Am I incompetent?

[rnrae]

I work for an agency and worked a few times at a certain place. I really liked it there but I found out that they preferred that I not come back. No reason was given. I am very upset and feel totally incompetent.

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Agency work is so topsy/turvy. I worked for one agency for awhile, worked all of the time, was welcomed to most areas and most facilities. I then decided to go for a regular job and when the agency was called for a reference they never heard of me. LOL! Needless to say, I do not, will not, and hope to never work for them again.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I'm the DNS at a skilled facility and we use agency nurses as a last resort. No offense, but all y'all blow my meager budget. If I have a problem with an agency nurse, I will always call the agency and explain to the supervisor there what the problem was. I've had agency nurses tell me they don't do admissions...don't work on a particular unit...or will only take the keys if they have fewer than a certain amount of patients. I worked agency once....we were told our skills had to be such that we could handle any kind of patient. I've also worked with some agency nurses whom I would hire in a heart beat.

[Valanda]

Until you do get a reason, I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. I was once told that a facility did not want me back and the agency did not give me a reason. After a bit of requesting, they finally told me that the DON felt that I looked to much like his ex-wife, and he was uncomfortable working around me.

Just goes to show that facilities can give a "never send them back" request for any reason at all!

[greatshakes]

I haven't been an agency nurse but I know how I feel about one place I worked and I am not going back again. It's LTC and they know and I know I am a bit slower than most handing out the meds but when you are only called once or twice:o in 2-3 months, it's like having to relearn all over again. I like the older people and they apparently like me but when I asked for some work I would have liked at least one regular shifts per fortnight. I guess casual means just that.

[Vikingkitten]

I just got told that from my agency after having a horrible night last night - I am not a DNR, but they don't want me to work in the ICU anymore "because the charge nurse had to step in and do all my work." They made the decision to give me the worst patient there and then complain because I needed help and was not able to eat or go to the bathroom until 9 hours into my shift.

I am really not sure what I want to do anymore.......

:twocents:It happens to all of us , if you stay in the profession long enough. Doesn't matter how good you are, some places and employees just aren't a good fit. I was at a hospital a few years ago, and was cancelled for no reason given after 5 weeks. OK, it was a lousy place to work, and I was on the verge of resigning anyway. Got a job in a really Great hospital in the same city a little while later, and one of the RNFA's informed me that I held the record for a Traveller at that hospital. My predecessor was there for only a couple of weeks, and my successor was only there for orientation week, before he quit. The only other "long-term" Traveller was there for only a month. Best you can do is document everything- these Travell Agencies do talk to each other and it won't take long before that facility either shapes up, or doesn't get any more Travellers, like the place I was at . Have a little faith in yourself, you'll get better assignments in the future.

"And now, for something completely different!"

[aloha551]

I just started agency after many years of staff supervision. I was always very happy to see agency people.They were a great help to me and my staff. So far I haven't had any severe problems but it seems that we always get the residents that no one likes or is the most combative or the ones that are the heavest physical load.I guess they figure that if we don't want to do it someone else will show up. So far this has been the hardest form of Nursing I've ever done beside the fact that I drive 1-2 hours one way to get to the facility and gas is outrageous and we get no gas allowance. But the up side is the pay and I can schedule as I please. Helps when my regular job lays off for the summer Could be worse....

[greatshakes]

To drive that long each way when gas is so expensive you must be very reliable and I think reliable people are a godsend. They probably love you.