loneliness and isolation - that agency nurse

[aussiemags]

Does anyone else experience loneliness and feeling a bit isolated?

I LOVE agency work - its the best thing I could have done for my career and for me as a person. Since joining the agency 18 months ago I have discovered that the things I love best about the agency life are also the hardest to deal with at times. I say at times 'cos mostly it's not an issue for me but just lately I find I am very aware of feeling like "that agency nurse" all the time. You know, when another nurse says "who are you working with?" or "who's got the keys?" or "who's going to tea" or "whose patient is that?" and so on the answer is THAT AGENCY NURSE ie me. I dont really mind this (I do threaten to change my name badge to T.A.N.) but at times I feel lonely and this seems to reinforce the fact that I dont have a personality or something??

Any way I have got off track a bit.

I meant to ask whether other agency nurses feel lonely at times and how people cope with the loneliness of not being a regular staff member. Obviously ensuring lots of contact with friends outside work, and making conversation with the nurses you are assigned to each shift helps.

Its just becoming a bit of an issue for me at present. On the whole though I love the fact that I dont have to join in all the staff functions, and dont get caught up in all the back chat and the who said what to whom talk that goes on in wards.

To be honest what is keeping me sane at present when I'm feeling abit lonely or left out is ALLNURSES! It has to be the best antidote for feeling cut off.

[RN1989]

I never let that get to me. Frankly, a hospital is lucky to get me and if I hadn't been sent there, they would have had 12 pts each. I cultivate relationships outside of work so I don't have to feel isolated at work. I'm there to do a job, not to be friends with the staff. And if they treat me ugly to my face - I will say something to them. Otherwise, they can bite me if they want to be snooty.

[Vikingkitten]

Does anyone else experience loneliness and feeling a bit isolated?

I LOVE agency work - its the best thing I could have done for my career and for me as a person. Since joining the agency 18 months ago I have discovered that the things I love best about the agency life are also the hardest to deal with at times. I say at times 'cos mostly it's not an issue for me but just lately I find I am very aware of feeling like "that agency nurse" all the time. You know, when another nurse says "who are you working with?" or "who's got the keys?" or "who's going to tea" or "whose patient is that?" and so on the answer is THAT AGENCY NURSE ie me. I dont really mind this (I do threaten to change my name badge to T.A.N.) but at times I feel lonely and this seems to reinforce the fact that I dont have a personality or something??

Any way I have got off track a bit.

I meant to ask whether other agency nurses feel lonely at times and how people cope with the loneliness of not being a regular staff member. Obviously ensuring lots of contact with friends outside work, and making conversation with the nurses you are assigned to each shift helps.

Its just becoming a bit of an issue for me at present. On the whole though I love the fact that I dont have to join in all the staff functions, and dont get caught up in all the back chat and the who said what to whom talk that goes on in wards.

To be honest what is keeping me sane at present when I'm feeling abit lonely or left out is ALLNURSES! It has to be the best antidote for feeling cut off.

Used to be a Travel Nurse, and it seemed to me that being isolated depends on the people you worked with. In many hospitals, I was treated as one of the regular staff, yet in others , I never was going to know even where my co-workers lived, and never was a part of the team. I did, howe ver, have a certain advantage that many of my fellow travelers didn't. I travelled with one of my many parrotts (she loved the trips!), and I like to explore my new city. Might be kind of hard now, what with gas prices and all that, but still can be fun.

[vonxojn]

I do local travel in my area. I had recently moved to this new area and knew NO ONE in my area. I went from a job at one hospital where we all got along, went to clubs, and had each others back at work to being at a new facility where I was completely on my own in every sense of the word. I went through a small time of saddness but came to the realization that I'm here to do a job and move on. If I make friends than great but if not...my co-workers do not define me or my quality of life. I'm pretty much a natural loner to start with and I don't usually start mingling with people at first...but that's my personality. So I don't usually make friends right off the back like others. I'm a very friendly person but quiet mostly. Some new travelers try to break the icing by bringing in treats for the whole staff on certain occasions or no occasions at all. It often times works. Hopefully they'll remember ur name (out of respect) the next time they see or work with you.

Goood luck and hope this helps some.

[psigrl]

I'm loving that there is a thread for agency nurses! We are a breed apart-very talented, cerebral, and sensitive. We enjoy our own time and space. I have tried so very hard to convince myself to join a staff and both times it wasn't working. I felt claustrophobic and trapped. Even if I did find friends I'd eventually leave and kept the friends anyway because I discovered they liked me for of who I was. Don't think joining a staff permanently is going to help the lonliness...it won't. Do all you can for the staff at your favorite agency. I send them pizza for lunch or bouquets when I get a really great assignment. I am glad I have found you guys as fellow agency nurses. I respect your individuality and courage.