WhyNurse

Yes - it is just a question about life in a broader area. We all need money to sustain, and nursing is no different than other profession. We work, we pay our dues, and we live... it is a cycle of life. Just gonna make sure we are not "stealing", not "milking"...etc. People often tend to feel that they deserve a raise or they are underpaid - and the exhaustion or unfair treatment at workplace causes people to have the sense of entitlement; and that often leads us to make the decision or do something where other will think we are milking the system. Now that I think about it - this is more of making your choice and be responsible with the consequences....

Totally agree with you!!!!

I need to defend myself a bit here - I am not busy body - they are just too loud and keep bragging about how good money is and do whatever you can... It just sounds like they are trying to milk the system as much as they can.. I am no difference from anyone, I am not a Saint and do have bills to pay. But I still want to be able to sleep soundly. :) Signed, A tainted nurse who has been a probational nurse through my BON's discipline program and came out of the crucible a better RN and a more compassionate person. ...like I give a sh** whether the world looks at my crack or not.

Nobody like to be underpaid - that's the universal rule and trust me, I LOVE money to death. Sometime it was just surprised to hear from others of how they trying to find a loop hole, and "milk" the system just so they can make more (nurses I met in the lunch room).

Being a newly grad nurse, I can't deny the fact that we are in need in money to help paying bills that have been piled up since we were in school. We doesn't love money, right? I am sure we all do, and we work hard for it. But after listening to these nurses, I am wondering where is our professional/ethical practice? I have recently picked some odd shifts and start working in a rural hospital through agency and happened to chat with few nurses who used to work in NWT and Yellowknife in isolated Northern Canada in the lunch room. All they said is "working up north is good money and in fact, it is like our gold mine"... they went on and on about going through the loop hole such as ask the patient to come and see you after hours and you can get paid for call back, which is legal service just different time slot.. and get paid more.. etc The more I listened, the more I feel wrong - first thing crossed my mind was "is that why we can't get too much work cause majority of the hospital / nursing facility is out of budget"???? Where is our ethic? I thought we all took an oath. Well, maybe I am still a "new blood" to the profession and over-reacted with things like that, which is technically happening everywhere (someone has to watch out for themselves kind of mentality)? "A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was.” - Joseph Hall

I am residing in Canada at this moment and that could subject to change.

What is OP?

I guess a bit of both - one side of me is frustrated with the hiring system and on the other side, I shouldn't be blaming the system cause I don't know the other side of the stories. All I know is just based on what I heard. Life moves on and you just keep working and searching until you got something. If not, I guess it will never be too late for me to bail out.

How about expressing your concern to your supervisor? Or is she your supervisor?

Have anyone out there used to be a nurse contractor before or heard anything about being a nurse contractor? I went to a baby shower party last weekend and met this nurse who used to be a nurse contractor with a nursing agency. From what I gathered, she is more like a sub-contractor, where she got the assignment from the agency - and after completion of the assignment, the agency will pay for her service. It sounds pretty interesting especially you don't get ding for tax upon completion of your service. You take all home. I am no tax person but doesn't it sound a bit wrong for not paying tax especially in Canada? Don't you need to report your earning? I guess not if you have a super good accountant??? I didn't want to offend her or ask more even though I want to. Just wonder if anyone out there heard about this kind of business?

Totally agree - this is part of life, and we move on cause we can't afford to stay hungry and have our bills unpaid over the inequality of treatment we receive in this industry. Sometime just feel defeated by the system itself - and feel like it will be better off to look after yourself rather than depending on the government, the MP or even our nurse organization (after paying so much to the organization)...

Thanks for the advice. I am just desperate but I guess I am not qualified for now. Have you worked with Select before or other agency? Just wonder and curious how they are?

I am absolutely not trying to stir the pot or trying to be racist... I myself is also an immigrant who work hard who had a nursing degree from a foreign country - I work hard re-cert and went through language class...etc... go back to school and basically start all over again in Canada at the age of 40. We all work hard and I am not doubting it - but just wonder when there's so many nurses posted on the forum stating that they are having difficult time to land themselves a decent nursing job (include myself), yet we have other nurses from other country is getting the work - that just hard for me to understand. Should we just say "because we are unlucky" and that's our problem.. we shouldn't be venting just someone has a job offer and we are not. Life is just not fair so suck it up, butter cup???

Are you going to stay in the same facility for long? If not, I guess there's not much to worry since people rotates, and who knows the other FT staff might not be there when you return, and you won't bump into each other? After all, you are just taking order from the nurse manager and do your job.

No - apparently all of them are "travel" nurse in temp contract.

It is interesting to find out that some hospital is willing to hire foreign nurses all the way from Jamaica rather than local nurses (who probably would know more about the culture and people here in Canada). Just spoke with a long lost classmate who just recently returned working short term position from Weeneebayko Health Authority - told me that her contract / assignment will not be extended cause they had hired nurses from Jamaica?? Yes - foreign nurses who hold a working permit (not PR card or a Canadian Passport). Interesting.....

Here are some of the agency I found - I am kinda hesitating on sending my application before knowing more yet I am desperate in just getting anything and don't mind going anywhere (student loans are kicking in... bills are pilling...etc... ) (1) Canadian HealthCare Agency: Manitoba and Ontario (I am assuming is the northern communities in MB and ON)?? (2) Select Medical Connections: Yukon Hospital (read job review of the agency, quite scary but not sure how true is that - perhaps everyone has different experience?) (3) Bayshore / Venture Healthcare: Nunavut region / North West Territory

Do more research before making any decision. It would be nice to turn your dream to reality - but sometime the two do not line up together...and we will be back to square one. Sorry - I am not much of an encouragement here but surely think before you act.

Hi there, I am a fresh grad (well, I guess technically not, cause I have been graduated from nursing school for more than a year) and been trying and sending many many resumes but doesn't seem to have any luck in getting response (not even a call for interview!! ). I am in quite a desperate situation here. I came across some ads re: working in the northern community with agency. Wonder if anyone of you have worked up north with agencies before? Are they reliable? Mind to share your experience? Was it worth to give it a shot?