starting to do agency..scared

qkelly111 · Nov 4, 2009

Ok im gonna be honest with you. Paranoia will not help with agency jobs. Ive come to learn in my experience that agency nurses are liked (in my case) by managment and dont get "picked on". Remember your a nurse and just do the job. The only bitterness you might run into is that we in the agency tend to get better pay than the people were working with so there is jealousy in some cases.

I would suggest that you work for more than 1 agency that will widen your choices and help you find work if a facility cancels you out for a day. The agency tends to have a rule that you cant work for a facility for a certain amount of time after they have you there but find out how long you need to wait and dont take assignments at the place you want to apply. All agencies have contracts with facilities that state if a facility wants you to work for them as an employee the facility has to buy you and your contract fronm the agency for 20-30% of your yearly wage.

People have all different attitudes at different facilities. But they all have the mouthy idiots. Just ignore them and move on. Im sure your gonna do fine with your assignments once you get in the flow of things. The biggest challenge with agency nursing is the fear of whats gonna happen and that fades fast once you hit the facilities.

Good Luck

a_wallace4 · Nov 5, 2009

Don't be scared most of the time I have had nothing but great thanks for going in to help them. If you do your job well they will love you! Most understand what it takes to get accustomed to a new place and gladly answer questions. Asking questions also lets them know that you are trying to do your job the best that you can do. I think the general rule is that once you work at a hospital you have to wait 3 to 6 months after you quit your registry or from the last time you worked there. It isn't forever, so good luck!

icumarshall · Nov 5, 2009

I think you'd do yourself a huge favor by digging in deep and finding some confidence!! Why are you so unsure of yourself... the answer to that is your key to shaking it off, and believing in who you are. If you're a good nurse and you know your game.. the heck with the rest of it. It doesn't matter as much if they like you but that they respect you for the care you deliver. Go in with the attitude that you don't particularly care if they like you or not because you're there to do a job and then do it as best you can.. I assure you they'll like you when they see your patients thriving and recovering. If you project a lack of confidence... they'll pick it up and be unsure about you. Loose the self depricating attitude and you won't give people opportunity to be mean to you.. good luck

Bella RN, BSN, MSN · Nov 9, 2009

I completely agree with ICUMarshall. :yeah:You definitely need to find your self esteem and self worth.

Maybe somewhere in your past you had a traumatic experience which has effected you negatively. Know that you are confident and you are a great nurse.

And don't expect to know everything walking in there. I used to do that to myself so I know that pressure first hand.

Make it a point to be friendly to the staff...even if you feel like you are going to loose it...take slow deep breaths....try to relax and fake it...before you know that smile and confidence will come back!!!

But the self deprecation is a turn off...Even I don't like working with nurses with negative reasoning without logic reason.....I hope you find some peace before you start your firs assignment!! God Bless;)

HealingBalm · Dec 5, 2009

You have been given some very good advice on this board. I would like to suggest a few things that have helped me.

Try to get to your assigned floor early, at least 15-20 minutes. Read the report, do your rounds and med count if you can. Carry a small pad to write down information and to help you prioritize your work, it will help you with charting if you keep notes as you go along. Remember to keep yourself hydrated and to take your breaks as you can.

Most of all remember that all of us seasoned nurses have started out as newbies. Most regulars do appreciate agency nurses. I wish you the best. :yeah:

Male_Chicago · Dec 19, 2009

Hello!
Due to certain situations, I'm gonna start taking agency shifts while I look for a permanent job. If I don't work, I will become homeless. I'm scared with agency as I've always like sufficient orientation in jobs so I feel like I know what I'm doing.
I'm a good nurse, a bit shy and self-depracating, but what worries me is that I know that doing agency, I could walk into a situation where the other staff are mean and if the charge wants, she can find anything wrong with me to ask that they not invite me back. It's a power they have.
I'm a good person but I've always had problems understanding why certain people are mean. Anyway, I am just hoping it is not a horrible experience. Any advice? Thanks all!!
P.S. I hope they don't fault me for asking questions, they shoudl realize that it's for patient safety I ask questions, not to annoy them. Also, I'm not to happy about the fact that once I do an agency assignment at this hospital, I can't apply for a permanent position at the hospital .
Z

Ive been working agency for the past 4 years. I LOVE IT! I do week to week, I change my schedule at the begining of every week depending on MY personal schedule for that week. In the past I used to take it month to month. I frequent 4 hospitals. I love the freedom. Granted I am a cna but I have gotten totally accustomed to the week to week changes. Its really working out for me. When I become a nurse I will most likely do the same except I will definitely travel out of state!

florydory · Feb 5, 2010

Agency is the BOMB ! It is the greatest thing that I ever tried as a CNA (I have 17 years experience as an agency CNA... AND I also worked as a Staffing Coordinator at one of the agencies that I did most of my work for)............I was scared at first too; because Agency work can be "Feast or Famine, " you have to learn how to juggle your money and bills around.

The KEY to continue getting shifts in a facility(s) that you like is to be a little extra nice to the staff workers and get to know the supervisors and managers, AND it doesn't hurt one bit to let them know that you like working their and what kind of shifts you are available for...........IF you do that, they are more likely to call the agency and request for you personally : )

Most agency schedules are week by week, but there are some possibilities of getting contract assignments, esp as an RN ; )

If a facility LIKES you and the work you do, the facility may "BUY out your contract " from the agency..........just remember that the facility will probably pay a liitle less than agency.

beachbum3 · Feb 8, 2010

I have been an agency nurse for about 6 months and I LOVE it. When I first started I was scared too, only 1 year experience as a RN, so I'd never worked anywhere else besides the hospital I started in, on the floor I started on. I decided I'd just do it, even though I was scared, and that if I hated it there was no obligation to continue. To my surprise I loved it. The first time in any facility is a little rough, just figuring out where things are etc, but after that its been great. You'll find that nursing is nursing, regardless of facility. You go in, get report, do your assessments, pass your meds etc.... I revert back to the same time management/flow I've always used, and tweak it as I get to know the facility. I go to the same 2 hospitals almost all the time now. People are generally friendly and helpful. You meet the ones that are jerks, but the great thing is, you don't have to put up with them every day! You do your 12 hours, and go home, and may or may not see them ever again! I started out keeping my full time staff position I've always had, did agency 1-2 days per week. In December I went down to part time (2 shifts/week) at my staff position, and do 2 agency days per week. I've been thinking of quitting the staff position to just do agency alone lately, but I'm going to save some money first so the times I get canceled won't hurt so much. Like another poster said, it can be feast or famine, you just have to plan accordingly and be flexible. Agency is great, great money, great flexibility, I love that I don't have to put up with the politics, that I get to just go in do my job and go home. I ask questions and never have gotten snapped at.... but you do have to have confidence in yourself, the other nurses will be able to tell if you don't, and then they will start to question your competency themselves.

jammin246RN · Apr 12, 2010

I will say that in response to your concerns about having to work with mean people/bad management or whatever here are my $0.02. You have the ultimate power of NO. Hospitals and staff are usually good to you and help if you have any questions because if they don't treat the agency nurses right you will never see them again. Expect to have the hardest of a FAIR team. This would be a team that they would give to a nurse that works for them. So if everyone has 6 patients and say 2 patients on average out of each team is on isolation... expect 6 patients with say 3 patients on isolation. Most staff are more then willing to help you get your feet and help you out. Your orientation will take about 15-30 min to overview their charting policies and where the med room/clean utility/dirty utility are. Apart from that it is standard nursing. From time to time you will come accross a hospital which treats nurses very poorly... don't go back. There is a hospital here which has a bad name and can't keep nurses...even agency nurses. They pay $40-60 an hour (standard agency rate is 28-30 in my area) but even with that pay nurses refuse to work there. I refuse to work there. Try different hospitals you will find some you like, some you don't tell the agency to book you at the ones you like and don't bother with the ones you don't. Always bargain with the hospital and agency. If the hospital likes you and you like them talk with them about their staffing needs for the next week... alot of times you can work 2 weeks at a time with them and get shifts not advertised. My friend who is agency as well has been working full time hours at one hospital (without a contract i might add) for a year or so. The hospital wants to hire her however won't meet her pay rate... so they pay the agency the agency pays her. Talk to other agency nurses and find out the best facilities to work at in your area. If you are asked to work a 12 hour shift then asked to work a double.... see if they will buy you lunch... alot of the time they will. They are happy for the help and your flexibility.