[cannoli]

It borders on harrassment, in my opinion.

[lovingangeluk]

Thank you all of you. I now know Its not just my agency that treat people in his way. This last week I have had 2 very early morning calls (1:45am and 6:30am) both of which were to my mobile, which Ileave on silent at night because of this reason, the messege said it was very important I get back to them. On doing this I was asked if I would change one of my shifts for 3rd November!! yes, very important!!

Why phone in the middle of the night to ask about a shift in a weeks time??

This is why I always have my phone on silent at night and I have not told them my landline number.

Can I ask where you are all from?

As you can see I am on the South Coast of England.

Love and Hugs to you all
Amy xx

[cannoli]

What nerve!, calling you in the middle of the night for something like that! (or for any reason), good thing you had muted your phone.

Maybe you should call whoever is on call for the agency at the same time some night, see how they like it.

I'm in the south eastern United States.

[Guardian Angels]

I own an Agency. There is not as much money made as what is assumed. We have the fees of workmans compensation and $3,000,000 Liability Insurance Policies along with unemployment insurance.

On the other issues, if our staff does not want to work a day, week, month, shift or facility we gracefully accept the employees preference.

Keep in mind, the work is in our area "supplemental" We can not promise a full time position or a paycheck for 2 weeks, it simply depends on the needs of those with whom we have contracted. We can't "make" them call us.

On the same note, we exist because of staff shortages. We are a service that is contracted to fill a position, even if it is at 3:00 in the morning because someone didn't show or someone on the facility end is ill.

I love my employees, I respect them and I have to say, we are a great team. I work with them at facilities as a CNA, LPN and RN, whatever is needed if there is no one else to cover. I know what it is like out there. I have done it. I am proud of my employees who enjoy the work as much as I do, and fortunately I can say at this moment, all of them are on the same page with me.

There are two sides to every coin.

[cannoli]

Well, I really don't think you can justify calling someone in the middle of the night to change a shift for a week later as was posted above, that couldn't wait until the morning?

I am interested in the liability insurance. What type of insurance do you carry and who and what does it cover?

What about the hospital's liability insurance, how does it cover when an agency nurse is involved?

I carry my own nurse's liability insurance.

[Guardian Angels]

The insurance is actually called "Liability Insurance" and it covers all acts that could cause harm. Our policy limit must meet the same limit as what the facilities carry.

The facility insurance will also cover an act that could cause harm, the agency policy is in addition to so actually, when using an agency, the facility is also getting "double" in coverage. Which is something else that agency nurses do not readily know

[cannoli]

Thank you for the info.

[phoneRN]

I am also an agency RN that has experienced rudeness from agency staffing coordinators to cover a shift/or facility I do not care to work with. Also, I have seen many family members have the audacity to expect private duty RN's to be a baby sitter, housekeeper, and phone answer person for them when the RN is caring for a pediactric/adult ventilator dependent family member. The agencies do not intervene despite complaints from the nurses. Where is the respect?? Where is the fairness in labor law practices?? The case I'm on now has a family who is demanding that one of our injured LPN's put off urgently needed surgery for a poorly healed fx ankle because the agency cannot find any coverage to take the nurses place temporarily. After 24 yrs as an RN, I see more and more emotional abuse toward nurses in this
society. The family has threatened to fire this nurse if he takes any time off. The agency refuses to step in to intervene. Their attitude is that they need to keep the family happy and the case staffed. Also, they do not like the nurses to take off for vacation time. I am totally fed up with any company who treats their nurses so poorly. They should be grateful they have us. Thank you for listening.

[dmhayes]

I worked for a few years as a staff nurse and was always BROKE.....Now I work for an excellent agency who is more like family then employee -- employer..It is one of the largest staffing agencies around however, it is very very family oriented. When my husband recently had surgery, the branch manager kept my kids so I could be with my husband, when they wanted me to go out of town, the HR secretary kept my kids for the weekend.. Agency has its ups and downs and they do indeed need to understand NO...but, if you work for the right agency it takes just a little give and take and it will make all the difference in the world...Email me if you want to know the agency, we are currently very very busy and need some good nurses.. Becky and Tonya will hire you if you are qualified. Oh yeah,,,,my branch manager also took my husband to the doctor the other day so that I could take my sick grandaughter as we have only one vechicle.

A PROUD AND HAPPY AGENCY NURSE.

[WyomingRN]

I know the feeling, used to work for such an agency. They didn't like to hear the word NO. This "good family oriented" "Good Christian" agency thought that their nurses should work on their days off at another facility so the agency could line their pockets a little more off of the nurses work. They didn't think twice about calling in the middle of the morning when I was working night shift to see if I could take shifts on my days off. They didn't like to give up when they were told NO, would come up with all sorts of excuses to try and make me feel guilty. Didn't work after the first time. People like this are nothing by sly conniving weasels. Weaseling as much money out of the facilities and nurses as possible.