Sent home after 4 hours...AGAIN!!!!

Published

:confused: I know this happens to all agency nurses sometimes, but this is begining to hurt in the pocketbook!!! I was cancelled 3 out of 4 days last week, but was allowed to come in this morning. Feeling more optimistic, I drove the hour to the hospital where I have been pre-booked for a couple of months. I got there, went to my floor and started my day. I worked until 9:00, when the charge nurse said, "I'm sorry, we are overstaffed, you'll be going home at 11:00". I was carrying 6 patients just like the other nurses and no one else was coming in at that time. The hitch was that they have hired 6 new nurses, most of which are on orientation right now. The teams of regular staff/orientees took one or two of my patients and home I went. I am really discouraged! I am a good nurse, and they like me there. They always ask me to pre-book and come back. I really don't think it is about me, but I still am stuck with 4 hours of pay instead of 12. I couldn't take a 3-11 shift anywhere else this evening because I am supposed to work 7a-7p tomorrow again. Probably just more cancelations and early send home! I just wanted to know if this is at all common in other areas, or just Houston? Thanks for listening!!

Becky:sniff:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Becky:

It seems to go in cycles. I have had it happen to me. It is usually after 8 though (when it does happen).

I try to build up a reserve of a next egg when possible. I suspect, with the holidays coming, and regular staff wanting to earn more money it may slow down a bit here in Denver for Agency.

Hang in there... Try seeing if you could try a new facility with your agnecy or try another agency for variation and "not put all your eggs in one basket".

Let us know how we can help.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

I suggest you orient in a few facilities, if one cancels you then you have a good chance of working in another. I don't get canceled very often but I work off shifts and some weekends. I think daylight shifts get canceled more often. I would also call your agency and let them know you are not happy and ask them to confirm with the hospitals that you will either work a full shift or cancel, start looking around for other hospitals to work in. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Same song, 2nd verse!! Cancelled again, but God is in charge! Hubby home sick...4 kids to get to school anyway...it all works out, I suppose . I have worked at other hospitals with this agency and I have let them know how much I need to work. Badbird, I think you are right about day shifts getting cancelled more, I am discussing nightshift with the family. They don't like it too much, but it is better than a 40+hr/week $11.50/hr job. There are no guarantees with this job, I knew that going in. It has worked for me for almost 2 years...I'll hang in there until it is obvious that I have to do something else!

Becky:specs: :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know how you feel. I was pre-booked for 48 hours this week and got cancelled for all of them. It really sucks when they wait until 2 hours before to cancel and you have turned down another shift because the times would conflict. So from now on I am taking the other shift and cancelling on them or forcing them to confirm my shift so I at least get 1 shift either place

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hear ya.. I work very hard at not burning my bridges too.. in addition to having at least more then one agency....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, all said and done, I got 20 hours total this week. I am pre-booked for 32 next week...we'll see. I called my previous agency, they were surprised to hear from me. I put my feelers out with them, but who knows. I almost gave up and called to try to get my old clinic job back, but no matter what they could come up with, I'd work only 24 hours agency to make the same as 36 with them. My time is worth the trouble. I am hanging in there!

Becky

Up Vote Up Vote ×

hi....i work in england on agency and if the client (hospital or nursing home) cancelled us either before the shift or during the shift the employer still has to pay the full amount.....once the booking is amde through the agency it cannot be unbooked......

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Critical Care, NICU, Burn.

Interesting. In our area, the agency/traveler people get to work first if they've signed a contract with a specific area. So, what happens? The agency person works while the regular staff get floated or called off--a dissatisfier to them, of course. Seems no one is ever happy regardless of who they work for.

In reading this and other threads, it seems that the problem of no nurses ("nursing crisis") exists more on the coasts than it does in the Midwest region; hence, those of us who are unable to travel or relocate because of family are glutting the market. With the global economy like it is, I think anyone with a job should be thankful. Hope things get better for you soon.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is hope, I also work for a aency and LOVE it and would never go back to a full time job again. Yes sometimes you do get cancelled but if you look at the money you make compared to what others are getting in a full time job and the hassle that goes along with it you would be happy you are were you are. My suggestion to youis to get in good with the scheduling person and schedule yourself instad of the agency. If it is a hosp., then the nurse manager of the floor, that is what I have done and I haven't been cancelled as much as I use to be. In the last 10 months about 2 times I was cancelled, so chin up there is light at the end of the tunnel.:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At the LTC where I work, as a regular employee, we cannot "bump" our agency staff without a week notice. We have wonderful nurses that come in and I always tell them thanks for helping us, if it werent for agency nurses, we would be short staffed, always!! So, thanks agency nurses, you are appreciated!!!! Have a happy day!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for saying that itsme...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion