Agency Nursing vs Staff Nursing

[Q.]

Hi All!

I am preparing to do a debate in my Nursing 510 course about agency vs staff nursing. It is a formal debate complete with PowerPoint presentation, etc. My team and I will be arguing against the usage of Agency nurses as a bandaid to the "real problem " (yet to be identified)

As a good debater should do, I am researching both sides so I can anticipate the other team's argument and refute it. I have several articles both from nursing journals as well as pop culture mags, however, I was looking for input from nurses who are either for or against as well to help me build my argument.

If there is anything you can offer, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[fadingyouth]

I agree that the time to end all this is now.

I must say that I too read the whole thread and felt that agency nurses were the issue. If there is an answer to creating better raport between staff nurses and agency nurses- the one who finds it will win the kudos of thousands.

If there is a solution to creating a more enriching, positive environment in which to retain staff- well it has not been done in many years.

Perhaps, this is a cause for the next generation of nurses to research and solve.

[ChristenLPN, LPN]

We use agency nurses a lot, and we always like to see them come in. Our method of establishing rapport was pretty simple. Be nice. Be respectful. Be professional. Everybody's happy.

[fadingyouth]

Originally posted by ChristenLPN

[We use agency nurses alot, and we always like to see them come in. Our method of establishing rapport was pretty simple. Be nice. Be respectful. Be professional. Everybody's happy.

Your facility is to be commended.

Thank you to all facilities such as yours who treat agency nurses in this manner, but the reality is that you are probably in the minority.

If we can recall how we wish to be treated than the treatment of any other, staff or agency, is simple.

[mattsmom81]

I apologize to all board members who find my above posts offensive. I have decided to filter posters whom I find myself at odds with and refrain from arguing with them. Again, my apologies to all as well as my best wishes! I learn so much reading these BB's and I do not wish to add to any negativity in it's midst. Luv ya'll! :kiss

[SOCRATES SOUL]

The situation is not any better here! In fact we dont receive orientation here at all, the only orientation we get is when we arrive to a ward and are haphazardly shown the essentials only like the Treatment room, the rest we have to figure out and at the blink of an eye ourselves, and on several occasions I havn't even been shown where the equipment I need is kept or even the staff toilet...fortunately I am a very resourceful person and find my feet fast.

I have been employed with my agency for close to a year now and I am thriving on the versatility and freedom of choice but let me tell you we agency nurses have to work that damned lot harder to prove ourselves 'worthy' of that ward, dont deny to me that nurses are not harshly judgemental! Some of the receptions I have met upon first entering a ward can leave alot to be desired at times, enought to make me want to say 'Hey I dont need this, see ya.....but I am very 'thick skinned' and dont take offence too easily and I am confident in the fact that just about every time the shift ends with them smiling and saying 'Please come back'......and THAT is what also makes it worthwhile, after the initial ice breaking through good natured humour and maintaining the teamwork they may so be accustomed too. It is a valueable experience, enhances confidence and manageability and one that I am not relishing to surrendering when I have to commmit fulltime to a particular ward, then I will return to Emergency.

Our hospitals, and ultimately charmless government, are not adressing the dire problem of the chronic nursing shortage and are depleting their pool staff and then in turn the agencies, then they complain about the high cost of agency nurses, ruthlessly cancel shifts and expect their regular staff to carry on with an increasingly heavy and demanding workload.....and they wonder why nurses are leaving in droves, it is pathetic really. ........

Their solution is to progressivley merge wards no matter how imcompatiable the medical/ surgical specialties, continue to have nurses walking out and resigning, the problem is endemic worldwide. and continues to evolve at a fast rate!

Time for bed for me now more another time, my eyes are failing me!! :zzzzz :zzzzz time!!

[Furball]

In my limited experience with agency nurses, I find them to be very knowledgeable and hardworking for the most part. If we didn't have them we'd be ALWAYS short staffed instead of 50% of the time.