The COVID-19 Pandemic changed the landscape of nursing forever and its effects are still rippling throughout the healthcare industry today. Issues like inadequate staffing and safety concerns were amplified when nurses began leaving the profession in droves. The nurses who remain are frequently experiencing dangerous levels of burnout and many are considering leaving their current jobs—most of which are in hospitals where their expertise is critically needed. 

Though the issues facing nurses today are complex and multi-faceted, one fact remains clear: nurses are no longer willing to accept the healthcare policies of the past. They want fresh solutions and more career options, especially with scheduling.  

connectRN is one company offering innovative staffing solutions and providing nurses with limitless career options. We sat down with one of their nurses, Akenke Greenwood, BSN, RN, to discuss her nursing journey, her experience with burnout, and how connectRN renewed her passion by providing her with complete professional flexibility and autonomy. 

Real Nursing Burnout Solutions

Solving burnout in the nursing profession will require systemic, foundational changes in the healthcare environment—but there are no quick fixes or easy answers. In addition to solving the staffing crisis, preventing violence against nurses, and providing raises that actually beat inflation, nurses have almost unanimously asked for one thing that can be provided today: greater scheduling flexibility. 

Akenke Greenwood, BSN, RN, is a medical/surgical travel nurse who discovered connectRN in 2023. She quickly fell in love with the platform, particularly the flexibility it provided her in scheduling. Based in Nashville, Greenwood has been a nurse for seven years and loves her job—partly because it runs in the family. Her mother was a home health CNA for over twenty years and Greenwood has fond memories of visiting her mother’s patients and learning the importance of caring for others.

Despite her passion for her profession, Greenwood—like many other nurses—experienced significant stress working through the pandemic with a young son at home. The uncertainty of caring for patients suffering from a novel disease combined with an unpredictable schedule left her exhausted and looking for other options. “Not having control over your schedule can leave you feeling burned out. I definitely was during COVID,” Greenwood says.   

Nursing schedules—especially in the hospital setting—are typically rigid and require nurses to work long shifts, including weekends and holidays. This inflexibility can cause conflicts between one’s professional and personal obligations, forcing nurses to choose. 

Historically, when given the option between a hospital specialty they love and a work schedule that allows work-life balance, many nurses will leave bedside nursing for more the forgiving schedules found in outpatient care settings. 

The connectRN Difference: PRN Plus

After leaving her staff nursing position and working as a travel nurse for some time, Greenwood longed for more quality time with her son. That’s when she discovered connectRN. 

connectRN is a unique hospital staffing solution that offers RNs, LPNs, and CNAs unparalleled flexibility and control over their schedules through PRN opportunities at facilities in their local community. 

From ICU to ED, and home health to rehab, the connectRN app offers numerous shift types in many different specialties and settings, commitment-free. This allows nurses to still provide hands-on patient care in the specialty they love without the strict requirements. 

Unlike a direct PRN employment arrangement with the hospital, connectRN has:

• No shift or hour minimum
• No nights, weekends, or holidays required
• No contract obligations

Plus, you can get paid the day you work a shift through the app, have access to 24/7 support, and receive additional benefits like a 401k and medical, discounts, and more. Visit connectRN to learn more and sign up!

For Greenwood, connectRN was exactly what she was looking for at that point in her career.

“I have a six-year-old son and I want to be there to enjoy life with him. He’s big into soccer now and I love being able to go to every game, plus take him on trips so he can experience the world. connectRN has given me the flexibility to work as a nurse and still live life on my terms, and I couldn’t be happier. I tell every nurse I meet to sign up with connectRN.” 

connectRN Offers Nurses the Best of Both Worlds

For too long, nurses have felt pressured to choose between the job they love and their personal lives. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With connectRN, nurses can provide the skilled care they take pride in while taking control of their careers through PRN nursing opportunities. 

For Greenwood, connectRN has delivered on that promise and so much more. “I encourage all nurses to find an employer who allows you to be a whole person and find time to relax—whatever that looks like for you. Nurses are so used to pouring from an empty cup, you have to take time for you,” Greenwood says. 

Since reclaiming her time, Greenwood has enjoyed lots of fun activities with her son and has started thinking about her next professional move. She’s interested in trying Labor and Delivery and possibly midwifery school one day to help improve outcomes for her black and brown patients. 

“My dream is to help improve diversity in nursing and tackle healthcare disparities that affect black women the most. Every patient deserves appropriate care and that’s not happening right now. I want to help change the culture for the better,” Greenwood says. 

Are you ready to rediscover your passion for nursing without sacrificing your personal life? Join the connectRN community today and experience the freedom and flexibility of bedside care on your terms. Don’t wait for burnout to hit—get started today and discover the wonderful opportunities that per diem nursing offers!

This article is sponsored by connectRN.