nursing, consider this your sign to give it a shot. Even just a few shifts might change your perspective. Here are some tips to help you get started. That’s what it did for me. It gave me balance, breathing room, and time to figure out what I actually wanted from my career. I don’t know if I would call my experience in per diem my â€œsoft nursing era,” but it gave me something I hadn’t realized I needed — a chance to step back without stepping away.

Just the other day, I saw my friend — the one from the beginning of this story — post a picture on social media as she walked into a hospital. She had a stethoscope around her neck, her badge clipped to her scrubs, stepping into something new. She had left the IV clinic and picked up her first per diem shift—she told me she missed the bedside and was going to try per diem to see how she liked it.

She didn’t have to make a grand career overhaul or take a huge leap. It was a small step toward something that fit her life a little better. And sometimes, that’s all it takes.

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“With just a swipe, clinicians are able to choose when and where they want to work,” said Âé¶čֱȄ’s EVP of Client Fulfillment and Strategy Teams Sophia Morris. “Similar to Uber, they can turn the app on and off, and have complete control over their schedules.”

In the last year, Âé¶čֱȄ reports that it saw a 54% increase in the number of gig  shifts  filled by nurses, along with a 62% gain in the total number of available  shifts  across the country.

Local Nurse Practitioner Chantal Chambers is taking full advantage of the opportunities. “I was working at a local hospital in San Diego when Covid began,” she wrote to The Business Journal. “My hospital was hit hard, and fellow nurses and staff were leaving faster than they were arriving. We had to implement  crisis staffing ratios on many occasions and I saw more deaths in a 6-month span than I did in the previous years combined. The stress of COVID while being a mom, wife, and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) student was a lot to handle.”

Flexibility is key for Chambers. “I am a mom and wife first and can decide when I’d like to pick up shifts at my convenience. I can plan my work schedule around my life instead of the other way around.” The only occasional downside she comes across is not knowing which exact unit she’ll be assigned to until about two hours before she shifts. Sometimes, too, the shifts can be canceled, she said.

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Sophia Morris, EVP, Client Fulfillment and Strategy Teams at Aya shares, “The nurses easily see our jobs. They’re able to one click in our technology to view what they’re interested in and it helps connect our hospital systems with really qualified and high quality clinicians.”

Hospitals in San Diego have turned to an app called “Shifts” to help alleviate the nursing shortage. The app functions like “Uber” for nurses, allowing them to pick up shifts at hospitals directly from their phones. ICU nurse Chantal Chambers, who was feeling burned out and finding it harder to stay in healthcare, found the app to be a helpful solution.

She can now easily view available shifts and pick them up with one swipe, giving her more flexibility and freedom. Âé¶čֱȄ, the company behind the app, has seen a 54% increase in the number of gig shifts filled by nurses through the app in the past year.

Trailblazer and founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, once said, “Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives.” For RNs like Kelly Zabel, whose career spans more than a decade, this philosophy rings especially true.

From kicking off her journey as a student nurse in 2008 at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh to earning her master’s degree in nursing education in 2020 at St. Catherine University, Kelly has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience over the years.

Not only has she gained a sense of purpose from working in such a high-demand profession, but she is also grateful for the critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities she’s acquired as a nurse.

Transitioning from Full-Time to Per Diem

While she loved her job, during a shift in the medical ICU, Kelly had a realization. “I felt like it was time to carve a new path for myself, one that offered a little more flexibility,” she says. After hearing about the benefits of from a colleague, she decided to take a leap of faith and give it a try.

“I love being able to design my life how I want,” she shares. “I’m able to attend more family events and plan trips because I only need to worry about my schedule. I don’t need to coordinate with others in order to take time off.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of Healthcare Workers

In addition to enjoying added freedom and autonomy, gave Kelly the time to impart her wisdom and expertise to the incoming nursing workforce. “I’ve always loved teaching and I’m excited to now be working as a virtual Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) coach, helping students prepare for their nursing boards,” she says.

Luckily, she is still able to help patients whenever there are gaps in her schedule. “I can easily pick up per diem shifts at hospitals near me through the Shifts app and stay current with best practices and new treatment options. I am grateful that this is an option for me and encourage anyone seeking more of a work-life balance out to explore per diem.”

Start Your Per Diem Journey with Aya Today

Ready to learn more about the freedom and flexibility per diem nursing offers?  and a recruiter will be in touch to discuss how to get started.

That’s why we called on our team of dedicated per diem recruiters to get their perspective on how clinicians can make the most out of each per diem shift. Not only are they equipped with decades of collective industry expertise, but they will prioritize your needs first with each assignment. So, if you’re new to the per diem game, the tips below will help make the road to getting started as seamless as possible.

Define Your Needs  

It’s essential to determine early on why you want to take on per diem shifts. Are you looking to earn some extra cash, build your own schedule or step away from your full-time position entirely? While there are several benefits to working per diem, understanding how per diem shifts ebb and flow is important when making the transition. 

Transparency is Key 

Always strive to be as transparent as possible about your goals. Are you planning to work a travel assignment and pick up per diem shifts? What does your current lifestyle look like? What do you need from us in terms of shift availability? Answering these questions will help the recruiter place you appropriately and make everything run more smoothly for both of you. 

Ask Questions 

As a per diem clinician, you’ll likely have more first days at a new facility than a full-time healthcare worker will have in their whole career. Some of the best per diem clinicians know how to get oriented with a new facility quickly and efficiently, which means asking lots of questions and making sure you’re on the same page as the rest of the staff and residents. 

Keep Your Profile Updated 

Kicking off the per diem process largely depends on the facility and whether they have a set orientation schedule. On average, it takes 2-5 weeks from the time your application is submitted to when you can pick up your first shift. To speed things up a bit, dedicate a day or two to completing your application and making sure your profile is 100% up to date with references, work history and certifications. 

Be Responsive 

When it comes to your job search, be sure you’re easily accessible and responsive. Shifts often fill quickly, so you’ll want to get credentialed for a facility as soon as possible, which means keeping an eye out for messages from your credentialing specialist. 

Start Your Per Diem Journey with Aya Today 

Per diem clinicians step into roles where they need to hit the ground running. If you’re wondering how to begin, we recommend you talk to an Aya per diem recruiter. They’ll support you, walk you through every detail and make sure you’re happy with your decision. 

and a recruiter will be in touch to help you land the career of your dreams!

Here, you’ll learn the best per diem shift strategies to achieve a healthy balance between your personal and professional life from MS/Tele RN, Abigail Dugan.

It’s no secret that nursing is one of the most in-demand professions in the country. Whether they’ve been working for years — or are newcomers to the field — nurses like MS/Tele RN, Abigail Dugan, offer a unique perspective on nearly every aspect of the healthcare system — including how to achieve a work-life balance with per diem shifts.

Prior to transitioning from full-time to per diem, more than a year ago, Abigail worked as an RN at a hospital in Southern California. Today, she enjoys all the perks of per diem nursing, including added flexibility and autonomy.

Abigail explained, “I wanted the option to choose my shifts. With per diem, I can adjust my schedule around my personal life rather than mold my personal life around my schedule.” If Abigail prefers not to work nights, weekends or holidays, she doesn’t have to. And the best part? Unlike other work contracts, per diem jobs don’t punish you for not working certain days or shifts.

“Per diem shifts allow me to work several days in a row, as well as long stretches of time off if I need it,” continued Abigail. “Since working per diem, I’ve planned longer vacations and spent more time with my children.”

What Separates Aya From the Rest

Abigail wasn’t sure what to expect from per diem at first, but she was pleasantly surprised by her experience with Aya.

“When changes come up with my shift, Aya always notifies me early,” said Abigail. “Aya representatives are very helpful and respond promptly to emails or texts.” Abigail also credits her recruiter for rolling with the punches when she needed to adjust her schedule or take more time off.

Abigail says Aya helped her advance her career by giving her the opportunity to work at multiple hospitals. “My assignments are in different areas and specialties, which have helped me advance my skills in ways I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise,” she explained.

With so much variety, Abigail can stay ahead of the curve in a dynamic work environment without making a permanent commitment to one specific facility.  

And although fulfilling family obligations and committing to work responsibilities have traditionally made work-life balance seem impossible, per diem shifts allowed Abigail to achieve balance in both her personal and professional life.

Start Your Per Diem Journey with Aya Today

Ready to explore the freedom and flexibility per diem nursing offers?  and a recruiter will be in touch to discuss how to get you where you want to go.

Though no one in her family worked in healthcare, Sarah has had an insatiable curiosity for all things nursing since high school. As a Southern California native, she ended up getting a summer internship at a local hospital in Compton, Los Angeles, during her junior year. “Through that whole experience, I got to see first-hand the role of a nurse and how they cared for patients,” she says.

This solidified Sarah’s interest not only in nursing, but in intensive care. By the time it came to begin applying for colleges, she knew she had made the right choice. She explains, “I was only looking at places that offered direct admit nursing programs and eventually decided on Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.”

After earning her BSN in Nursing, Sarah got a job at Mayo Clinic in the cardiovascular ICU in Rochester, Minnesota. With plans to attend graduate school in the fall, Sarah decided to give travel nursing a try with the hopes of gaining a financial and professional leg-up before the semester started.

An Unbreakable Recruiter-Nurse Relationship

While Sarah knew to expect the unexpected during her shifts, she had never worked with a healthcare staffing agency before and was a bit apprehensive. “I’m very Type A and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to leave a stable job and move across the country for a contract role,” she shared.

Luckily, Sarah’s concerns were quickly put to rest after a friend had shared her contact information with one of Aya’s most beloved recruiters.

“Kat completely put me at ease because I initially thought the travel nursing thing was too good to be true,” she says. “Kat was so attentive, answered all my questions and walked me through the entire process—start to finish.”

In fact, over the past several months, Kat has become more than Sarah’s recruiter — she’s her sounding board, confidant and biggest supporter, checking in with her at least once a week to ensure everything is running smoothly. Whether they have questions related to payroll, PTO or shift scheduling, Kat always strives to be a trusted resource for her clinicians, no matter where they are.

“By getting to know me on a personal level, she was able to advocate for me as a nurse,” Sarah says. “If it wasn’t for Kat, I don’t think I would’ve ever committed to giving this opportunity a shot.”

Flexibility as a Per Diem Nurse

Sarah recently made the move back to California to be closer to her family and with Kat’s help, she was able to land a coveted per diem contract at a leading health system. “As opposed to having a rigid schedule, I’m able to step in and fill short-term needs without feeling like it’s impeding on my personal life,” she says.

After being accepted into a nurse anesthesia program, working per diem has also given Sarah the chance to begin financially preparing. “I had only worked as a registered nurse for a little under two years and did not have a lot of money saved up for graduate school. Now, I get to save up for school, while also enjoying my time off,” she notes.

Since per diem positions can vary in setting, location and length, nurses like Sarah are able to enjoy the flexibility of having work-life balance, while also expanding their existing skill set.

According to Sarah, “On one day, I can be in the abdominal organ transplant ICU and in the next, I can be in neurosurgery. No two shifts are ever alike, and each day brings a new challenge, which means I’m never bored.”

Ready to take your nursing career to the next level? and a recruiter will be in touch to discuss how to get you where you want to go.

But what if you’re a nurse who also happens to be a new parent that would prefer to spend more time at home? Or perhaps you’re approaching retirement and would like to keep your nursing license active? Luckily, there’s an option out there that can accommodate any of those circumstances. Enter per diem nursing.

Per Diem Defined

In Latin, “per diem” translates to “per day” or “for each day.” So, what is per diem nursing, exactly? In the healthcare industry, a per diem nurse is hired to work on a day-to-day basis or as needs present themselves. Hospitals and care facilities often rely on per diem nurses to fill vacancies in the schedule. Working per diem means different things depending on the organization. For example, a per diem nurse may be called into work the same day another nurse calls out sick.

In other cases, per diem nurses are pre-scheduled to cover for full-time staff members who are on vacation, maternity leave or any other type of extended leave. Per diem nurses are also hired for seasonal staffing coverage during times when patient care demand spikes.

Why Work Per Diem?

Per diem nursing is an effective staffing solution for both clinicians and healthcare institutions. Working on a per diem basis is a great way to maintain a flexible schedule, generate income and gain valuable clinical experience in a variety of healthcare environments. Per diem nursing can also help you get your foot in the door and test the water with positions in fields that interest you.

And due to the increasing needs in hospitals across the country, per diem nurses are in high demand. Any time a facility has a shortage or crisis that can’t be managed by their permanent staff alone, they look to per diem nurses to jump in. If you’re considering per diem, check out these top tips for working per diem to make the most of your experience.

Start Your Per Diem Journey Today with Aya

If you love nursing but want more flexibility and a better work-life balance, it may be time to consider per diem. Connect with one of our recruiters today to learn more about per diem nursing and find out if it’s a good fit for you!