How do we feel about staffing agencies?

Nurses Career Support

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Specializes in medsurg, progressive care.

I sent out my first job application to my dream job on February 27, 2013, which means it's been just under a year. Eight months since graduating and seven since passing the NCLEX. I've sent out dozens upon dozens of job applications, spent a bunch of money getting certified in other states to widen my search grid, ALREADY HAVE TO RENEW MY HOME STATE LICENSURE BECAUSE CONNECTICUT IS A PIECE OF $*#%, and made it my New Year's resolution to apply to at least one job every single day. I've written hundreds of drafts of cover letters, reformatted my resume at least twelve times, accidentally added a nurse recruiter on facebook trying to find their name to address my cover letter, and have successfully not killed my family members who ask "oh, hey, did you ever think to apply to this really popular and famous hospital just twenty minutes away?". Nah yo, applying to Yale New Haven never crossed my mind. JFC.

Ah, anyway - the only jobs that are left on indeed.com that I haven't looked at much are for staffing agencies. They contract you out to hospitals for 13 weeks at a time. You could be a med/surg nurse for every single hospital in your home state, yay! Downside- ah, shoot, those hospitals aren't allowed to hire you should you decide to leave the staffing agency for some indeterminate amount of time.

I know, everyone says be patient - and I'm trying but I want to be a nurse SO BAD and also dude, student loans, you know? So how are we feeling about these staffing agencies?

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Work=money. It is a no brainer.

When being out of school for that long, did you find a refresher for Med/Surg to stay on top of your skills and critical thinking?

What materials did you use?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Honestly staffing agency would be very ill advised for a new grad with no experience. We are talking no training, no orientation and getting the worst of the worst patients (common in many places to do this to agency nurses). Most staffing agencies require two years experience in the specialty they are placing you in and I would be suspicious of any who didn't.

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Specializes in medsurg, progressive care.

@not.done.yet - that was my thinking, but I wasn't sure if I was just being paranoid or not. It's beginning to feel like NO ONE wants new grads; I looked into 7 different nursing homes/LTC settings today and only 1 would accept new grads.

@nunnc84 - for now I've just been constantly reviewing my notes, making medication flashcards, and looking through my textbooks/workbooks. DPH-approved RN refresher courses cost several thousand dollars, and I'm lucky to be bringing home $50 a week after gas, bills, and student loans at my current job. I've been saving for ACLS certification (already BLS certified) and looking into PALS, DONA-doula certification, and RN licenses in other states. I saved up and am licensed in 2 states and waiting for the BON to approve my license by endorsement in a 3rd. plus I've been setting up volunteer experience. i don't really know what else to do besides keep studying, so if you have any advice, it'd be appreciated.

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Well I have to comment on this thread when I read it. I have a little over a year experience with med/surg, rehab and sub-acute experience. Staffing agencies and travel agency took me in, after i hit my one year bench mark. But as far as staffing agency they have a tendency to cancel a lot when census is low. I still feel like I could learn so much more so I'm currently tyring out this travel agency. As far as your situation, either try SNFs or definitely try apply out of state to places where no one wants to be like, Idaho, Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska. I got my experience from home health, and a small community hospital which also had a sub-acute rehab and psych unit, which they only gave me 2 weeks of new grad training and pretty much let me swim with sharks then on after. Best of luck to you and I really hope this helps.

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Sometimes working with registry can be annoying if they are first timers to your facility because they are unfamiliar with hospital policies, core measure, and other guidelines. Nevertheless, staffing agencies definitely pay handsomely. I have not problems with registry just as long as they stay outta my way! ;)

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