Stuck in staffing

Specialties Agency

Published

Greetings,

I feel like I made a big error in my career path years ago and now I am stuck being an agency nurse. I want to have some stability and a regular budgetable paycheck each week. In addition I do not like working with Geriatric clients and I am a LPN, hence this is where LPN's get staffed. I hate it, I mean I really hate it!

I want to work back on a hospital floor, an OR, or a physicians office again! but it is hard to get anyone but a staffing agency to look at your application or resume.

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Do you have any contacts at hospitals you have done per diem or agency work at that could help you?

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jamistia:

Please take my suggestions for the good intentions in which they are meant:

If there is a facility you are interested in, talk to the DON (Director of Nursing) to see how you could met the minimum requierements. It may be possible that you could take a class at the local college and gain entrance into your field of interest. It sounds liek you are already doing the leg work in your field of interest but it may be possible a coorifice study may please the manger on the floor of L & D.

I am trying to brain storm here so forgive me if I am not at the level that you need for counsel.

I know, as an agency nurse, quite frankly I am a "license" for the unit. By that I mean I am meeting the legal requirements for staffing of the facility. It does not mean my work is lighter or heavier but I am there for that additional "need of the facility".

You are probably mroe aware then I, but for L & D (as on some medical floors or specialty floors) an RN is a requirement for staffing. Is this the case for L & D?

I have found the facility manager, when approached at the right time to the right manager, are open to talking about meeting the needs of the facility. They / her / him would often be happy to discuss your potential future with them.

There is a nursing shortage, in my understanding, in ALL areas of nursing.

I wish you well... please let us know how we can help.

Thank you for the oppourtunity of the discussion.

In Peace,

B.

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P. S... I worked in a nursing home for 2-3 months.. and I HATED IT.. I think it depends on the facility.. but I worked at a bad one...

I hope you find what makes you happy in nursing.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You are only as stuck as you choose to be, if you don't like agency why don't you apply at the hospitals or doctors offices that you want to work in. A positive attitude goes a long way, good luck with your search.

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Don't worry, you'll get a job. Just like Bon Jovi says - "keep the faith" . I think that submitting your resume to the DON would go a long way. Go right to the source! good luck!

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Don't worry, you'll get a job. Just like Bon Jovi says - "keep the faith" . I think that submitting your resume to the DON would go a long way. Go right to the source! good luck!

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truth is as long as your LPN your going to get "stuck" witht the geri's. If your tired of going to nrusing homes or rehab centers for your staffing you may need to think about RN school, I got tired of geri's really quick especially in nursing homes :eek:

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

you talk about needing a budgetable paycheck. Talk to your agency or another agency if needs be about being contracted out to a facility. I wanted stability, but not being tied down, so I have what they call a "verbal contract". Nothing is written down or signed, but the agency, the hospital and I all know I will work at a certain hospital, on certain days and certain shifts. If I need off, they will let me off no questions asked as long as they have notice.

I still have the flexibility of agency, with the stable paycheck of a "regular job". And I am an LPN too. I work 3 12-hour shifts, days on a PCU in a major metro hospital. I make $4 an hour more than I did in LTC, and about $6 or $7 more than the regular staff LPNs in the hospital.

See if this is an option at your agency or another. Or talk to the staffing hospital at a hospital you like and ask them if they have contracted agency employees and from which agencies.

We also have agency staff who work at another hospital in specialized units such as Endo, etc.

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I too am an LPN that had the same problem. Tell you what I did...told my agency that I would not work until they got me into a hospital. Mind you, it was in the middle of the busy season. They got me in the hospital the next day!!!

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Find some supervisors who like you through your agency work and ask them for a letter of recommendation.Submit these with your applications. Ask them to include a list of skills you are poficient with: skills that would transfer to medsurg scute care.

Also what may be holding you back is your lack of experience in acute care. But medsurg directors usually will hire a LTC nurse with good personal and professional references these days. Good luck!

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