[rnrae]

I work for 2 agencies - One of them, Favorite Staffing, is known to "ghost book". They'll tell you that you're booked for work somewhere, when in fact they're just making sure you are available, then you get cancelled. That's why they have a strict policy not to discuss your schedule with clients and you have to call 2 hrs before your shift to make sure you're not cancelled. No other agency I know of does that and they are all aware of Favorite's practices. Beware!

[tifffear]

I too used to be 3 hours away from Chicago with that 2 hour call off window. I would be one hour into the trip and the facilities almost always would call me off. Get this, if they call you off to late, they are supposed to pay you for the full shift. I quickly learned that they would call me off for the first four hours, then actually call me off 2 hours before the last eight hours of the shift started, therefore not having to pay me for the full shift, only having to pay for the first four hours, and might I add that I had already arrived in Chicago when I could have stayed home.

[DDRN4me]

Agency work to supplement staffing is a 50-50 shot. However, home care thru an agency is usually very steady; these folks need, love and appreciate their nurses... and you only have 1 patient at a time!!!

[caliotter3]

Had never heard about "ghost booking". Glad to find out something to look out for. Thanks for posting this info, rnrae.

[txspadequeen921]

Maxim did this to me booked me for weeks at a time..of course this was when I was a new agency nurse... then cancel me every day...Been a agency nurse quite a while and don't play those games ..thats why I book myself at my regular facilities..

Originally Posted by rnrae

I work for 2 agencies - One of them, Favorite Staffing, is known to "ghost book". They'll tell you that you're booked for work somewhere, when in fact they're just making sure you are available, then you get cancelled. That's why they have a strict policy not to discuss your schedule with clients and you have to call 2 hrs before your shift to make sure you're not cancelled. No other agency I know of does that and they are all aware of Favorite's practices. Beware!

[caliotter3]

txspadequeen921

What did the folks at Maxim expect you to pay your rent and buy food with? Your good looks or your nursing license? I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't start becoming "unavailable" for the recruiters at the agency office you deal with. In general, this sounds so uncharacteristic for Maxim. You should let them know how this behavior is influencing you.

We all know about the way agency nursing works, no real guarantees or consistency (closest is home health long term cases), but the problem is lack of respect for the employee. It is disrespectful to give an expectation of work to an employee and then take it away on a whim or to be dishonest about the booking in the first place. No wonder people leave agency nursing.

[txspadequeen921]

Thing is, no agency really cares about you cause they are probably getting bonuses for every shift you pick up. It's all about the money for them and they don't care if you eat as long as you make your scheduled shift. I've always said staffing agencies need to have a either experiences health care tech or at least LVN in the office to handle booking issues. Some of these people they pull of the streets look at me like I got 10 heads cause I'm not afraid to tell them what I think of a facility. I always get in good with the unit manager and find out what positions are open in the facility I ALWAYS book with the facility first then have them call it in. I also (which may be against the rules but I don't really care) have the unit managers phone number of the places I go (with their permission of course) and they have mine. I call my availability into them and we go from there. I get tired of playing with the idiots in the office...

Originally Posted by caliotter3

txspadequeen921

What did the folks at Maxim expect you to pay your rent and buy food with? Your good looks or your nursing license? I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't start becoming "unavailable" for the recruiters at the agency office you deal with. In general, this sounds so uncharacteristic for Maxim. You should let them know how this behavior is influencing you.

We all know about the way agency nursing works, no real guarantees or consistency (closest is home health long term cases), but the problem is lack of respect for the employee. It is disrespectful to give an expectation of work to an employee and then take it away on a whim or to be dishonest about the booking in the first place. No wonder people leave agency nursing.

[caliotter3]

txspadequeen921

Glad to hear you've figured out how to circumvent the overly challenged in that particular office. Sounds like you deal with another crew that have a lot to learn about how to treat employees. Some of the remarks I have heard concerning nurses' dealings with the office crews are not appropriate to talk about.

[rnrae]

Favorite sent me a "warning" letter stating that I am not to speak to any client about my schedule and if I do it again I will be terminated! Hmmmm...
I wonder why!!!

[caliotter3]

If I were you, rnrae, I would "disengage" from Favorite Staffing. The only way they know that you have discussed scheduling is either you told them or the facility told them. They might be just making an assumption, since most people discuss matters like this despite admonitions otherwise. It really doesn't matter, by giving you a warning letter, they have established a hostile work relationship. You should find more work with the other agency and/or find a third agency before Favorite terminates you. It is far better for you to have a copy of a voluntary resignation letter for some reason, than for them to be able to say they fired you. Good luck.