Worst RN Experience Ever!

[S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN]

So I just did a quick couple of nights for an agency in a local ER, thought the extra cash on the side might be nice, and see how I like the agency thing....but have since decided it has been the worst experience of my RN career. I don't know how so many of you travellers could stand going from place to place with short-staffed departments, staff bitter that you're making twice what they are, no orientation, no help, urgh. I realize that the departments I ended up are known to be hard on agency but oh my goodness. RNs would ignore me, pretend I hadn't told them something which I know I did, yell at me for not doing something that second, roll their eyes at me any time I asked a question....it was ridiculous, everyone felt I should just KNOW whos who, and was more than peeved that I couldnt look up my own bloodwork on the computer (which I wasnt given access to). After two long days, I seriously think that it really wasn't worth the extra cash. How do some of you do it

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

You do have to have a really thick skin and a riduculous sense of adventure. You have to be able to say to yourself these knuckleheads don't matter to me.

There have been a few places I won't return to because staff is so bad I worry about getting a bad patient with no backup.

I have been fortunate to find a couple of places that need regular help and the staff is nice, and grateful to have you.

It is important to make sure you don't do per diem until you are very comfortable with all the needed skills. I finally started after 3 years in ER.

I fortunately work at a fabulous hospital (but very bad pay) so I just do a little per diem. I can't cut the umbilical cord with my base hospital.

You do learn and see a lot of different things when you are agency and I am glad I do it. Sometimes it gets hard though and lonely