TechieRN

Can anyone share their views with me on agency nursing? I've just started in this arena and I'm having difficulty understanding the flow of it - how it works; what institutions look for in a nurse from an agency, what the up and downsides might be for the registered nurse. All viewpoints and help would be appreciated as I'm trying to decide if it is applicable for me. Thank you for any viewpoints!

tx for the response stopnik :). Yes, it is predominately an elective surgery/outpatient unit but there is overflow from the OR (hospital "attached") and alot of their current patients go up to a floor for over night obs. I took the question pretty generically and responded that I prioritized in my head, and deferred to emergencies allowing for flow with the other staff members helping a case as quite often in my experience the team members help each other when they are not busy to speed the process along (assessment, iv, teaching, comfort, managing family, collaborating with docs/nps) to move them to pain intervention (blocks) and then along to OR. And then of course on the back end (as you described) ... I was very general in my response since I don't know their current protocols and so I was hoping I gave an appropriate answer. Never been asked that before - but then I haven't had alot of peer interviews either. Tx again for your help!

I was recently asked the following question in a peer interview for a Pre-op/Pacu/teaching position in a small Orthopedic Surgical Center. How would you have answered? "How do you prioritize your work as you go through your day; keeping in mind our focus in this particular unit?"

I was "seeing" them as an overview nursetime - as in "competency exams" which are various exams (similar formats). I wasn't addressing them from a company based perspective ... is there some reason why you feel it should be addressed somewhere else ...and why that might be? I didn't do a search under testing companies or nursetesting.com and I take no issue with them as a company. As I understand it (and I'm always open for correction) they are simply another company that uses competency testing in an online/computer-based format.

One of the questions was as simple as: After extubation, your pt is assessed for s/s of upper airway obstruction. This is a concern b/c the narrowest part of the airway is the: a. trachea b. larynx c. esophagus d. bronchii Anyone care to answer that question? .....

FYI ...... B/4 I get my two cents out ...please be aware that I'm an older "newer" nurse with a background in IT and business who went back to school (BSN) at a major university to go ALL the way through a traditional program b/c I value my education and it's results in my practice in the clinical setting. I am an older individual (life's experience should rate for something right??) ..... so please be informative and kind when responding b/c this nurse cratchit WANTS to know what she did wrong - why and how I can do it better for the individual(s) I'm caring for..... (what WAS I thinking when I invested that 50 grand???)............ Ok - I've got 2 years experience in cvicu with great background in cardiology. Now I'm called by an agency to interview ....three interviews later they make me go through REPEAT ACLS classes (my certification was good) AND they make me take myriad tests online from nursetesting.com. I was not notified of the "time" element in the exams and was in a hurry to get ....yet another exam out of the way to get some work in (some of us need to work to support our hips - ok, that was sarcastic - I have basic rent to cover as a single mother). So I hit the test, take it and then it shuts down on me. I am told that they will "put it up again" it must have been a malfunction. So I take it and pass it (ccu) at over a 90% scoring. Next day I take the cvicu test and pass it at 75% and am told after doing everything necessary for the "agency" (Jacho certified) that I failed the 2nd test .....even after passing the previous 5 tests that they've given me: Core mandatories for 2009 and 2010....then other "specialties". They then inform me that they will "go over the missed questions with me"; and everything will be "ok" to work for them. Then - I get a call from them and THAT person tells me that she doesn't "know anything" and will have to have someone from the testing agency call me to discuss the "missed questions" with me. The questions were ambiguous and frankly I was so disturbed by some of the obvious mistaken questions that I reached out to two other icu nurses, a 25 year cvicu nurse still in practice and our "go to" person ....and a physician (trauma doc who teaches for the major university's medical school and is still in practice) to go over the "missed questions" with me. WOW .... scary was the over-riding response. Scary for me b/c I value my learning b/c of the level of compassionate skilled care that I provide (and want to continue) and scary b/c I felt the 2nd person at the agency was putting me off.... particularly when I read on the website that they do not "remediate". YIKES ..... what in the world is up with these "competency exams" - Really??? Could anyone help? The testing site states that I passed the CVICU exam but the agency has told me that they need an even higher score to put you in the field - even after they "hired" me and made me go through a not-necessary ACLS class. I'm frustrated - menopausal and confused Can anyone help?? I'm headed for the quart of ice cream looming in my freezer as I'm told that they will get back with me "sometime soon".............:hug:

It does; thank you! I been an RN for 18 months and never done agency nursing before. I was questioning the "frequencies". Frankly I have worked in CCU/CVICU and learned alot, but I don't always get ...for instance; an IABP case regularly. I can state my 1-2 years overall experience but in terms of proficiency, for example - although I've been around alot of them, I haven't received that many pts with them and therefore the "timing" issue was of concern to me. Ex: They ask if I cared for those cases less than 6x's per year, every couple of months, or weekly. It almost seems to be a judgment call to me and I've never had to fill one of these checklists out before for an agency. I was hoping for a little guidance in terms of agency nursing. What do they use these skill checklists for? I would have a tendency to underestimate my skill level - you know; underpromise and over deliver. Thought I'd reach out for direction to those of you who perhaps have experience with them. Thanks!

Hi to all - Anyone have advice for me in regards to filling out a skills competency checklist? I am a relatively new RN (under 2 years) and have never done agency nursing before. This checklist covers basics, CCU / CIVCU and asks for each area - length of time and proficiency. Thanks for any help! :)