Bad assignment and rude staff - is this a norm?

[Anagray, BSN]

I started agency in April and i also still work in my "home" hospital as an ER RN. I go to a couple of different hospitals in the are as agency (med surg usually) and every week I end up either in unsafe or terrible patient assignment and/or stafff or supervisor has a serious attitude problem.

Is this something that is just the nature of agency nursing? Should I suck it up and continue? Is it the med-surg environment?

I do have good days as well, don't get me wrong, but I also see how agency RNs are treated in the ER where I work - it is such a big difference. We all help each other and respect everyone.

Any advice is welcome.

[Knoodsen]

Being an emergency nurse, you are the enemy. You are probably smart, skilled, efficient, confident............. Nurses don't like that.

[RN1989]

Yes, unfortunately this is often the norm.

Think about it - they wouldn't need an agency nurse if they had enough staff. They probably work short a lot and even if they don't work short according to their staffing grid, the grid is probably stretched pretty thin to keep the budget under control. If they have a revolving door of staff, pretty good indicator that the staff is unhappy and they have frequent issues related to staffing. Thus the crummy conditions.

Secondly, you make more per hour than they do and they don't like it. You also have the ability to say "I don't want to go back there". You can also work when you want (to an extent) and they are told when to work. Jealousy is common among staff nurses toward agency.

You will often get a crappy assignment, have people refuse to help you or simply disappear so you can't get help. You aren't "one of them" so they ostracize you. I've even been to places where they refused to show me the linen/supply closet, bathroom, med room etc. citing "I'm too busy".

Not every place is like that but enough places that it can make it miserable. Up to you to decide whether or not you will go back. I have refused to go to places but it was usually for extreme safety issues. I don't care if the staff are rude to me. "Bite me" comes to mind when they are rude. If I'm working agency - I'm just there to do a job and I get to go home and forget about all their drama.

[ellen 12]

If I'm working agency - I'm just there to do a job and I get to go home and forget about all their drama.

Yes, that is a good thing about working for an agency. You can avoid all the social and managerial politics. I find people are very supportive, nearly always. I can take a bit of rudeness from idiots, but not from management. If they rude, I don't go back. I am lucky, nearly all my work is in a hospital, just 3 minutes around the corner, I work just morning shifts, and week days.

[heron, ASN, RN]

Being an emergency nurse, you are the enemy. You are probably smart, skilled, efficient, confident............. Nurses don't like that.

Oh, please ... :bowingpur

[soulofme]

I've never had any problems with nurses from different departments... we should all be in this together...every one contributes at their own level and skills... hating the ER nurses is a bunch of crap...I've worked with agency nurses...so what they get paid more.. sure beats me doing the job of two nurses...

[Aviationurse]

my agency said that i was "unprofessional for not going back to a certain facility."..i told my agency that "i dont mind rude staff but if no one is willing to help me why should i go back there"?:eek:...staff dont want to help me ...i have to ask and go from one staff to another:argue::argue:...i mean come on we are all adults and too old to act like adolescents just bec i earn a few bucks from them...after paying 18 dollars to park ...i earn almost nothing at the end of the day....i walked in the door and i had a patient waiting to be admitted and this hosp is all computer charting and i was there one hour before my start time to get a code so i can work and i did not get it at almost 4 hours later...puhleese...i told my agency " no thanks"....:no: