Possibly agency?

[EmerNurse, BSN, RN]

Hi Everyone! I'm an ER nurse who is considering agency nursing, but it is a huge step and I'm nervous. I am considering agency because I've about had it with horrible schedules (3 nights on, one off, two on, you get the picture) with practically no say in my schedule unless I want to jump through paperwork hoops to make a "request". I've had it with administration's lack of caring or compassion for their staff and the constant feeling of being powerless to change anything at all. Everything falls on deaf ears. Several of my coworkers are also considering agency or finding a new job.

How do you make that leap of faith from staff to agency? I can't "try it out" a shift here or there because my work schedule is such that I don't get enough days off in a row to even try it. Remember working nights, the first day off doesn't count for much.

I used to love my job and I DO love the nursing part of it - but good grief, no one should have to kill themselves like we do because we're so short staffed we're dying, only to get a shrug from admin along with the admonishment to remember to do whatever we didn't because we were too busy keeping someone alive.

I'm actually feeling the stress in a physical way and really need to make a change, but having been staff in other places, I know that it's the same all over. That's why i'm thinking agency. The money would be nice, but I'd work for less to have less stress and misery on a daily basis.

All thoughts would be appreciated!