Agency or PRN directly for the facility?

[serenitylove14]

Next week,

I have three interviews with local hospitals for prn positions. I have also spoken with a local agency that staffs for these hospitals as well. I know the pay for the agency and not the hospitals.

My questions are:

Is it better to work directly for the hospital or for an agency?

Pros and cons of each?

How many prn jobs have you had at one time?

Thanks!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Be sure to determine whether the agency requires their employees to sign a 'non compete' agreement which stipulates that you cannot be hired by a client organization for a period of time after leaving the agency. This would prevent you from accepting a job if one of the hospitals really liked you and wanted to hire you into a full time position.

Agency nurses are always the first ones to be cancelled due to the much higher hourly rate that they cost - you don't make that much after the agency takes their cut. When hospitals are looking to fill a staffing 'hole', the process usually goes - 1) see if any on-duty staff can stay over to cover the hole; 2) See if any regular staff are willing to work an extra shift; 3) Contact internal PRN staff .... 4) contact Agency. So, they frequently cancel agency at the last minute if any of the previous efforts are successful.

[serenitylove14]

Thank you so much for the reply. I have two interviews today, so hopefully they go well.