Agency Nursing?

Audreyfay · Sep 4, 2004

A Nursing Agency is a business that employs nurses, who work temporary contracts at various hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, etc. An "agency nurse" is an employee of that business that accepts assignments on a day-to-day basis at different facilities. Generally speaking, the nurse must have at least one year of full time experience before an agency is willing to hire them. Having been an agency nurse for several years, what you can expect is to go to any facility with NO orientation, with the expectation that you will be able to handle a regular full patient assignment.

MurrR · Sep 4, 2004

So you have a different workplace every day? And I heard some people talking about travel assignments, what're those?

Audreyfay · Sep 4, 2004

If a person is on a travel assignment, they have accepted a temporary assignment in one position. Generally speaking, the assignments are 6 weeks, 3 months, even 6 months. One I considered was 1 year. If a person is an agency nurse, they float to a different hospital, facility, or unit every day, depending on the need. There are also days in which they get a call from the nursing agency about an hour before they are due for work, and their shift is canceled due to low patient census. This is, of course, with no pay. That's the big disadvantage to being an agency nurse.

MurrR · Sep 4, 2004

What are the big advantages?

Katnip, RN · Sep 5, 2004

I haven't done agency yet, but I'm considering it.

Advantages:

Higher hourly salary

No working nights, holidays, or weekends if you choose

Flexibility in choosing the days you work

Taking vacation when you want

Not getting embroiled in a particular hospital's politics

For travelers: getting to see different parts of the country/world as a resident, not a tourist, and getting paid for it

Disadvantages:

Like AudreyFay said, you could be cancelled at any point in your shift without notice

Often do not get the usual benefits provided by hospitals like medical insurance, though some agencies do offer it now

No "home"

Little or no orientation, though sometimes you can keep going to the same hospital so you're familiar with it

Agency and travelers are often looked down upon by regular staff nurses-not always, but often enough to be noticable.

natasha700 · Sep 5, 2004

:balloons:

I can tell you this I have been doing agency nursing since working as a LPN/LVN and for the most part I love it. With all the political turmoil full time employees have to deal with it, agency nursing has been a god sent for me. True, when the census is low you will feel it so when those lean times come join more than one agency if you can pick up a local contract do so that will guarantee you at least 3 shifts per week instead of being cancelled which I am doing currently and lovin every minute of it. Even if most of the hospitals are union they are still having staffing problems, and the money is mediocre for the job they do. It is also good to do more than one area you become much more marketable and you will more likely have a bonus check come your way when you can have an extra field that is in demand. Right now where I am working they need L&D nurses bad! You may get some resentment from the staff but ignore it because they are capable of doing the same thing. Currently I only have one per diem job and do registry and it keeps me very busy. I don't regret my decision for my personality I like choices in working and the flexibility it gives me. The money is so much better and you learn so many different things. It is not for everyone but if you like variety and challenges I say go for it.

MurrR · Sep 5, 2004

Well, I think that I could handle the politics of a hospital. For the most part that sort of thing seems to part like a river around a rock when it meets up with me. I end up being friendly to everyone. Would you suggest agency nurisng with just the minimum of one year as a full-time nurse, or would you tell someboy to wait a while so that they get even more experience?

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Sep 5, 2004

The more experience you have, the more comfortable you will be. This is very important as you are expected, as an agency or travel nurse, to be able to hit the ground running with little to no orientation. There is often no one around to ask for help (or, in some cases, willing to help) - and people's lives are at stake.

Personally, I got experience in a couple of different areas of nursing before travelling and doing local agency work. It increased my marketability, in that I could work in any area in which I had at least one year of experience.

BTW - don't be too sure about hospital politics. It really is unbelievable. It is very difficult to describe, but it is so much more than a matter of just "being nice to everyone." It is one of the top sources of job dissatisfaction among nurses. I'm not trying to scare or discourage you, but I feel very strongly that people should be fully aware what they are getting themselves into when considering life decisions.

Good luck to you.

MurrR · Sep 5, 2004

Is there a certain limit to how far away an agency can send you, or do you basically live where their whims send you?

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Sep 5, 2004

You decide. They do not "send" you anywhere, per se. They tell you what is available and you decide where you will go.

MurrR · Sep 6, 2004

I can see how an agency would be preferable for people who like to travel a lot and who don't want to get caught up in hospital politics. Are those the only options in nursing, working with an agency or at a hospital?