Help me get over this irrational fear of Agency nursing.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Hey all,

OK, so for severe hardship reasons:o, I'm going to have to have do some agency shifts in a new town. I have five+ years experience as a hospital RN and while I feel like I'm good nurse, I have a lot of insecurities that are largely unfounded and are just me...and I know that intellectually.:icon_roll

I know as an agency nurse, you need to have a thick skin, but I also know that I'm smart, able, and knowledgeable as a nurse, so how could I not handle it I. I say that confidently-sounding typing on a computer but get me actually doing an agency shift and you'll see me shakin' in my boots...well I don't wear boots but you get it.

What tidbits of knowledge can you all tell me to make it go as smooth as possible? I've done travel nursing so I know what being "thrown in" feels like SORTA...because with travelling, you get usually one or two full shifts of orientation. Agency you don't.

For me, time is of the essence in my work. I need to get moving with my patients and fast. The idea of getting to a facility, starting a shift and still having to wait to get a password to use their "pyxis", not even knowing where or how to chart, and now it is 8:30pm and you just now get your password, you have an inkling of where to chart, and you've maybe seen one patient. That sounds very scary but a real expectation no? Or do you arrive early to your first shift at a hospital? But I can't imagine the previous charge nurse wanting to spend all this orientation time with an agency nurse who arrived very early to their shift to better prepare themselves.

It's almost like I'm looking for a mentor in my venture into agency nursing. I'm not looking to make a career out of it, but need to do it for now and know that with the right tools, I can do it. Thanks all. Hopefully the agency I am working with can keep me going back to same hospital so I get past some of this anxiety.

Zman

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Hey all,

OK, so for severe hardship reasons:o, I'm going to have to have do some agency shifts in a new town. I have five+ years experience as a hospital RN and while I feel like I'm good nurse, I have a lot of insecurities that are largely unfounded and are just me...and I know that intellectually.:icon_roll

I know as an agency nurse, you need to have a thick skin, but I also know that I'm smart, able, and knowledgeable as a nurse, so how could I not handle it I. I say that confidently-sounding typing on a computer but get me actually doing an agency shift and you'll see me shakin' in my boots...well I don't wear boots but you get it.

What tidbits of knowledge can you all tell me to make it go as smooth as possible? I've done travel nursing so I know what being "thrown in" feels like SORTA...because with travelling, you get usually one or two full shifts of orientation. Agency you don't.

For me, time is of the essence in my work. I need to get moving with my patients and fast. The idea of getting to a facility, starting a shift and still having to wait to get a password to use their "pyxis", not even knowing where or how to chart, and now it is 8:30pm and you just now get your password, you have an inkling of where to chart, and you've maybe seen one patient. That sounds very scary but a real expectation no? Or do you arrive early to your first shift at a hospital? But I can't imagine the previous charge nurse wanting to spend all this orientation time with an agency nurse who arrived very early to their shift to better prepare themselves.

It's almost like I'm looking for a mentor in my venture into agency nursing. I'm not looking to make a career out of it, but need to do it for now and know that with the right tools, I can do it. Thanks all. Hopefully the agency I am working with can keep me going back to same hospital so I get past some of this anxiety.

Zman

the only two hosp. that i have worked agency at, i did get orientation....and eventually a permanent pixis #

talk with you agency and see if they will pay for this....and if not see if they can arrange it if you volunteer..at least the charting and iv pumps, lol.....and a "map" of the facility would be good

[nursey2008]

Hey there :)

Agency nursing CAN be scary but you will get used to it and being in new situations, new specialities and new wards will become a routine for you.

I remember myself the evening my agency called me for the first time assigning me to a shift for the next day. I had never worked in a hospital before at that stage, was new to the country (only worked 5 months in a nursing home prior to this) I was over my nursing books for the half night crying being sure to stuff up the next day. At the same time my agency asked me to avoid mentioning that I had no hospital experience since my internships during the nursing training. And was there a reason to feel like that? For some reason things went good. I observed the staff what they did and started doing the same things. Most of the things i could relate from my internships, basic post op care, monitoring vital signs. When i wasnt sure i just bluntly asked. I ended up working for 4 weeks in that ward, so it cant have been too bad :) I have been a fulltime agency nurse since that time. nearly 6 months now :)

Usually hospitals are aware of the fact that you're having your first day on the ward. If you have no clue what to do follow a basic nursing routine that somehow repeats itself everywhere. Do the obs, the meds, find out what procedures/investigations patients have, write them down. Inquire about the ward routine regarding preparations. Avoid answering the phone on ur first day and concentrate on the basic nursing. If you are working in a speciality you haven't worked in before do some reading the day before it, ask someone you know or even your agency about the routine in that speciality.

Hey comeon you are a very experienced nurse, you will be soo fine if unexperienced chickens like me could do it!! Please let us know how things go!!