Are all staffing agencies crap!?!

thekid · Nov 25, 2009

i had a similar experience. My recruiter was more concerned with making the sale than anything else. I left the company. Agency work can be very unreliable unfortunately. I did ok as an LPN with it since there were plenty of nursing homes I could be sent to. Not sure about working as an RN for agency, never tried very hard to do it..

lindarn · Nov 25, 2009

Nurses need to dump agencies and become Independant Contractors, like doctors. Agencies steal 75% of the money that you earned, for themselves, and then throw pennies at you.

Think out side the box, and declare your independance! JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN,CCRN

Spokane, Washington

anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2009

LOL oh my gosh, I have to laugh, I went to my first job interview out of school and they kept saying they were located in a medical building....i couldnt find them. I already worked for a home care agency. We had talked briefly and I KNOW we discussed that I specialized in pediatrics ( actually had experience even though I was a new grad - I had experience in the service as a medic and 14 years with my own criticially ill child) but that I also did some adult cases when called on. so eventually I put on my gps - I called the man twice because I couldnt find the building, there was no number on the building and the one I was standing was a NURSING HOME and I DONT DO NURSING HOMES.....all my friends did them and I had just driven 50 minutes to this interview....so finally call him back, is THIS IT??? yes. so I go inside, we fill out the paperwork, he says that he will need to do the background check, he keeps talking all about his CLIENTS...so I start asking questions in a round about way...and finally I ask him, does he provide any home care? and he says, like home health aids? NO, like nursing! oh, no. His clients dont need that...hmmmm. so we talk some more and he starts asking me questions, now mind you, he HAD my resume etc...HE called me! so he asks me what kind of care I was providing for the agency I worked for....like just helping mommies around the home??? and I said NO, I am a NURSE, I nurse ill children, like enteral tube feedings, care for children with seizures and on oxygen, and need CPT and suctioning, vents, traches...OH! he says like REAL nursing! YES, I said, I AM a nurse!! I was a bit upset over that. now mind you I have not done a lot of hospital care, I do home care so I am used to ONE patient. unless you count my clinicals. so anyway, he says he will run the background checks and then call me, and of course it has now come out in the conversation that his clients are a group of nursing homes the closest of which is this one 50 minutes from my house....I have a very nice one 5 minutes from my house where many of my friends work, it pays 4.oo more per hour than this mans facility-minus the drive and I would have lots of friends - if this is what I wanted to do...

so I leave.

I am in my car, programming my gps, in my business dress for the interview, the man calls me. He wants me to report for my first shift! No background shift. No license check! For all he knows I could have faked it all!! I was astounded! I guess they are so desperate that they would have taken anyone that sounded good. I told him my babysitter couldnt stay that late, he started arguing with me, well I thought since you were already here for the interview that you could just stay... I couldnt believe I had to justify myself to him!

so I went to continue working for my very nice homecare agency. Do you have a bayada in your area? I dont know if they would pay you enough. You could always just sign on per diem some where. Our local hospital pays really well right now to the per diem nurses. if you dont need the benefits. although it does seem that some the agencies so seem to be paying so well. at least when I get sent out with the home care, I get a pot to review before I even agree to go out and it is a good thing, there was one case I almost went out on and I hadnt qualified on the vent yet and the child had a sip vent - the coordinator was covering for someone else, she sent me the pot and when I read that I called her and told her I couldnt do it.

good luck to you.

have you tried posting on monster.com or careerbuilder.com - I get tons of hits on careerbuilder.

webmansx, ASN, RN · Nov 25, 2009

Annangelsmommy,

Sorry about your experience. I'm not sure i want to post on monster if these are the kinds of angencies out there!!!

I might get a per diem job or something. I was hoping someone had a good experience with at least one agency they could recommend.

anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2009

oh, no, I should have told you that part, I found that job on Craigslist! MY BAD!! I should have known better!! LOL! I haved learned my lesson, never find a job on craigs list. I was applying for so many things, I went back later, and looked and sure enough, it was on craigslist. I think he was too cheap to even place a real ad. so all the real jobs I have found through monster and careerbuilder have been REAL agencies and certainly have done their checks and have taken their sweet time hiring me but I like working for them and I love the kids I take care of! I like even better that I control when I work and when I dont.

best of Luck,

JP

anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2009

do you have a bayada there? I like working for them. I work for another agency too but i know they arent on the west coast.

JP

LPNHTNCM · Nov 25, 2009

WOW, What horror stories. I ADORE my agencey. I have worked agency since I got my lic. and by far they are the best one I have worked for ever. They really take care of their nurses. Too bad ya'all are way out there. Come to WI for the winter we have work!~

musicgirl · Nov 25, 2009

I had a very, very bad experience with a company called Mary Kraft Staffing and HR Solutions. The HR person Joanne A. is very nasty and extremely unprofessional. I will never, ever try them again. Never!! The supervisor covered up for her as well. Due to some of the things that occurred, I have decided to report them to the BBB. I can honestly say that I spoke with another staffing agency and they were professional.

webmansx, ASN, RN · Nov 25, 2009

Thanks Guys!

So far I have got:

1. Stay away from Mary Kraft Staffing and HR Solutions.

2. Check out Bayada if they are So cal based

3. Never get a job from Craigs List

4. try posting on Monster.com