What do you think of agency LPNs?

I am an LPN in LTC with 8 months experience. I am seriously considering quitting my job - my first job as a nurse - and going to work for an agency. I am frustrated with work, but I would stay if there wasn't so much politics going on among the staff. I am beginning to feel out of place.

I wonder what it is like to work as registry - is it tough to go to a different place every shift? How well received would I be by an agency, when I only have 8 months experience?

At my job, registry are kind of looked down on because they are "outsiders" - even tho everyone is so happy to see them at shift change... anyway... I want to hear from registry nurses.. share your experiences!!

I am not registry but many of my freinds are and I have seen what registry goes through. Registry nurses would ALWAYS get the hardest floors to work, the heaviest med passes, etc when working in LTC. They seemed to get dumped on, but that is to be expected since they are coming into an unfamilar enviornment. They also have it rough with pateints families. These families will call and ask about the status of their parents. These registry LVN's have just started working at a new facility and they would BS the family telling that thier loved one was doing great!! If I had $10 for everytime I heard a new registry LVN use that line when they didn't even know who the resident was that they were describing...I would be rich.

Registry seems like a hard way to make a living. You get canceled at the last minute and have to live next to a phone for work. You usually have to take out your own taxes, so tax time at the end of the year is stressful, you work without health benfits, you have no retirment, and you need to carry malpractice insurance. I would never do registy but some people love it. I need stabilty, benefits and a retirment. I don't do well with lots of change all the time (registry).

Philadelphia PA