Agency Nurses

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Specializes in critical-care.

I've seen a few agency nurses on my unit, and I'm impressed with the work they do. I'm interested in learning what it's like to be an agency nurse. Does anyone have a testimonial?

I can't imagine moving from place to place, and trying to make friends along they way. It must be hard to develop trust amongst the regular staff because they know you are new and that you likely won't be staying there long. Not to mention all of the learning you guys do on the fly because no two hospitals are the same. How do you guys do it?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

It sounds like you are actually discussing travel nurses which is a specialty all it's own. There are a multitude of stories and tips in the travel nursing specialty forum.

Agency nursing is more like temp staffing nursing. Qualified nurses that can fill in on short notice.

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Agency nursing can be a challenge. You need to be flexible and adaptable. The good part is you can often escape the mundane. It is usually good money but you have to realize it can be filled with ups and downs. Lots of shifts lots of overtime then it can slow down. Budget well and it can be the best job of your life! If you have to have a steady check it can be a little risky. However, you will be in many different hospitals and probably find the place that is your best fit where you can sign on. Be careful with your employment agreement most agencies want to keep you and prohibit or charge for recruitment. Frequently you can set up a win-win from the start-no penalty for recruitment. The Agency had you for a while (win) you found a place to be perm staff (win for you) hospital filled a necessary role (win for them) in the end everybody came out on top! Good luck

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There is a travel nurse forum on AllNurses. You might want to lurk a bit and learn rather than asking such broad open ended questions. You can literally write a book about travel nursing, and there are a number of them on the market. There is a ton of information about travel nursing available with a simple Google search, from agency sites with lots of FAQs, to traveler sites such as PanTravelers and Gypsy Nurse.

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Its quiet a challenge to work with staffing agency, especially as a new nurse. I have been relunctant to take a shift because of the unknown on different hospitals and different floors each time. Any advice of on new nurse working locally with staffing agency?

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I hear you my dear, its a challenge going from one place to the next all the time, and as someone mentioned if you need to be on certain income to survive it can be a risk taking cos you not guaranteed with hours/shifts

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