As a temporary nurse, you handle nursing responsibilities while on contract. Your duties include direct patient contact or administrative tasks, depending on the position. You may be asked to gather medical history, take vitals, prepare patients for exams, educate patients, complete paperwork, choose appropriate coding, coordinate with insurances, and assist physicians as needed. Temporary nurses often use an agency to find a job and may work on per diem assignment, as travel nurses, or provide fill-in assistance when medical facilities have staff shortages. Opportunities may last a couple of days or a couple of months, but offer more flexibility than a permanent position.