WSU-RN

I have a fellow agency nurse who is a ER & ICU nurse. Although she likes ER a bit better than the ICU, she consistantly gets booked for more Critical Care shifts than ER. I don't know about the area that you live in, but in Seattle our agency is always calling her to pivck up Critical Care.

I have been with InteliStaf here in Seattle for about 13 months and I just love them. I work full-time with them. I checked out a few other agencies before signing up with InteliStaf. Here are the main reasons I chose them over some of the other agencies. 1) Choices. They have contract with all the hospitals in the area. This gives me more choices than with some other agencies. 2) Good pay rates. I don't know if InteliStaf has the best rates, but I have found they are consistently higher than Maxim and some other of the larger agencies. 3) Benifits and Insurance. I have Blue Cross/Blue Sheild health insurance through InteliStaf. I also have Dental, Vision, a 401 K plan and vacation benefits. 4) Travel Division. InteliStaf has a travel division. Although I personally have not been on a travel contract through them, I know a few of the other InteliStaf nurses I work with have. This was convenient for them because they did not have to go to another agency to get a travel contract. 5) Lots of Offices through out the US. When I was looking to sign up with an agency, I wasn't sure if I was going to remain in the Seattle area. My recruiter told me that InteliStaf had offices in most of the states, and that my file could be easily transfered to another InteliStaf office if I decided to relocate. 6) Credentialing Interview. I was told when I was hired that InteliStaf was the only agency that required their employees to go through a credentialing interview. I have talked to nurses from quite a fww other agencies, and none of them were required by their agency to go through this. While this step may make the hiring process a bit longer, I think it makes InteliStaf a more credible agency for the facilities they serve. 7) Small Things. I was unaware of this when I was hired, but the Seattle office does a good job of doing little things. I have received cards of appreciation from the staffers for picking up some late call shifts. They also have a free scrubs program in which they give you a free set of scrubs after working a certain amount of hours. I don't know if they do that in every InteliStaf office, but the Seattle office does a good job of making me feel like I am appreciated. 7) Referral Bonuses. I have made a good chunk of change from InteliStaf for just refering a few people to them. I don't spend my time recruiting other agency RNs. I don't have the time or energy for that, but I am freqently asked by other agency nurses if I am happy at InteliStaf. No agency is perfect, but from some of the horror stories I have heard from some other agency nurses, I consider myself quite lucky to be with an agency that I really enjoy. There are also a few new things InteliStaf has added since I have been hired. 1) On-line Hiring process. One of the RNs I just recently started working with said that she completed her application and most of her paperwork on-line. I wish this feature had been available when I was hired. Another one of the RNs I work with said that she renewed her skills checklist online also. 2) JCAHO accredidation. The office here in Seattle is going through the process of being JCAHO certified. I think once they get their certification, they will be the hospital's first choice among agencies. I would encourage you to check out a few different agencies and find which one will work best for you and your goals. For some reason or another, InteliStaf may not be the best choice for you, but I would definately encourage you to check them out. :balloons:

Here are a few things that I have learned about agency nursing in the 13 months I have been with InteliStaf: 1) Day shifts typically get cancelled more than other shifts. Day shift is the shift that most people want, so you are competing with more people for that spot. I have been much more successful in working evening shifts without getting cancelled. 2) The shifts seem to come in cycles for certain specialties. It can be quite cyclical. I find it is much easier to pick up shifts during certain times of the year and month. Some cycles are more preditable than others. For example: In October, it seems to be a little harder to get the desired shifts at the best facilites. My guess is because the hospital staff's kids are back in school and fewer people are on vacation. If there are extra shifts, the hospital's staff are picking them up to pay off the huge bill they chalked up on their credit cards during their summer vacations. 3) One of the reasons they may be calling you when you are not available is to find out if you really aren't. I think one of they key successes to working with any agency is communication. Get to know the people who staff you, and let them get to know you. The better they understand what you are looking for, the easier it is for them to staff you. Build a good relationship with your staffer. The more positive interaction you have with that person, the more apt you are to be called over another RN working with that agency. I am sure that no one will admit to "playing favorites," but who would you call first if a shift came open? Would you first call a nurse who you rarely have any interaction with or have had them call up yelling at you for a scheduling problem? Or would you call the nurse who calls in a couple times a week, and that you have formed a good working relationship with? Also, If you become available, let them know. I know a few people who give their agency their availability once a month, and just sit there and wait for their agency to call. This has proven generally unsuccessful and results in the RN getting frustrated. If you become proactive and spend 5 minutes every couple of days calling your agency, I think you find you will be working more. A 10 minute weekly investment could greatly pay off. 4) Try working weekends, or at least one day on the weekend. Most people want to work Monday - Friday, day shifts. Here again, you are in competition with more people for that shift. Not only is it easier to pick up shifts on the weekend, most hospitals have a shift differential for the weekends. 5) Make sure to call your agency regulary, especially about 2 weeks before the start of a new month. This seems to be when the hospitals are putting together the schedule for the upcoming month. I have been more sucessful in getting booked for a few weeks or the eintire month during this time. I hope this helps. If you have a good relationship with your agency and their staffers, and you can be a little flexible, then working with an agency can become a very rewarding experience. :balloons:

I don't know much about MSN, but I have been with InteliStaf in the Seattle area for about 13 months. I was refered to them through a friend and I have been completely happy with them. Everyone is very nice and attentive. The paperwork and process did take about a week, but now they have an on-line application process that can cut down on that time. Plus I was told that InteliStaf is the only agency that requires their employees to go through a credentialing process, which is an interview with an RN. I am assuming this gives their agency more credibility with the hospitals and would cut down on their liability insurance. I am also aware that InteliStaf is seeking JCAHO cerification, which should make them an even more desirable choice for the facilites they contract with. I have always gotten good shifts, and when cancelled, the staffers do a good job of finding me a shift at another facility. I don't know about the office in DFW, but I am assuming that their policies and proceedures are similar. :balloons:

I don't know much about Kforce, but I am working with InteliStaf in the Seattle area. I have been with them for approx. 13 months. They have contracts with all the major hospitals in the area. The staffers have always done a good job of keeping me as busy as I want to be. I have learned a few things about how to get the best shifts from my agency: 1) I call them regulary. This ensures that I am fresh in there mind. 2) I update my availability regularly. If it changes, I make sure to let them know. 3) I try to stay flexible and open to short notice shifts, if available. 4) I call about 2 weeks before the new month. I find if I do this, it is much easier to get booked through the whole next month. It must be about the time when the facilities start scheduling for the upcoming month. By incorporating these things, I have been very happy and satisfied with my InteliStaf experience. In addition, InteliStaf is becoming JHACO certified. I think this will make InteliStaf a desirable choice for all hospitals in the future. :balloons: