Treatment of Agency Staff

globalRN's post reminds me of my first job as a NA many years ago. One day I was the only NA to show up besides one other, an older person who had been there a long time. I was brand new to everything. Plugged along busting my behind. Of course there was plenty that didn't get done and when I went up to the nurses' station at the end of the day this other NA gave me hell b/c "you don't give baths when you're short handed". Of course she had been at the nurses' station ALL DAY and never felt the need to clue me in to anything until it was time to clock out. To this day I have never figured out what an NA does at the nurses' station all day. She did not lift one finger to do pt care that day. I left for school very soon thereafter, it didn't take much to convince me to get out of that place. I have always remembered that and try always to be helpful to all, especially the new people.

I work for an agency that is owned by a hospital chain, owns and/or operates about 7 or 8 hospitals in a metro area. For the most part, I work on PCU in one hospital, occasionally they float me to another floor or another hospital, but that's probably less than 10 times a year, and I work 3 12 hour shifts a week.
I am treated like regular staff pretty much. I have to say I did get quite a bit of crap the first few weeks when I went from unit to unit to unit, especially one unit which I discovered later is the worst in the place 2East referred to as 2Beast. The only problem is that agency staff doesn't get emails about policy changes, etc and sometimes that makes for problems. The official policy on pulls, cancellations is that outside agency gets pulled/cancelled first, then hospital agency, then hospital staff, and it is usually followed. I like agency well enough that I do not intend to EVER work a "real job" again!!!!!!

I have been agency for 1 1/2 years. I have been treated very well at the 2 hospitals I have been at. The hospital I am currently at has been the best. Not only am I treated well, but I am extremely appreciated for my knowledge and experience. I work the night shift and most of the other nurses on nights are not as experienced. So many nights I function as a resourse to the other staff.

When I first started with the agency, they placed me in a nursing homel. NEVER AGAIN!!!! I was the only RN on the night shift with more that 75 patients to oversee and pass 6 AM meds to. I worked far too hard to get my license to lose it being put into unsafe situations.

I agree that it depends a lot on the facility. But for the most part, I haven't had any problems.

for the most part I am treated as well or as badly as staff. If I find I've been dumped on I inform the charge nurse and the supervisor that I realize what they've done and that its an underhanded thing to do and then inform my agency I will not work there again. I also only work an 8 hr. shift when I'm going in to a facility for the first time. That way I can only be tortured for 8 hrs. instead of 12.