Starting per-diem work as an independent clinician shouldn't feel like a mystery. Here's exactly what your first shift on BoomRN looks like, from downloading the app to seeing the payment land — so you know what's coming at every step.
Step 1 — Download the app and create your profile
BoomRN is on the App Store for iPhone, or you can start in the browser at boomrn.com/onboarding. Either way, you'll set up your professional profile: your license type (CNA, LVN, or RN), your service area, and your availability. This is your business's storefront — facilities see it when you book their shifts, so a complete profile matters.
Step 2 — Get verified
Before you can pick up shifts, the platform verifies your license and credentials — state license, BLS certification, and the documents facilities expect, like your W-9 and liability insurance. Verification is what makes the marketplace work: facilities know every clinician they see is real, current, and credentialed. Have photos or PDFs of your documents ready and this step goes quickly.
Step 3 — Browse shifts and book one
Once verified, you'll see per-diem shifts near you, filtered by your license. Each shift shows the facility type, the date and time, and the posted rate. You can take the posted rate or counter with your own — one counter each way, and you have the final say. When you and the facility agree, the shift is yours and it lands in your schedule.
Step 4 — Work the shift
Show up a few minutes early, check in through the app when you arrive, do what you do best, and check out when you're done. Your check-in and check-out times build your hours record on the platform — useful for your own books and for any records you need later.
Step 5 — Get paid
After the facility's review window, your completed hours are processed and paid out to the bank account you connected during onboarding. What you agreed to is what you invoice — you negotiated the rate directly with the facility.
A few first-shift tips from the field
- Arrive early on day one. New building, new charge nurse, new codes — give yourself fifteen extra minutes.
- Ask for the unit rundown at the start. A two-minute orientation from the charge nurse saves an hour of confusion.
- Treat reliability as your reputation. As an independent professional, your track record is your most valuable asset — facilities notice who shows up.
- Keep your credentials current in the app. An expired document pauses your ability to book until it's updated.
Want to see the whole flow before you sign up? Take the interactive clinician demo — no account needed.
Ready for your first shift?
Download the app or start onboarding in the browser — verification takes minutes to start.
Get started →
This article is general information about how the BoomRN platform works, not tax, legal, or financial advice. Independent-contractor status carries responsibilities that vary by individual situation. BoomRN is a technology marketplace, not a staffing agency.