How to hire an prn

How to hire an prn, step by step

Here's a step-by-step prn hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an prn job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new prn
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an prn do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the prn you need to hire. Certain prn roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect prn also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of prns and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of PRN	Description	Hourly rate
   PRN	Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas... Show more	$8-42
   Hospital Corpsman	Hospital corpsmen are U.S. Navy enlisted medical specialists who perform the initial treatment during combat... Show more	$11-22
   Medication Aide	A medication aide is a healthcare professional who is responsible for administering medication to patients daily in a hospital or medical facility. As certified nursing assistants, medication aides should possess knowledge of patient care procedures so that they can coordinate with different nurses to deliver them... Show more	$15-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Healthcare
   • Occupational Therapy
   • CPR
   • Rehabilitation
   • Customer Service
   • Physical Therapy
   • Acute Care
   • Vital Signs
   • Home Health
   • Surgery
   • Quality Care
   • Acls
   • SNF

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop discharge plans base on individual patients' medical and ADL needs to ensure safety and security issues are addressed.
   • Experience with ICU patients including ventilator and non-ventilator dependent patients.
   • Tend to the physical and emotional needs of patients recovering from critical injury or extensive orthopedic surgery.
   • Provide patient rehabilitation to primarily geriatric short/long term care patients of different diagnosis and document treatment sessions appropriately.
   • Provide PRN speech services including evaluation and treatments in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, and outpatient settings with adult populations
   • Incorporate invasive monitoring and CPR skills as needed.

   More prn duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your prn job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An prn can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, prns' average salary in iowa is 65% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level prns 81% less than senior-level prns.
   • Certifications. An prn with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an prn's salary.

   Average prn salary

   $39,642yearly

   $19.06 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level prn salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average prn salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$57,896	$28
   2	Arizona	$43,759	$21
   3	Texas	$43,363	$21
   4	South Carolina	$38,291	$18
   5	Florida	$37,829	$18
   6	Alabama	$37,208	$18
   7	Maryland	$36,223	$17
   8	New Jersey	$35,597	$17
   9	Kentucky	$34,636	$17
   10	Georgia	$34,140	$16
   11	Tennessee	$33,869	$16
   12	North Carolina	$33,623	$16
   13	Virginia	$33,405	$16
   14	New Hampshire	$33,210	$16
   15	Kansas	$32,677	$16
   16	Ohio	$32,521	$16
   17	Indiana	$30,347	$15
   18	Montana	$28,697	$14
   19	Utah	$28,554	$14
   20	Minnesota	$28,508	$14

   Average prn salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Erlanger Health System	$87,208	$41.93	34
   2	STG International	$82,467	$39.65	10
   3	Nebraska Medicine	$82,344	$39.59	3
   4	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego	$81,409	$39.14
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$80,244	$38.58
   6	Baptist Health	$76,661	$36.86	39
   7	Parkland Hospital	$76,422	$36.74
   8	UC Santa Barbara	$75,056	$36.08
   9	Novant Health	$73,825	$35.49	4
   10	UC Merced	$71,141	$34.20
   11	University of California	$70,234	$33.77	1
   12	NCH Healthcare System	$69,521	$33.42	8
   13	Huntsville Hospital	$69,451	$33.39	23
   14	GradyHealth	$68,875	$33.11	10
   15	PruittHealth	$67,112	$32.27	32
   16	HCA Healthcare	$63,714	$30.63	1,386
   17	Montrose Memorial Hospital	$56,974	$27.39
   18	Carteret Health Care	$55,516	$26.69	4
   19	HealthTrust	$55,337	$26.60	113
   20	Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System	$55,129	$26.50	12

4. Writing an prn job description

   A job description for an prn role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an prn job description:

   Prn job description example

   Job DescriptionJob Description: Provo area surgery center is seeking a PACU/Pre-Op Nurse (RN) to ensure the delivery of safe, efficient, caring service pertinent to individual needs of surgery patients. This individual acts as a patient advocate, providing continuity of care designed to meet individual patient needs through collaboration with other members of the health care team at the facility. Responsibilities include:
   • Provide prescription pads for surgeons scheduled for the day.
   • Check crash cart and oxygen tank, perform daily AED check.
   • Count PACU narcotics with another nurse and replenish supply of narcotics. Restock Phase II refrigerator with fluid supply.
   • Provide post operative care of the surgical patient, including: airway maintenance, stabilization of vital signs, safe emergence from anesthesia, control of pain and nausea by administration of drugs and other modalities, orientation to surroundings, administration of special equipment (i.e., ice bags, post-¬op shoes, slings), offer nourishment, and assist the patient with dressing.
   • Follow proper procedures regarding exposure to Category I tasks and for handling hazardous waste materials.
   • Document vital signs, nurse's notes and drugs administered on the PACU record.
   • Review discharge instructions and educate patient and/or responsible adult with appropriate information to alleviate fears and maintain optimal post op care in the home environment.
   • Obtain discharge order from anesthesiologist or surgeon (if local anesthesia) prior to discharge.
   • In the event of a transfer to another facility, complete a Variance Report, Transfer Log, and note appropriate information on Patient Clinical Record.
   • Make post-op calls to check on patient's condition and document call in patient record.
   • Clean gurneys after each patient and restock supplies.
   • At end of shift, re verify narcotic count, lock drug cupboards, deposit keys in locked box, turn off all equipment, lock back door, secure medical charts and prescription pads, and close anesthesia supply closet door.
   • Notify PACU Team Leader / Director of Nursing of equipment and instruments needing repair and or service.
   Candidate must be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Utah and have current CPR, ACLS and PALS certification. This individual must be able to stand and/or walk at least five hours per day, able to lift and/or carry over 25 pounds on a regular basis, and able to push/pull over 50 pounds on a regular basis. Patient care activities may also require the ability to exert force over 50 pounds.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find prns for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your prn job on Zippia to find and attract quality prn candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with prn candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new prn

   Once you have selected a candidate for the prn position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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