I have been with InteliStaf here in Seattle for about 13 months and I just love them. I work full-time with them. I checked out a few other agencies before signing up with InteliStaf. Here are the main reasons I chose them over some of the other agencies.
1) Choices. They have contract with all the hospitals in the area. This gives me more choices than with some other agencies.
2) Good pay rates. I don't know if InteliStaf has the best rates, but I have found they are consistently higher than Maxim and some other of the larger agencies.
3) Benifits and Insurance. I have Blue Cross/Blue Sheild health insurance through InteliStaf. I also have Dental, Vision, a 401 K plan and vacation benefits.
4) Travel Division. InteliStaf has a travel division. Although I personally have not been on a travel contract through them, I know a few of the other InteliStaf nurses I work with have. This was convenient for them because they did not have to go to another agency to get a travel contract.
5) Lots of Offices through out the US. When I was looking to sign up with an agency, I wasn't sure if I was going to remain in the Seattle area. My recruiter told me that InteliStaf had offices in most of the states, and that my file could be easily transfered to another InteliStaf office if I decided to relocate.
6) Credentialing Interview. I was told when I was hired that InteliStaf was the only agency that required their employees to go through a credentialing interview. I have talked to nurses from quite a fww other agencies, and none of them were required by their agency to go through this. While this step may make the hiring process a bit longer, I think it makes InteliStaf a more credible agency for the facilities they serve.
7) Small Things. I was unaware of this when I was hired, but the Seattle office does a good job of doing little things. I have received cards of appreciation from the staffers for picking up some late call shifts. They also have a free scrubs program in which they give you a free set of scrubs after working a certain amount of hours. I don't know if they do that in every InteliStaf office, but the Seattle office does a good job of making me feel like I am appreciated.
7) Referral Bonuses. I have made a good chunk of change from InteliStaf for just refering a few people to them. I don't spend my time recruiting other agency RNs. I don't have the time or energy for that, but I am freqently asked by other agency nurses if I am happy at InteliStaf. No agency is perfect, but from some of the horror stories I have heard from some other agency nurses, I consider myself quite lucky to be with an agency that I really enjoy.
There are also a few new things InteliStaf has added since I have been hired.
1) On-line Hiring process. One of the RNs I just recently started working with said that she completed her application and most of her paperwork on-line. I wish this feature had been available when I was hired. Another one of the RNs I work with said that she renewed her skills checklist online also.
2) JCAHO accredidation. The office here in Seattle is going through the process of being JCAHO certified. I think once they get their certification, they will be the hospital's first choice among agencies.
I would encourage you to check out a few different agencies and find which one will work best for you and your goals. For some reason or another, InteliStaf may not be the best choice for you, but I would definately encourage you to check them out.