Agency contracts

[Adaiello92]

So I am in a little bit of a situation. I was working as a nurse for 2 years on a Cardiology unit/ step down at a local hospital. Due to health issues, I ended up leaving so I could focus on my health. Recently I decided to explore the option of working for an agency under a contract. There was an available contract for a Telemetry/ Cardiac unit and the hospital offered me a contract through the agency. I started on the floor and worked 1 12 hour shift on "orientation". I felt so overwhelmed. I am confident in my nursing skills but learning a whole new computer system, orientating to the unit, hospital protocols, how to work the equipment and computer systems such as monitoring etc was crazy. I went home feeling very defeated and overwhelmed but I still came in the next day for my 2nd and last day of orientation but this time I was expected to remember EVERYTHING I learned the day before regarding charting, med administration, policies, etc. I felt like I was drowning and by mid day when I got to speak with the manager we mutually agreed this unit was not the right fit for me so she informed the agency she would be terminating my contract. To be honest, now I'm not sure if agency nursing is for me at all. I am still a relatively new nurse so the idea of a 1 day orientation just doesn't seems feasible to me. Since the hospital terminated my contract before I was done with orientation how does that usually work with an agency? I really don't think I want to try another contract and think I would be better off finding a permanent position directly with a hospital so hopefully I'm not required to do at least 1 contract because this was such an awful experience I dont think I can handle going through that again. Any advice would be REALLY appreciated.

[NurseCard, ADN]

When you work agency, you get little to no orientation usually.

It can depend on the facility. Some facilities insist that their

agency nurses receive a pretty comprehensive orientation period.

Anyway, give you an example from my own experience.... I went

to work recently at a rural but actually fairly busy, hospital. I was

doing this for an agency. I was pretty much thrown in. I was given

some papers to chart on, since I actually could not get into their

computer system at all. I was given access to the Pyxis. That

was essentially it.

When you work agency... the more experience and the

more VARIED the experience that you have, the better.

To me 2 years is not a lot. It can be very overwhelming.

I would try to find a permanent position. Either that or

try to get a contract with a hospital that is willing to give

you a bit more orientation. Maybe a couple of unpaid

days, if necessary, to kinda shadow.

Good luck.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I think some nurses that go to agency nursing don't really understand their expectations. Agency nurses need to be very experienced and quick learners. They also need to be confident in their skills, have a strong nursing foundation, and be flexible. Seems that nurses and agencies aren't always following these guidelines and it is a set up for failure. Even after 23 years, I wouldn't be a good agency nurse. I don't have the quick learning and the ability "to just jump in" mentality. Agency nurses need a particular set of professional and personality skills to thrive.