Becoming a PRN healthcare worker starts with the same education and licensing as any nursing role. The difference is in how you’re employed: PRN, short for the Latin “pro re nata” (as the need arises), means you work on-call or pick up shifts as they become available rather than holding a fixed full-time schedule. Most PRN positions require at least one to two years of clinical experience before facilities will hire you in this flexible capacity.
What a PRN Worker Actually Does
A PRN nurse performs the same clinical duties as a full-time nurse: monitoring vitals, administering medications, running diagnostic tests, updating medical records, and coordinating patient care. The work itself doesn’t change. What changes is the structure around it. You choose when and where you work, filling gaps in a facility’s staffing rather than committing to a set weekly schedule.
PRN roles exist across nursing levels. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered nurses (RNs) can all work PRN. Some facilities also hire PRN physical therapists, respiratory therapists, and radiology techs. The concept applies broadly, but nursing is by far the most common path people search for.
Step 1: Complete a Nursing Program
Your first step is earning a nursing credential. Which one depends on the level of care you want to provide and how much time you’re willing to invest in school.
- CNA certification: Typically 4 to 12 weeks of training, covering basic patient care like bathing, feeding, and vital sign checks. This is the fastest entry point.
- LPN/LVN diploma: Usually a 12-month program at a community college or vocational school. LPNs handle more clinical tasks than CNAs, including wound care and medication administration under supervision.
- Associate degree in nursing (ADN): A two-year program that qualifies you to sit for the RN licensing exam. This is the most common starting point for registered nurses.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): A four-year degree that opens more doors, especially at larger hospitals and health systems that increasingly prefer or require a BSN for RN positions.
After graduation, your program director submits an affidavit of graduation to your state’s board of nursing, confirming you’ve completed the required coursework and clinical hours.
Step 2: Pass the Licensing Exam
Every nurse in the U.S. must pass a national licensing exam before practicing. LPN graduates take the NCLEX-PN, and RN graduates take the NCLEX-RN. Both exams are administered through Pearson VUE, and registration costs $200. Your state board recommends registering at least 30 days before your graduation date so there’s no gap between finishing school and being eligible to test.
Some states have additional requirements. Texas, for example, requires all NCLEX applicants to complete a Nursing Jurisprudence Exam covering state-specific laws and regulations before they can receive their authorization to test. Check with your state board of nursing for any extra steps.
Once you pass, you’ll receive your nursing license. This is the same license held by full-time, part-time, and PRN nurses. There is no separate PRN certification or credential.
Step 3: Build Clinical Experience First
This is where many people get tripped up. You generally cannot jump straight from nursing school into a PRN role. Facilities hiring PRN staff need someone who can walk onto any unit and perform competently with minimal orientation. That confidence comes from experience.
Most hospitals and clinics expect at least one year of full-time clinical work before they’ll consider you for PRN shifts, and two years is more competitive. Spend this time in a specialty that interests you, whether that’s medical-surgical, emergency, labor and delivery, or long-term care. The deeper your skill set in a specific area, the more valuable you’ll be when you transition to PRN work.
Step 4: Choose Your PRN Work Model
Once you’re ready to go PRN, you have two main options for finding shifts: an internal float pool or an external staffing agency. They offer very different experiences.
Internal Float Pool
Many hospitals and health systems maintain their own pool of PRN workers. You’re employed directly by the organization, which means you typically get access to benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and sometimes tuition assistance. You work within one facility (or one health system’s network of facilities), so you learn the electronic health records, policies, and team dynamics over time. That familiarity makes shifts smoother and helps you build relationships with full-time staff.
The trade-off is less variety. You’re limited to shifts at that one organization, and you may be expected to meet a minimum number of hours per month to maintain your position in the pool.
Staffing Agency
Agency nurses work as independent contractors placed at different facilities on short-term assignments. You might work at a hospital one week and an outpatient clinic the next. This model offers the most geographic and schedule flexibility, and agency pay rates tend to be higher per hour to compensate for the lack of stability.
The downsides are real, though. Agency nurses generally don’t receive health insurance, retirement contributions, or paid time off. You’re often treated as an outsider on units where the full-time staff already has established workflows. Building professional relationships is harder when you’re somewhere new every few weeks. And work is not guaranteed: if facilities don’t need extra staff, shifts dry up.
Some PRN nurses use both models at once, keeping a position in one hospital’s float pool for steady baseline income while picking up agency shifts for extra earnings or variety.
Managing Benefits on Your Own
The biggest practical adjustment when going PRN is handling benefits that a full-time employer would normally provide. If you work through an agency or a float pool that doesn’t offer insurance, you’ll need to purchase health coverage through the ACA marketplace or a private insurer. Budget for this: individual marketplace plans averaged $477 per month before subsidies in 2024.
Retirement savings require more discipline too. Some larger staffing agencies do offer 401(k) plans after a qualifying period, often six consecutive months of employment with a minimum number of hours worked. But many PRN workers open their own individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or solo 401(k) plans to stay on track. Without automatic payroll deductions, it’s easy to let retirement contributions slide.
You’ll also want to set aside money for taxes if you’re classified as an independent contractor, since no one is withholding federal or state income tax from your paychecks. A common rule of thumb is reserving 25 to 30 percent of each check for quarterly estimated tax payments.
Who PRN Work Is Best Suited For
PRN nursing works well for people in specific life situations. Parents who need to work around school schedules, nurses pursuing advanced degrees, semi-retired clinicians who want to stay active without a full-time commitment, and travel-oriented workers who want to control their calendar all gravitate toward PRN roles. It’s also a useful way to explore different specialties or facilities before committing to a full-time position somewhere.
It’s less ideal if you need predictable income, depend on employer-sponsored health insurance, or thrive on being part of a consistent team. PRN shifts can fluctuate with patient census and seasonal demand. Summer and holiday periods tend to offer the most shifts, while slower months can leave gaps in your schedule. Having a financial cushion of at least three months’ expenses helps absorb that inconsistency.