Can you support yourself on agency nursing?

NedRN · Jul 21, 2014

Chicago has a robust agency market, and there are hundreds of nurses there who work full time for agency and support themselves fine. A lot of them will be block scheduled, giving their lives some predictability. But a year is minimal experience and medsurg is not as in demand as other specialties. Generally at least telemetry experience is a good idea.

As such, I would recommend more experience. But why not explore a staff position in Chicago? It is full of teaching hospitals where you can gain valuable experience, and perhaps a new specialty. Benefits such as paid holidays, sick time, vacation, and good health insurance are nice and you can still pick up extra work at an agency if no OT is available. Don't let rumors make you not even look for a staff job.

WorldDay · Jul 21, 2014

It's true, you can get block schedule (some place if they like you, they schedule you counting you as core stuff) and work full time. Good part about being agency with less years of experience is the pay. Whenever I switched agency, I got $10 raise in my hourly rate and I am in a good place where I only work Per-Diem yet make enough to pay rent buy food with lots of free time.

But I also encourage you to explore full time position in Chicago's teaching hospital. It will be a great boost to your resume and experience you gain is immeasurable. Maybe you could find tele job next in Chicago. I know right now in my area, ICU experience is most sought after, ICU nurse always have shifts, and hard to travel with MS 1 year skill.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 22, 2014

Before you make your move, apply with 3 of the largest agencies.

See what areas of need they have. Your additional bilingual skill makes you much more marketable.

Do you need benefits? You will be paying for them out of your pocket , with your higher paid agency rate.

You must do THAT math before you make your decision.

I was an agency nurse at the start of the recession, worked for 2 agencies and it was doable.

Good luck, let us know how it's going.

RunBabyRN · Aug 26, 2014

I've been supporting my family on agency nursing, as I have regular infusion clients through one and some health fairs through another. The health fair contract we've been working on is about to end, but my infusion clients I'll probably have for awhile. One at least through December. It's good supplemental income, even once I find something more regular (just accepted a SNF job).

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 26, 2014

I do agency as a sideline, and it seems to go in cycles depending on the facility that I get sent to: there'll be long stretches where they're short-staffed and I'm never cancelled, followed by periods where they've hired a bunch of new nurses at the facility, and so I can't pick up anything that isn't a weekend. I'd be foolish to rely on that one agency job for my livelihood.

I would consider working with more than one agency--that way you'll have more sites to be sent to and therefore the opportunity to get more hours.

As another poster had said, figure out how you will swing the benefits. If you're married/have someone else whose benefits will cover you, that's one less worry. Otherwise, those benefits will be out-of-pocket costs for you...and if you're the one that has to provide the benefits for the family, those costs will really skyrocket.

Lambvmd3, ASN, LPN, RN · Sep 7, 2014

I worked for an agency for all of 2013, and had only one client who needed 24/7 care. I worked 3-4 12 or 16 hour shifts per week. The pay was good and I have military benefits etc through my husband, so no other out of pocket costs. It worked really well for me. My only concern was that it did not require the same skill set as being in hospital, and also being relatively new at this, have decided to try to get back into a facility. Good luck!

blkbelt3dg · Nov 30, 2014

Andreaek do you have an update on what you decided? I would think speaking spanish would be a fantastic addition to any staff as the Latin community is the fastest growing minority in america. I would LOVE to be able to speak spanish. I have been travel nursing for almost a year and bought a 2015 travel trailer for my housing. Not the best for the northern climate but I work in the south so it works for me and I've been able to support my family (wife and 2 kids) just fine. On my most recent contract, I met a lady who works for the VA and she told me that you only have to work a minimum of 30hrs a week there for full benefits. She works Mon-Thurs 8hrs and then on weekends she works for a hospital as a coordinator (at $40 p/hr) for two 16hr shifts and she says last year she made about $140K. Now that is a LOT of working and it isn't for most people but with her benefits at the VA, she has 5 weeks of paid vacation every year, 2 weeks of sick leave, and 10 paid holidays. That's like 9 weeks off! She has so many hours saved up she took off for 5 months (paid) and is working a contract job so she's getting paid for 3 jobs and working two. I imagine this year she'll bring home more than $140K. So the lesson I learned here is use your resources while you can and it will pay off in the long run.

UnbrokenRN09, BSN · Dec 7, 2014

I would do agency full-time only as a last resort unless you can get 6-8 week contracts at a time. If you're locke din on a contract, you will still get paid even if you get cancelled.....this might not be the case with every agency, but so far the ones I've checked out do this. I tend to get cancelled here and there, so if you absolutely need all your hours every week, it's not the best way to go. I use agency as a side gig only, would never consider full-time ever. I know some nurses do it and they make it ok, but it really sucks when you're getting low on funds and you get cancelled a few times and you get a short paycheck. Sometimes you can pick up another shift, but it makes your schedule kind of hectic never knowing when you're going to work....or not. Especially if you do nights, because sometimes you've slept all day, then get cancelled, stay up all night because you slept all day and then the next day they may call you and ask if you can work....so you take it because you need to make up a day and you have to hurry and get a nap in so you can work all night if you didn't sleep during the day. I don't recommend that at all.

Plus keep in mind agency is stressful. You get the assignments the regular staff doesn't want, they generally aren't helpful, so you're kind of on your own in an unfamiliar environment with patients that sometimes are circling the drain. You have to have solid skills, solid judgement, and willingness to be flexible and adaptable to a new enviroment...quickly. You are expected to basically carry a full patient load and do everything right without having any training. It's not easy.