Do agencies hire new nurses?

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Specializes in cardiology, psychiatry, corrections.

Do any agencies hire newly licensed RN's? I got my license about 6 weeks ago, I interviewed at one hospital, it sounded promising at first but I'm not so sure now. I DO know that that position hasn't been filled yet. I have also applied at several hospitals without success. I have heard that several area hospitals are on a hiring freeze right now. Does anyone believe it may just be a bad time of year?

Anyhow, I was considering an agency for short term until I can find a full time permanent position. Do most require experience? I have heard that some do hire new RN's as it could be a good way of trying different areas of nursing to see what you like. I'm really not doing it just for the money because I know there are some drawbacks about agency nurses, and the extra $$$ isn't always worth it. I just need something like now because I want experience and the extra money wouldn't hurt as I am behind on a few bills and could get them paid off in very little time.

Is this possible? Can anyone offer any insight or advice?

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Specializes in ICU.

What part of the country are you in? I live in Houston Texas and there is a lot of nursing jobs open here. A LOT.

I have never heard of an agency that will hire a new nurse with no experience. It would be a bad thing for you, the agency and the hospital/clinic that they send you to. Trust me, you don't want to be an agency nurse just yet. Each new hospital you go to will give you the hardest assignment and you really have to be a good nurse with excellent time management skills to work with an agency. You have to be the kind of person that likes to work at a totally different place EVERY DAY, with new people, new doctors, NEW CHARTING, new policies and procedures, different managers, different floor layouts.... and much more.

Even with years of experience, many nurses are not cut out to be agency nurses. My advice is to get at least a year of experience with bedside nursing before going into an agency.

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I agree with the above 100%.

I have alsmost 20 years experience, and agency is still hard for me.

You have to hit the ground running.

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I don't necessarily agree with you guys. My first "hospital job" was through a nursing agency. I just couldnt find any work and so i applied with an agency... it wanted to give me a chance and it went great. I have now been doing it for nearly 6 months and I love it. Yes it is indeed very challenging. But the fact of being newly qualified benefitted me when working in different specialities as I still remembered things from my internships during my nursing training.

Whether you are able to work as a newly qualified nurse as an agency nurse depends on many factors: how selfconfident are you in your personality and how well do you know what you learned in nursing college? How quick to learn are you? I just joined another bigger agency and my "old" agency gave me a real good reference. cant have been too bad then being a newly qualified?

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It depends. Some do, most don't. The same agency may change their policy from time to time, depending upon how difficult they are finding it to get employees. My friend graduated with her BSN and moved to the east coast. She was advised to tell the white lie that she had two years experience instead of no experience. She did this and was hired by an agency. She said they were sending her to nursing homes. I don't know how it went for her after she first got hired. I used to work for an agency that would hire people right out of school, but I don't think they do that anymore because they have now been around long enough to be established in the community. So you will probably need to look around some before you find an agency that will hire you with no experience.

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Some advice please! I just applied to an agency. I have a little over a year experience in intermediate care and tele. I am VERY nervous. Any advice for a fairly new nurse from veteran nurses who have worked agency? I am concerned about the agency giving me the hardest patients, not knowing where to find things, maybe not knowing everything, also making sure I can read the orders and making sure their system is understandable and that I am familiar with all the MAR drugs. I will be going to LTC facilities and some hospitals. Thanks

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Some advice please! I just applied to an agency. I have a little over a year experience in intermediate care and tele. I am VERY nervous. Any advice for a fairly new nurse from veteran nurses who have worked agency? I am concerned about the agency giving me the hardest patients, not knowing where to find things, maybe not knowing everything, also making sure I can read the orders and making sure their system is understandable and that I am familiar with all the MAR drugs. I will be going to LTC facilities and some hospitals. Thanks

Really all your worries are valid. With a year of experience, you should be able to handle that although it can be difficult at the beginning. But if you stick it out, you will feel better and better with the facility as you are more familiar with them. Also, you are making more money than everyone else on the floor so be prepare to be cancelled first when the census drops.

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Nope. You really might benefit from that year of practice that most agencies require before traveling. Do you feel you could hit the ground running with one day's orientation? Get some experience, really. Lines, tubes, drugs, calling MD's, charting systems, MARS, you really want some good practice before filling in staffing shortages!

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