Agencies-Is Joining One Changing?

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Since becoming a nurse, I have signed for three agencies within the first year. At that time, I produced a copy of my license, malpractice, BCLS card and filled out information on the skills I am currently able to do. Took a test at one.

Now, I am seeing changes; the agency I work for as a vaccination nurse for the US Armed Services required that we fill out an on line questionare for a background check. That is understandable-we are serving the Feds. Now, an agency I signed up for last year contacted me last Thursday asking if I wanted an opportunity to work in psych-a place close to home. They told me that they reviewed my file and just wanted an updated PPD, malpractice and a picture of my ID since the first one sent last year was too dark. They inform me that I have to take a test at the facility that wants to use us. Did all of that.

Then, they call me yesterday and say that there is even another change (must have happened the day before)-I have to take an on line test through a website called Prove It! I got home last night and did them-it was actually 3 tests. I had no issues with the questions-they were not exceptionally difficult...but, it did take me about 1.5 hours to complete because I had a 60 question calculations test to take. Thank goodness it wasn't timed because I totally forgot about calculating IV drips and had to regroup for a moment before I went to work, so to speak.

Agency nurses-are you finding that even though you have been working at your agencies for awhile, that they are revising on how to keep you employed by them? I am not really whining, but I saw that within a few days after Thursday, I was suddenly rained on a million things that had to be done within 48 hours...constant phone calls, emails and 'do it yesterdays'.

[caliotter3]

The only thing I have seen is a difference in office worker competence when it comes to keeping your paperwork up to date and placed in your file where it belongs. One agency couldn't keep my file up to date and complete if it meant the lives of everyone in the office. I got tired of constantly giving them the same copies over and over. In contrast, another agency was very anal about everything. The personality of the HR person had to have been the reason. I knew that when he told me that my fingerprint check never came back that he was pulling my leg somehow. He hounded us about everything else. A coworker gave him a chewing out about this one time. She had faxed something from the fax machine of the client and he complained that the fax was not clear. She let him know that she was not going to drive all the way to the office to give him another copy. My last three agencies that I've applied for work at didn't even bother to call my references, so I doubt they have done anything more than to check the status of my license. Good enough for me.