Is this a policy for other agencies too?

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

I know a lot of people work for several agencies in order to get more hours. At my agency (pretty small, privately owned) there is a policy that if you work for a case for them (my agency) you cannot work that same case with ANOTHER agency. I am fine with the 32-40 hours that I get so I don't work for anyone else but another nurse that I work with does.

I guess I was just wondering if this is a common policy or if my agency is in the minority.

[caliotter3]

I worked a case where two agencies had the same nurses. The case was supposed to be moving from one agency to the other, but the move was held up pending finding enough nurses to cover all the available hours. When one of the nurses from the new agency went to the first agency, she caught hell. Her answer to that agency manager was, "Oh, so it's ok for the other nurses to work with both agencies, but it is not ok for me to do the same? How hypocritical!" Of course the losing agency paid more and she was told by the manager that they had to pay the new nurses more money than her in order to match what the losing agency was paying. Yeah, walk all over your gullible, loyal employees! In the end, the case ended up with only one of the agencies, because they never could get enough nurses. I say what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Nice to have workplace ethics, but it does not pay the rent or the grocery store.