Treatment of Agency Staff

Registry (agency) personnel can be a true asset or a pain in the behind. It depends on the person.

Or persons...on either side...

I've worked agency for the past 9 years now. At times fulltime and at times as extra cash on my day off. I haven't had any bad experiences so far. I've worked NICU, PICU, CCU, Telemetry and Med Surg. I'm pretty comfortable in all of these areas but if I'm not sure of something I ask questions of the charge nurse. In my experience they would much rather we ask than to assume that we know, different hospitals have different policies. I like belonging to My NICU where I am staff but I don't know what I would do without the agency experience and supplement to my income. RNs don't make much when they work staff where I work.

I have only been on assignment to one facility that treated me well. The patients and staff were great. The rest of my assignments were terrible. No respect from any of the nurses and the patients were all grumpy( I chose to blame it on the nurses because they were in the middle of a union dispute of some sort).
These people were horrible to all agency staff---even the ones who worked circles around them.

I have worked just about every area there is to work in nursing, except for PICU and the OR! I have worked in 5 different states, and more facilities then most people...including most nurses have even walked in the door of...let alone worked in. It would take me awhile to sit down and even think about all the ones I have worked in. If you took this same poll on the Delphi forum...of the experienced travelers, and unfortuantely some new ones too, the scales would indeed tip way in the other direction. I know becaue I have been on that forum longer than I have been here!(but this one is the best), and read all the complaints!

I can remember one of the worst treatments of an agency nurse that I have ever heard before. And that was of a staff nurse 's taking out her anger at the pay agencies nurses were making, and launching an unprovoked, verbal abuse on a unsuspecting agency nurse. This nurse was on the elevator... leaving the hospital!! I have listened to a CN and another staff member laughing about how she (the CN) had an agency nurse ask her why she kept giving her all the admissions! Her response to this nurse was that she would keep giving them to her! And made the statement ."everytime she comes here I'm going to give them to her! Now this unit had only a small handful of their own staff! Wonder why???

What I'm saying is...to all who haven't been subjected to the abusive treatment others have...count yourself lucky indeed. Because the abuse is out there...you just have been very blessed to not have it touch you! I know that many of us will put up with what others won't...but I don't. I go into a facility with a big smile hoping, and wishing for the best. If it's good I go back...if not I don't! I agree with nightngale1998, that making a hospital and or unit a DNU...is best thing possible in many cases! In one city I had more DNU hospital on my list then not. The two I did have on my list...asked my agency to send me back, and the other when they found I was leaving had their manager come in on nites and offer me af job, and tried to talk me out the coming where I am now! I was given her card with a standing offer of a job anytime I returned!! So obviously I wasn't the problem...they thought I was wonderful!!

But me.... I prefer travel assginemts because most times I can put up with anything for 8-13weeks, and I can rest between assignments and not worry about money! My apartment, furniture and sometimes all my utilites including cable and phone are taken care of, and I can work on getting the extras! I don't have to worry about getting canceled...or trying to figure out each time I go to a new hospital what is required of me.

There have been some wonderful assignments in my long career, and there have been some real stinkers too! I take the good with the bad, and if something becomes too unbearable I can always walk! Have done it, and will do it again if need be. Life is just too short!

But that is the beauty of being a nurse...as you have the option to change, and do something else if you find you need to for your own peace of mind.. Thank you nightngale1998, for allowing me to speak my mind..

AMEN, Brownie! I couldn't have worded it better myself! Your reasoning for being a traveling nurse are my sentiments exactly which is why I would become a Traveling Nurse again in a heart beat. And...if not a traveling nurse, I would definitely choose to be either Agency or work at a hospital with a good reputation on a per diem basis. It would take a hell of an offer with excellent benefits for me to say, "Yes, I'd be happy to work here as a STAFF nurse!" HA! Anyone know of a hospital that fits that description?

I knew of a couple that were great, but as a single parent I couldn't afford to go on staff with them. But I hesitate to reccomend them as I would have, and have reccomend where I just left!!. I'm just hoping that where I'm going resembled your example posted! It just always seems to come down to money...or happines. At the moment I'm starting to think about pushng away my greedy side, and think of my emotional side more. Hard thing for me to do...but leaning there..

We love our travelers/agency staff!

I work in a 450 births/month level 3 Labor & delivery unit.
With FEMLA leaves and maternity leaves, we would be totally sunk without our traveler staff! They jump in with both feet, are hard workers, know their skill levels and mingle quickly with us 'old folks'! We often beg them to come back...and sometimes they do!

Haze