per diem agency nursing and high amount of cancelation

smk4450 · Dec 25, 2009

That is why, if at all possible, sign up with all the agencies in your area, even ones a distance away. Are you open to hosp/nursing homes/Occ Health/Home Health and will work several different units? All hosps etc need nurses flexible with working units that need short term help.

And, yes most schedules are set for the Holidays with less pts hosp in the season. Things pickup in Jan with the flu season.

I learned quickly to work whenever they called because the next week there may be nothing.

MERRYWIDOW46 · Dec 25, 2009

Agency notoriously falls off from Mid Nov to Mid Jan. MOST facilities have a NO time off policy Dec 15 to Jan 15. ALSO, people try NOT to be hospitalized for the holidays.

Economy and census drives PRN agency shifts. IF possible it is best to get a contract, local contract are available with larger agencies. Also, when you get the call to cancel ask that they call around to see if another facility can use someone wtih your skill set.

As the previous poster stated, sign on with ALL the agencies in your area. Also, a PT or PRN position at one hospital is a good idea also.

VegRN · Dec 25, 2009

Thanks all for the comments. Yes, I also learned to take shifts whenever they are offered. I also casually wondered if the agency punishes nurses who decline a shift by canceling you first for x amount of days later.

I looked into other agencies in the area and it seems that they all staff at the same 2 hospitals and the one I do most of my shifts with has some type of contract for the hospitals in where they get the shifts first. I live in an area with much higher than average unemployment rates and pickens seem to be slim. I am hoping they will pick up in January.

Thanks again!

kids · Dec 25, 2009

An observation...

Shifts did their 'seasonal' decline in 2008 and never picked back up in my area. There were a couple of spikes in the summer that raised the hopes of my agency working friends but it didn't last. At this point all of them have taken permanent jobs, some after years of making a nice and steady living working agency. My ED hasn't seen an agency/travel/contract nurse in 6 months.

Another thing that has gotten very popular in my area is 'preferred agency' agreements. Facilities (not the agencies) are requiring the nurses sign an agreement that they will only work as an agency nurse at for . It prevents nurses who work for multiple agencies from shopping an offered shift to the highest paying agency.

MERRYWIDOW46 · Dec 25, 2009

An observation...
Shifts did their 'seasonal' decline in 2008 and never picked back up in my area. There were a couple of spikes in the summer that raised the hopes of my agency working friends but it didn't last. At this point all of them have taken permanent jobs, some after years of making a nice and steady living working agency. My ED hasn't seen an agency/travel/contract nurse in 6 months.
Another thing that has gotten very popular in my area is 'preferred agency' agreements. Facilities (not the agencies) are requiring the nurses sign an agreement that they will only work as an agency nurse at for . It prevents nurses who work for multiple agencies from shopping an offered shift to the highest paying agency.

I do not work for multiple agencies to "shop a shift to the highest paying agency". As a matter of fact, agency in my area pays less than my PT staff position. I do it for the flexibility and ability to work for different facilities. Some agencies only staff smaller hospitals, while others staff all hospitals, and still others stall larger hospitals only. In 2007-2008(Fall) I could get cancelled with one agency and pick up a shift with another. Also, I do several clinical areas, some agencies do not staff some areas.

I believe employers have finally seen the light with this recession. I have done agency since 1978 often while working FT or PT elsewhere. I believe hospitals are cutting agency, beefing up their PRN staff, and mandating in some areas that staff pick up an extra shift a pay period. The BOTTOM LINE is what's important today.

I also live and work in a major metropolitan area between two MAJOR East Coast Cities. Opportunities are more available here than in Rural America.

:gingerbreadman::bell::candy::santa::stocking::starornament::snowman::reindeer:

Good Luck.

Bella RN, BSN, MSN · Dec 30, 2009

Yes I have been cancelled quit a bit with agency. I am not sure if agency is for me. There is this one big agency that all the other agencies go through like the gate keeper and I think that big agency gets the shifts first. But I think I frustrate the agencies when I turn down alot of the shifts. Its like I get calls on days that I can't or very last minute. They tell me I need to be more flexible but I am not sure if agency nursing is for me.