need etiquette advice!

[kpk11]

If anyone here can give any advice about this situation I would be very grateful!

I applied to a travel agency, submitted pre-employment paperwork, checked references from my current job, etc. and talked/emailed with the recruiter about looking for positions in my area. Today I got an email from the recruiter saying she has several assignments that would be good for me.

I also got an offer today for temporary work in a pediatric clinic - this has nothing to do with the recruiter or travel agency; a family friend who is also a nurse asked me if I would be interested.

i AM interested in the peds job. I've been out of school for 3 years working in SNF and this seems like a rare opportunity to get in.

BUT, I'm also relieved to have found what seems like a great travel agency (small /non-corporate, with professional recruiters who don't act like used-car salespeople) and I don't want to burn bridges with them!

I've not signed anything or had any phone interviews with contract facilities yet, but I feel bad for wasting the recruiter's time since she has already spent time trying to find potential contracts to submit me.

I also already put this travel agency off once - they contacted me and I sent them my resume in June this year and talked to a recruiter about contracts, but right after that happened my current PRN job asked me to cover for a full-time RN's FMLA leave, and then another staff RN broke her shoulder and I was asked to stay on full-time hours till the end of the year. Considering that, I'm afraid the travel agency might think I'm flighty or wasting their time if I say I'm not ready now.

Would it look really bad or ruin my chances of working with the travel agency again, if I took the temporary peds job and asked the travel agency to put the contract search on hold until spring 2017?

[NedRN]

By all means take the peds job! It might be a stepping stone to a better paying specialty, or at least more fun. However, your best bet is to take an internship at an acute care hospital to gain a specialty. If you are happy with SNF, you don't have to worry, there will be lots of jobs available. Just tell this agency (there are hundreds more if they want to part ways) that you have to put off any travel plans in the near future. They are very used to hearing this.

[kpk11]

Thanks NedRN for taking the time to reply; I appreciate it!

[Argo]

Totally agree with ned. There is no etiquette to this really. If you had a verbal or written contract already then yeah, that isnt the issue though. Take the specialty job, you will benefit from it.

[Emergent, RN]

I've done a little agency work. Believe me, they are used to this.

Tell them that you're still interested in picking up some Per Diem shifts. Compliment them on their professionalism.

Agencies deal with people in between jobs all the time.

[akatsos]

Definintely take the peds job. I have been a peds traveler for 4 years. I work with a few agencies, and they all know that they are not my only recruiter. I get along with all of them, but I have to take the opportunity that is best for me. There was one recruiter I had that I really liked, but the jobs that she submitted me for never panned out. I was just really open and honest with her and we kept in communication and 2 years later she got me a great job. I work with small agencies also that aren't salespeople. They are equally candid with me, once a recruiter told me to get submitted through my other agency because he knew that they would be able to serve me better. They all get full disclosure and treated with respect. They all tell me that many nurses they work with are rude or have high expectations or make ridiculous demands. Seeming flighty is the least of their concerns. They get it, most of their nurses are flighty. But ultimately they want to keep you around as they make commision of each assignment you make. In 3 months there will be other jobs around and you can always get submitted to other ones then.