cancelled. again

Trauma Columnist · Aug 13, 2004

Are you registered with multiple agencies? Sometimes that helps. Also - the more places you will go to, the better.

nightingale, RN · Aug 13, 2004

LTC should be more stable. I can see where m/s is low censused etc. Find out where YOU can block book and will not be cancelled. Definitely, register with more then one agency.

Try doing a search on this Forum and others and you will find more related info.

cannoli · Aug 15, 2004

I don't live in your part of the country, but I do work agency.

In my case, when they say, "you're confirmed", they just mean that you are confirmed or committed with the agency to work that day. The agency sends a list to the hospital of who they have available and the hospital tells them who they need and cancel the rest. However, the hospital doesn't cancel until the last possible minute, like 2 hours before the shift, so they have people on tap if they need them. I usually get the cancel call from the agency 10 minutes or so after the 2 hour cut off before the shift. I know the hospital, if they have 100 people on the list and they know they will only need one, they still will keep the other 99 on tap until the very last minute.

Here, the hospital usually needs a lot of help during the fall and winter.

I don't know anything about LTC.

Good luck.

TXMomRN · Sep 10, 2004

I haven't had a shift in TWO WEEKS... I am wondering if they are trying to force me into some really crappy place out of desperation!! It just really stinks - especially when last night I was "on the schedule for today" - just call in the am and reconfirm - and I was tossing and turning til the appointed hour to call - called - and was canceled... my kids were happy though, they have loved my being home the past few months!

I have started applying to agency #2 but their process is much different that agency #1's - taking longer, but hopefully that's a good thing : ) Hopefully the tide will turn soon.

i just went back to agency nursing after leaving a full time staff position in LTC-- have only got one shift since i started a week ago-- get shifts booked then i get a call back and i am cancelled-- what is going on here-- am working in the twin cities area-- if any one can give advice will surely listen-- can't afford to be cancelled much more-- is there really not any work in LTC

mscsrjhm · Sep 11, 2004

Agency is feast or famine. Be sure that you work for 2 or more agencies. When the work hits... grab it from both agencies, that way you can get in hours, without getting overtime. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas time is really weak some years. Grab all the work you can.

(Things sure have changed since I first started working agency in the 80's-overtime used to be a given...not anymore.)

TXMomRN · Sep 17, 2004

woo - hoo - things are on an upswing.... hope yours are too!

TXMomRN · Sep 28, 2004

Today I got not one but TWO calls to work - and it's my scheduled "Mom" day for doctor appointments and stuff... I had to say no... was THAT ever a strange feeling!!!

Chaya, ASN, RN · Sep 28, 2004

Could you get listed as a per diem at a couple of hospitals? They'll call their own per diems before they'll call the agencies.

fluffwad · Sep 28, 2004

Most places will avoid using agency if they can help it. You might sign onto the PRN pools of a few places. But the nature of agency and PRN pools is that you aren't guaranteed work.....you cost more, so you'll be last in line a lot of the time. And if you only want dayshift...well, don't hold your breath.

nightingale, RN · Sep 29, 2004

The available work all depends on your area; I hope your scheduling is going better.

I work almost exclusively days... and that too is feast or famine

kat29 · Dec 7, 2004

Im not an agency nurse but Im hoping to be once I get my experience. I was under the impression that the agency sent you to an assignment for a few months at a time. Does this mean that you are sent to a town and housed there only to not have shifts?