I'm sick to my eyeballs of incompetent agency nurses.

fergus51 · Nov 23, 2005

I have heard many nurses here say the same things about agency being dumped on (the "well, they make more money so they should work harder" syndrome). I don't think that's nice at all. If there are no acuity restrictions (like on my unit) then the agency nurse should just get the same assignment that the staff nurse had the previous shift.

nicholrwalker · Nov 23, 2005

My sentiments exactly...but it is up to the agency nurse not to go back...like I did. I fufilled my shift commitments and I was out of there.( I have a real bad pet peeve about cancelling work).

1st time shame on you

2nd time shame on me.:)

sayitgirl · Nov 23, 2005

:angryfire
I am sick and tired of having to work with incompetent agency nurses. Ones that have no clue what to do but take the shift anyway because it's money.
I'm sick of having to teach them stuff, I am not there to teach them, I am happy to teach our own nurses but not agency nurses. If they feel they are suitable enough for agency, then it is their responsibility to make sure they have the skills not mine.
I'm sick of having to pick up the pieces and listen to complaints from relatives about them. I have had a gutful.
I'd rather work shortstaffed that watch someone do the bear minimum or nothing yet getting paid better. It really irritates me.
I hate it.I have had a gutful. I am ready to crack up.
I think that standards to become an agency nurse need to be raised. I've recently bumped into someone who has been out of the hospital system for 7 years and has come back through agency. She ended up on our ward and couldn't cope. Tonights idiot didn't know he had to empty the catheter bag of the bladderwashout and it burst. Considering they hold 4 litres, you can imagine the mess. He didn't know how to get a patient ready for theatre and a patient who was in pain was told by him to wait for another 2 hours until the medication was due again. Didn't know how to do a NJJ feed. It's appauling.
So I spoke to the manager who said he'd make a note to say he wasn't suitable, but I know from past experience it won't happen.
Then the agency nurse got offended when I told him he shouldn't take placements on a surgical ward if he doesn't normally work surgical. He said he worked medical. I don't bloody care if he is offended, that is his problem not mine.

I had to comment on this one because I worked as an agency nurse as an LPN when I finished up nursing school to become an RN. I cannot not tell you how many facilities that I have worked at that staff members would not orientate me to the floor because I was being paid more than they were. Remember agency nurses are new to your facility, they do not know where everything is or how your facility does things. Be nice and answer their questions, someone has to, the agency does not orientate them before they come to the facilty, all they get is a phone call. I have worked with several agency nurses, all the ones that I have met are exceptional nurses. It takes a special person to be able to go from facilty to facilty and be able to work as well as the person that has been there for years. So please be nice to them when they come, remember they are just trying to make a living too. And besides if you want, you can become an agency nurse . There are many openings out there for all areas of nursing in field nursing.

sayitgirl · Nov 23, 2005

Wow, I do not know where you guys work, but I know facilities where "agency nurses" kept it going. Maybe your facility should have a skill checklist or small compentency test for thos dreadful agency nurses.
I have been on both sides of the table and never had a problem, usually agency nurses have worked more places and bring more experiences with them. However, i have encountered angry nurses such as your self who may know how to do things only one way and are not open to other ways of nursing, usually once I work through a shift I don't have anymore issues with them either. I think your administration should work on a criteria for agency if the ones that have been coming through are so awful. Or maybe you could just work understaffed?

I like your comment, touche`

LifeOparty · Nov 23, 2005

Boo hoo to you regular staff RNs that hate agency nurses. Regular staff tend to totally DUMP their worst patents on agency nurses, then wonder why there is a screw up. As charge, I always welcomed the agency nurses, and would always give them a good, but brief orientation, and encourage questions. I would never dump, because its hard enough to be in a strange place, nevermind getting the heaviest workload. To you that gripe, tell your supervisor how you feel and WHY, and then be perceived as the discompassionate, impatient, unsypathetic person that you really are.

sandiixx · Nov 23, 2005

:angryfire
I am sick and tired of having to work with incompetent agency nurses. Ones that have no clue what to do but take the shift anyway because it's money.
I'm sick of having to teach them stuff, I am not there to teach them, I am happy to teach our own nurses but not agency nurses. If they feel they are suitable enough for agency, then it is their responsibility to make sure they have the skills not mine.
I'm sick of having to pick up the pieces and listen to complaints from relatives about them. I have had a gutful.
I'd rather work shortstaffed that watch someone do the bear minimum or nothing yet getting paid better. It really irritates me.
I hate it.I have had a gutful. I am ready to crack up.
I think that standards to become an agency nurse need to be raised. I've recently bumped into someone who has been out of the hospital system for 7 years and has come back through agency. She ended up on our ward and couldn't cope. Tonights idiot didn't know he had to empty the catheter bag of the bladderwashout and it burst. Considering they hold 4 litres, you can imagine the mess. He didn't know how to get a patient ready for theatre and a patient who was in pain was told by him to wait for another 2 hours until the medication was due again. Didn't know how to do a NJJ feed. It's appauling.
So I spoke to the manager who said he'd make a note to say he wasn't suitable, but I know from past experience it won't happen.
Then the agency nurse got offended when I told him he shouldn't take placements on a surgical ward if he doesn't normally work surgical. He said he worked medical. I don't bloody care if he is offended, that is his problem not mine.

Yes I have worked with some real duds and they are probably agency cos no one will employ them in regular work! But in saying that i have worked with a few absolute gems:) Definately exceptions to the rule:coollook:

sandiixx · Nov 23, 2005

Boo hoo to you regular staff RNs that hate agency nurses. Regular staff tend to totally DUMP their worst patents on agency nurses, then wonder why there is a screw up. As charge, I always welcomed the agency nurses, and would always give them a good, but brief orientation, and encourage questions. I would never dump, because its hard enough to be in a strange place, nevermind getting the heaviest workload. To you that gripe, tell your supervisor how you feel and WHY, and then be perceived as the discompassionate, impatient, unsypathetic person that you really are.

That is true, when you get a good agency nurse it is a blessing and yes it is very difficult working agency as i have done it myself. Going somewhere different, not knowing how you will be treated by the regulars, (sometimes poorly, and that is before you start!) It can be very intimidating, I wouldnt treat anybody with contempt just because they are agency, but in saying this, there is no excuse for laziness and poor nursing care:)

sandiixx · Nov 23, 2005

I had to comment on this one because I worked as an agency nurse as an LPN when I finished up nursing school to become an RN. I cannot not tell you how many facilities that I have worked at that staff members would not orientate me to the floor because I was being paid more than they were. Remember agency nurses are new to your facility, they do not know where everything is or how your facility does things. Be nice and answer their questions, someone has to, the agency does not orientate them before they come to the facilty, all they get is a phone call. I have worked with several agency nurses, all the ones that I have met are exceptional nurses. It takes a special person to be able to go from facilty to facilty and be able to work as well as the person that has been there for years. So please be nice to them when they come, remember they are just trying to make a living too. And besides if you want, you can become an agency nurse . There are many openings out there for all areas of nursing in field nursing.

Beautifully said:cheers:

yadda_yadda_yadda, LPN, LVN · Nov 23, 2005

Wow! What a post thread!

I've been on staff with 3 agencies, simultaneously, since 1999 in the Texas Hill Country area. I'm happy to say, I'm hanging up my traveling clothes, having just accepted a full-time position with one of my favorite facilites, where I've been a 'frequent flyer' for the past 4 years:nurse:

Whereas I can sympathize with the irritation most feel towards agency nurses, please know that you (your facility) doesn't have to endure an 8-12 hour shift with a nurse that is 'less than capable' of providing safe, quality care. Simply pick up the phone & call the agency--IMMEDIATELY---and request replacement. The incompetents will continue getting sent to facilities needing help if no one brings their deficiencies to the attention of the staffing coordinators. All agencies have an after-hours staffer.

Regarding training: I can only speak for the 3 agencies I work with/for:

All staff must complete core competency skill check lists, attend annual/ routine mandatory training & provide peer references.

Granted,there are plenty of agency nurses out there that fit the description you mention in this post---but many, many more are excellent professionals---that choose to work agency because it better accomodates their families (self included) & they enjoy the variety agency work affords them. Personally, I've never really seen the hourly wage as a big perk, since I often drive +40-50 miles, one-way, to get to an assignment.

To sympathize with your point, though, prior to working agency, I worked with a bunch of agency nurses that were terrible. They were paid very, very well...had housing provided...the works. Well, shortly into their long-term assignment, the problems began. We immediately called their supervisor, asking that they be removed. Our entire crew agreed...stating that we'd be better off working 'short handed' than have our staff split to pieces by their non-sense & general refusal to cooperate with the routine & the facility's needs. They were relieved from the long-term assignment & our staff learned yet another facet of teamwork. We realized that we were a lot happier simply dividing up the extra work among the nurses on staff. Having "a little more to do" certainly beat dealing with someone who felt they were there doing our facility a favor & gracing us with their presence.

It sounds like you already know, but many agency nurses do temp/prn because they are incapable of staying gainfully employed. Some just 'don't get it', so they flutter cluelessly from place to place, as an agency professional.:uhoh21:

.....and that's all I've got to say about that :)

mich_01085 · Nov 23, 2005

I work in LTC on the 3-11 shift, all the nurses on the 11-7 shift are agency, some are good some are bad. But the thing that really toasts me is when they waltz in 1 hour late, take a half hour to put their stuff away, then talk about every little thing when I'm trying to give them report. Worse yet are the ones that decide not to show at all and don't bother to call me to let me know. Calling the agency is no help, they don't have back-up nurses. It's times like that I just want to do bodily injury to anyone from the agency I can get!

bloviate · Nov 23, 2005

Unfortunately I have seen the "lazy" and one of the worst ones I encountered happened to be male.

Personally I am troubled to be working in a field with people who have attitudes like this. This is a misandrist attitude that happens to creep out from under cover every once in a while. Perhaps you need to go to counseling and figure out what it is that causes you to have such a discriminatory attitude towards a minority group in nursing. You might even need anger management to help with your feelings about male nurses.

If you substitue african american, asian, hispanic, women etc etc into your statement then it becomes very offensive. I am surprised no one has bothered to call you out.

MarySunshine · Nov 23, 2005

Personally I am troubled to be working in a field with people who have attitudes like this.

I doubt you can name an occupation in which some people don't think this! You're saying that this person shouldn't generalize, but then you're saying their attitude troubles you about the entire field of nursing. Kindof ironic.