Questions re: Agency Nursing as alternative to permanent staffing

Lavslady · Aug 28, 2003

I have been an Agency Nurse my entire career (36+ years). I have worked for many different agencies, and for more than one at a time. I would recommend Health Care Services, Quality Care, PSA, there are many good agencies in the Portland Area. It is an excellent idea to work Agency. The pay is better, and you get to choose your availability (and no, saying "no weekends" is not unrealistic.) "On call" is another issue...they will always call any nurse they've got to try to get a shift covered...you ALWAYS have the option of saying, "sorry, I've got plans." I've always said, "No Day-shifts, no Double-shifts, no 12-hour shifts." (I've always liked working weekends, because the pay is more.) I'm now an Independent Nurse, with my own business, so I book myself on a per-diem basis, (monthly scheduling) and I continue my "No day-shifts, no Doubles, no 12-hour shifts." With your OR experience, you shouldn't have any trouble getting work, and the pay is so much more thru an Agency than what any of the facilities pay their nurses. You'll find greater satisfaction being able to name when YOU are AVAILABLE with an Agency, than working FOR the hospital. The draw-backs of Agency Nursing? NO INSURANCE, and NO RETIREMENT. And those are the very reasons why I am now an Independent RN.

Good luck on the move, and WELCOME TO OREGON !!!

SavageWist · Aug 31, 2003

when i was in portland oregon i worked for intelistaf. they also had insurance that you could afford. i never went without work. when i was cancelled they always found another shift for me. good luck. portland needs nurses.

rmprn · Sep 4, 2003

I live in FL and a friend of mine took a travel assignment at OHSU in Portland. She loved it there, said the staffing was superb compared to FL (just in case you change your mind about agency and want to go staff). She said it was the best hospital she had ever worked in (or you could try it out thru an agency).

debbytentwo · Sep 5, 2003

I just want to say that I have worked for two different nursing agencies, and have had very negative experiences with them. With the first agency, I understand what happened, but found that I could not get a statement from them as to an incident that happened (but actually did not). They would not release anything to me. In the second, I have a minor disability that has never caused me problems in any job before, but when I mentioned that there was a bit of difficulty with one employer and my disability, got a lengthy lecture about using my disability. The head nurse felt that it was a disgrace to ever even mention a disability. I had worked a 12 hour shift and had driven two hours to the location, and they wanted to add another 3 hours since my relief could not make it in on time. I felt that this extended time added onto my disability and the 2 hour trip home was too much for me. The DON of the facility had to come in and cover two hours, and complained to my employer. It seems to me that instead of banning me from that facility, that my employer should have stood up for me somehow, and maybe had a meeting with the facility's DON to support me or even have me present to discuss the situation. I had covered them many times in the past for an hour or two, but this time was just too much for me to handle. And, the DON should have seen that the time was excessive and I would become an incapacitated nurse and risk my license. It seems that the individual in an agency situation is at risk for difficulty when there is a complaint. The agency seems to automatically side with the facility and just dump the nurse. I would think the agency staff would be the party that the agency director would represent, but the agency director responds to the folks she gets the money from. But....aren't we the ones that make her paycheck??? Any ideas??? Suggestions??? BTW, just for info, I am 51 with extensive experience, but I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which I had surgery for at age 21 (knees) which only bother me after I have been on them for a LONG time, and ADD which has been under control with medication for many years. If I need to alter the length of time that my medication works, I have learned to change the timing somewhat on my dose, I have worked this out with my physician, but I do need to know a few hours in advance that I need to alter the times. And there is a limit to the amount I can take in a day. I can manage 12 and 16 hour shifts, but only if I know in a reasonable time frame. I am normally a nurse that has no problems with these "disabilities" but I was pushed beyond my limit. I feel that the accomodation that my employer should provide is understanding my limits, and informing her clients of these, and if there are problems, working with the clients so they understand the disability. Yes, even nurses do not really know about some disabilities, and should talk it over with their employees about what "accomodations" need to be made. I don't need a wheelchair ramp, I don't need any special equipment, I just need someone who understands my disabilities and will take a little time to make sure I am supported and understood. I enjoyed the challenge of going into different environments and felt I was able to provide excellent nursing care. The last time I worked, I know I saved a patient's life because I picked up a MAJOR medication error, she would have died within the hour, but working with the doctor and the staff we were able to turn the situation around, and she was back in "normal" by the time I left.

I was very proud of this, but of course it was never relayed back to my employer!

debbytentwo · Sep 5, 2003

One thing to watch for in working for agencies is that it is sometimes not good to use an agency to "shop around" for a good place to work. Sometimes the agency has a contract with the employer that they cannot hire agency personnel within a specific time frame, usually at least six months. This is to prevent hospitals from hiring the better employees away from the agencies. A hospital can "buy you out" usually for a few thousand dollars, which is kind of like a sign on bonus but it goes to the agency! That is probably ok with you if they do that. But, be careful, do not fill out an application for a hospital you are working at or have recently worked at, there may be legal ramifications. BEWARE!

nurseLori · Mar 19, 2005

I am a new-er nurse, I say that and forget that it's already been 2 years. (Still not very long in terms of nursing) But anyways, I am just getting into travel nursing.

I live in Coos Bay and have found an agency that has contracts in Bandon, Coquille, Florence, and Reedsport, so still very local. I have had little hospital experience compared to what I have spent most of my 2 years doing, which is long term care. I wil be doing my first shift for the company tomorrow, (Sunday) and in one way I am confident that I can do the job, it's what I was born and trained to do, but on the other hand, I am encreibly nervous. :chair:

I have taken a full load of patients and done well in the hospital in the past, but that was over a year ago. I am afraid that their expectations are high, and still being "new" I will dissapoint them. I feel like they will expect a traveler to walk in knowing everything, when I am far from it.

I talked with the manager of the company, and was very honest about my level of experience and feelings, and he assured me I was something they were very much interested in. I would love to hear from others on this, and maybe about when they were first starting out.....

suzanne4, RN · Mar 19, 2005

What you are actually talking about is what we refer to as "local" per diem agency, not travel nursing. Travel nursing usually refers to a 13 week contract, and most facilites require current experience in the area where you will be working.

nurseLori · Mar 21, 2005

What you are actually talking about is what we refer to as "local" per diem agency, not travel nursing. Travel nursing usually refers to a 13 week contract, and most facilites require current experience in the area where you will be working.

Oh, sorry...makes sense.

Do you have any good advice or past feelings on the subject?