If you're a registered nurse in or around Columbus, Ohio, you can use ShiftKey to request shifts that fit your schedule. ShiftKey is a marketplace and technology platform. Independent nurses use it to work on their own terms, and facilities use it to find coverage for open shifts.
ShiftKey is a technology platform and marketplace, not an employer or staffing agency. Columbus-area facilities post RN shifts to our marketplace and you work as an independent contractor, so you decide which ones to request. Before you request a shift, you can see where it is, when it starts and ends and the suggested bid rate. You request the shifts that work best for you, and you propose your own rate. Facilities review requests, and choose independent professionals who meet internal criteria, such as experience.
Start with our ZIP code search. Enter a Columbus-area ZIP code, and filter by “RN” to see RN shifts that facilities have posted to ShiftKey. Keep in mind that what's posted changes as facilities add and fill shifts.
Once you’ve created an account, and we’ve verified your credentials, you’ll be able to see shift details, such as:
- The full facility address with a Google Maps pin.
- The start date, start and end times and shift length.
- The specialty and skill the shift calls for.
- The facility type, rating and bed count.
- The suggested bid rate.
- Facility contact information.
Care settings you may see in Columbus
At publication, Columbus-area RN shifts on the ShiftKey marketplace have been posted by skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehab facilities, correctional facilities, and behavioral health facilities. This doesn't predict what will be posted when you search: Available shifts fluctuate based on facility needs.
Facilities that post shifts in the Columbus area can be in surrounding communities, so make sure the location is one you're willing to travel to before requesting a shift.
Then, look at the route during the hours you'd be commuting. A 7 a.m. start or a late finish is a different trip than the one you'd make at midday, and Ohio winters can change road conditions quickly. The Ohio Department of Transportation’s OHGO, shows construction, incidents, traffic cameras, travel delays and winter road conditions on Ohio highways. If you request a shift and it's accepted, you can set up an OHGO Personal Alert for your saved route and commute time.
Licensing: Who can practice as an RN in Ohio?
Ohio is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. To practice as an RN in Ohio, you need one of the following:
- An active Ohio RN license.
- An active multistate RN license issued by another compact state that is your primary state of residence.
To check an Ohio license's status, use the state's Ohio eLicense lookup, choose the Nursing Board and search by name. The Nurse Licensure Compact website explains how multistate licensing works, and our guide to the Nurse Licensure Compact walks through it in more detail.
If your primary residence is in a state that isn't part of the compact, you'll need an Ohio RN license. Specific licensing questions are best directed to the Ohio Board of Nursing.
A valid license is what allows you to practice. Separately, individual facilities may have their own requirements, and using the ShiftKey platform involves its own verification process. Neither replaces your license, and your license alone doesn't make you eligible for every shift on the marketplace.
Once you've looked at what's posted near you and confirmed your license covers practice in Ohio, the next step is creating your ShiftKey account. Signing up starts the verification process. Once your credentials have been verified, you choose which shifts to request, and you choose your rate. Facilities decide which requests to accept, but they don’t see your rate. They use internal criteria, such as experience or past reliability, to decide which independent professionals to engage.