My short stint as an agency nurse has ended...

Published Dec 14, 2005

allnurses Guide

2,847 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

And I just want to say, THANK G*D for that!

What an incredible HASSLE, especially for someone who has a full time hospital job and a three-year old, plus various other LIFE responsibilities.

About two months ago, I got myself signed up with two agencies. I wanted to do this primarily for extra money for now, with the possibility of perhaps doing agency nursing on a full time basis, at a later date. But, it's really just been a huge hassle and really not worth the headache at all. For nearly two months I was giving these agencies my availability and not getting ANY assignments other than a flu clinic every now and then; and they were never scheduled at times that I could work.

Well, then about a week or two ago I told ONE agency that has been a particular thorn in my side :rolleyes: that I happened to live close to one particular hospital that they staff. Well, they arranged for me to take a computer class and since then it seems like they call me FIVE TIMES a day for one reason or another, but especially trying to get me to take this shift and that shift and another shift, at this hospital! And they are all DAY shifts, and I have told these people time, and time, and time again that I don't like day shift, I strongly prefer nights.

Anyway, so this past weekend I actually got scheduled for my first assignment with them; Saturday from 7a-7p. Actually back up... I was scheduled to take the required computer class YESTERDAY. Plus, they needed someone to work this past Saturday so, even though I hadn't taken the computer class yet, they said I could go ahead and work since I would be taking it in a couple of days. Well, Saturday I got put on call. Fine and dandy; I'll take the 13 bucks an hour to sit here at home and watch college basketball games and wait for the phone to MAYBE ring. But... here are the big headaches and why I'm particularly pissy. 1) These people KNOW that I have a full time job already and only want to do this one day a week or so, and yet called me earlier today with a big ol' list of shifts that they needed covering. DAY SHIFTS, no less. And it's like this all the time; it feels like they call me ALL the time now, and it feels like a lot of pressure. 2) Remember the computer class I was supposed to take yesterday? Well, I actually got informed the same day that they booked me for this past Saturday, that the computer class I was supposed to take had been cancelled. They asked me, could I do a class for today? I said no, I didn't think I could. Okay, she said there was also a second computer class scheduled for Monday, yesterday, and she would see if she could get me into it.

She later called back and said no, it was full. She said she'd see about getting me into a class at a later date, since I couldn't go to today's class. Well, after thinking it over... yeah, I was supposed to work all of last night at my regular job but then I would be off both tonight and tomorrow night. So I called the office back to tell them that I had changed my mind, I could take Tuesday's class. I might be sleepy as heck, but I would be off that night and so I'd be okay. Well, I didn't get to talk to the person who I'd been talking to about booking the class; I talked to someone else. This someone else said she would give the other person a MESSAGE for me. So the message I gave was that, yes I thought I could probably take the Tuesday computer class. She was supposed to give the other person that message. So, I would have figured on a phone call from that person, confirming that she had gotten my message and confirming that I was scheduled for that class.

Instead, I got a call this AFTERNOON from them, wondering why I hadn't been at the class. They never ONCE got back with me to confirm that they had gotten my message and that yes, I would be in that class. And you would think, as much as they call my house, it would not have been much more trouble for them to do that! Now they are all pissed at me and the hospital is pissed at THEM, and yadda yadda yadda... and at that point I kinda threw my hands in the air and said "F**k it".

It's just WAY more of a hassle than I want to deal with. All of that extra money would be so nice, yes, but it's totally not worth it. I'm busy enough with my full time job, a marriage, maintaining a house, staying active in my community, AND being active in my three year old's life. Plus, I feel like I am just now REALLY beginning to enjoy my full time job and gaining respect there. I would like to focus all of my energy towards my full time job, and that includes maybe trying to pick up extra hours there whenever I can, instead of fooling with agencies.

So, with all of that said... HOW should I go about terminating my employment with these agencies? I believe this question has been asked in here before. :) But, should I just "let it go" and not call these people any more? Or would it be better, and probably more courteous, to maybe just shoot them a nice little letter announcing my resignation? Would that be appropriate?

Thanks all. Sorry this was so long. I enjoyed my brief stint in this forum. :chuckle My husband doesn't know about all of this yet. He's going to be heartbroken. He could just see the dollar signs shining before his eyes. Oh well.