[LaughingDog72]

I am a workaholic and wanted some info on the number of hours I can expect. Is it hard to get 40+ hours a week with an agency? Is it really possible to make $40 or $50 an hour? Can I expect to have steady hours or is it like being a substitute teacher where you are lucky to get a call? By the way I live in the Springfield Mo area if anyone out there is from Missouri I would like to hear from you.

[babynurselsa]

I work totally ageency. I have no trouble getting enough hours per week.
When I went agency I signed on with three and quickly had to trim down to one agency because of toooo much work being offered.
I work in the Tulsa area, so you are no too far from me.
Good luck.

[suzanne4]

Agency is wonderful. That is all I worked for most of my career.............
But you need to be flexible in the types of units that you will work, the more specialties, the more marketable.

Not sure how much expereince that you already have under your belt, but you should have at least about two years as you will not get much of an orientation. You have to be able to think and function on your own. Remember that another name for agency nurisng is "staff relief"--- the reason that you are there is that they do not have enough of their own staff to cover.................

[kelluvanurse]

Originally Posted by babynurselsa

I work totally ageency. I have no trouble getting enough hours per week.
When I went agency I signed on with three and quickly had to trim down to one agency because of toooo much work being offered.
I work in the Tulsa area, so you are no too far from me.
Good luck.

Hello Babynurselsa, wow, you work in the Tulsa area, like Tulsa Oklahoma, I live in the McAlester area and I have been thinking about going into Agency nursing, I have a friend who just went to work for Medical Staffing Network in Tulsa, and seems to like it, do you know anything about them and do you recommend working for them, I was thinking about doing 2 16 hour shifts a week, I heard they were paying RNs 32.50 a hour, I have been a RN for 6 years and have worked mulitple areas, currently working dialysis and getting burned out, only make about 18.63 an hour, the money sounds to good to be true, I have worked er, icu and med/surg but not sure about going back to the floor, curious as to what you think, and surprised to find someone from the Oklahoma area.

[LaughingDog72]

do agencies usually schedule 12hr shifts or can you get 8 hrs also? also I have heard that agencies sometimes pay a bonus for completing certain assignments, anyone know much about that?

[babynurselsa]

I have several friends that work for MSN. They seem very happy with them. I work for another ageency in Tulsa, and love mine. I cannot say for sure what their pay rate is over all, but I do know that one of their biggest contracts they are not getting quite that much.
I love agency nursing, it has made me enjoy my career again, and the money is much better than a staff position.

[suzanne4]

Originally Posted by LaughingDog72

do agencies usually schedule 12hr shifts or can you get 8 hrs also? also I have heard that agencies sometimes pay a bonus for completing certain assignments, anyone know much about that?

That is with travel companies. They normally pay the completion bonuses.

[suzanne4]

Originally Posted by LaughingDog72

do agencies usually schedule 12hr shifts or can you get 8 hrs also? also I have heard that agencies sometimes pay a bonus for completing certain assignments, anyone know much about that?

That is with travel companies. They normally pay the completion bonuses.

[Marie030473]

Originally Posted by babynurselsa

I work totally ageency. I have no trouble getting enough hours per week.
When I went agency I signed on with three and quickly had to trim down to one agency because of toooo much work being offered.
I work in the Tulsa area, so you are no too far from me.
Good luck.

Hi. My husband and I are thinking of moving to Tulsa in about 2 years. I just started working agency in April and I really like it. I work for MSN and I've had no problems whatsoever.

What hospital do you work at in Tulsa most often? Is it a teaching hospital? I'm curious. I live in Shreveport and I'm really only familiar with this one chain of hospitals imparticular. Do you tend to work at one hospital or are you sent to several different ones in the area? Do you pre-book shifts with any of the unit managers or just schedule through your agency and don't have any problems getting cancelled? (the reason I ask is because if I don't pre-book at ONE of the FOUR of this hospital chain, I get cancelled because they don't recognize my name in staffing... so when I pre-book, because they know me at that ONE hospital, I rarely get cancelled-- I know, I know.. I need to put my name out there more with the other 3... But I'm only working about 3 or 4 days a week and just can't afford to get cancelled much right now)

One last question... do you get over-time pay on weekends offered in your area (Tulsa) from the hospitals to you/your agency?--that happens a lot here!!! -- virtually every single weekend they offer overtime... 51/hour!!!