Awkward or just bad form?

[mh356, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

So I want to get out of bedside nursing bad. But I also like the steady paycheck. I work in an understaffed ICU. We use travelers but they leave as soon as their contract ends. I keep getting phone calls from recruiters about certain ICU positions paying nearly double what I make now. So would it be that bad to quit working for the hospital and just take the agency job and work on the same unit? (assuming it is the same hospital/unit)

[sapphire18]

How do you know they would hire you as a traveler? I don't see that working out.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Before you do anything ... discretely find out whether or not that is allowed at your hospital. I have known some hospitals who have not allowed former employees to come back as an agency nurse (or traveler) until they have been gone for a specified period of time. That type of policy is designed to prevent the entire staff from doing exactly what you are contemplating.

Also, your original post does not say ... does your hospital (or any other that you want to work at) hire people from that particular agency? If that agency does not supply nurses for that hospital, you would have no chances of working at that hospital.

Also, understand that working for an agency, you will not be guaranteed any work at all. Your desired ICU may hire enough staff or have a sufficient number of travelers to not need any nurses from that particular agency and then you would either be out of work completely or have to accept other types of work to get that paycheck.

Hospital administrators are not totally stupid. While a few people may get away with what you are considering ... hospitals usually try to prevent that from happening. To do that, you would need to be prepared to lose the gamble you are taking with your paycheck.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Not bad form at all. Most facilities won't let you work as agency for 3- 6 months. You would have to work in other facilities until then.

Are you okay with that?

[mh356, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Always helpful to get different POVs. I'm sure administration has thought of everything.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

The postions that they are calling you about---I am not sure it would be on the same unit. You also have to factor in if you can do agency work and it fits your life, and assuming that if you are cancelled it would not be a big thing--

There's pros and cons. But I would be surprised if the facility you work for now would take you on as agency when you are currently a regular employee.

And if you are looking to get out of bedside nursing, are their any internal job opportunities that you can apply for that are managerial, case management, QA?

With full time work there are hours and benefits. If you were to leave the unit, it may prompt them to then hire a number of new positions--and not use agency nurses at all.