How Long is too long?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

We have lots of contracts and travel nurses in our facility. It's a fact, it's the future, it's reality.

Way high up management is asking some of the long-term contracts, (we have about a dozen or more in the facility who have been there 3 years or more) to move on or they are welcome to be hired hear. Naturally, they are going to have to be replaced with other contract nurses, since the shortage is that bad here, no one is beating down the doors.

Naturally, these contracts who make good money, housing bonuses, holidays off, etc. Are not going to work here.

So my question is: how long is too long. My unit (the one I'm thinking of quitting) is going to loose three very strong day shift contract nurses, whom we've all come to love.

What does your facility do. In the past contracts were not allowed to renew more than six months. Now they have been renewing indefinately. Several have bought homes and love the hospital and the area, but hate the money.

[sunnygirl272]

(heaving sigh) this is so not what i thought it was...

[sjoe]

To respond to both of you: the answer to this question is always subjective. There is no "rule," no "one size fits all."

[SmilingBluEyes]

As long as it works out for the institution and the traveler, I suppose.

[Stargazer]

Please correct me if I'm getting this wrong, but how does it benefit your hospital to chase off experienced, proven agency nurses who have a working familiarity of your facility and its policies and procedures, with brand-new agency nurses who will cost just as much, but will have to have a period of orientation and a built-in learning curve as they become familiar with the workings of your institution?

The answer? It doesn't. In the midst of a severe staffing shortage, your hospital is trying to strong-arm the agency/travel nurses into taking a pay cut for the enormous privilige of continuing to work there. Screw that. I hope to hell none of them fall for it.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I thought it was pretty typical that agency/contract people couldn't be hired at any facility they'd contracted to for a period of maybe 6 mos or so. It's that way here.

[Gromit]

I wouldn't have a problem with a SHORT contract (that means

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Stargazer

Please correct me if I'm getting this wrong, but how does it benefit your hospital to chase off experienced, proven agency nurses who have a working familiarity of your facility and its policies and procedures, with brand-new agency nurses who will cost just as much, but will have to have a period of orientation and a built-in learning curve as they become familiar with the workings of your institution?

The answer? It doesn't. In the midst of a severe staffing shortage, your hospital is trying to strong-arm the agency/travel nurses into taking a pay cut for the enormous privilige of continuing to work there. Screw that. I hope to hell none of them fall for it.

None of them will fall for it. I think though it looks bad on them they are willing to pay the contracts year after year high wages and the staff low wages. Kind of a morale kind of thing. But the agency always says "why are staff complaining, let them go agency and make the money themselves too."