Private duty instead of agency?

[mnicole87]

Long story short I was an IP had an awful client, was a new nurse, got scared, quit my IP. I worked in a few places the last 5 years and the client I have now is through agency and wish to go with IPs but keep me as her nurse. My question is will I get penalized/fined for leaving agency and picking up the same client as an IP? I feel like I signed a paper with agency that I couldn't quit them and do IP for 6 months? Is this true? What would happen if I did do it? I also heard that contract won't hold up if they persued legal action.

Tia!

[caliotter3]

Once worked with an RN who worked private duty for the same client that she had as a patient working for an agency. She said that her answer to anyone trying to penalize her for her actions, is that "You can't tell me what I can or can not do on my off duty time". She also prided herself on the fact that she knew that the client's mother would fight tooth and nail any entity that tried to cross her or her favorite nurse. If it were me, I would stay away for six months if I signed a document, I would not, if I had not signed a document. Or, on second thought, what the agency doesn't know can't hurt them. They really can't tell you what you can or can not do on your time off. I just would choose not to go overboard to tee off an employer. Nursing in general, and home health in particular, is a small world when it comes to badmouthing employees.

[doodlebuttRN]

I worked for an agency that sued a family over trying to keep nurses after the agency dropped them. All the family did was talk to the nurses about their new agency. The nurses had signed a non-compete agreement as part of the employment paperwork. They (the agency) were really serious about it. The ones that ended up staying with the patient just waited the 3 months (or however long) and then went to the patient's new agency for employment. Wasn't worth the stress and headache the agency was willing to make.