Seriously thinking of doing agency work. Pros and cons?

[LTCNS]

I'm a LPN with an extensive background in LTC and currently employed in a wound healing clinic. I'm at the point in my career and life that I would like to work when I choose as I am tired and in pain (Fibromyalgia, spondylithiasis, radiculopathy and disc degeneration with spinal stenosis) I know a LPN who works three days per week and does very well for herself, and the agency she works with happens to have a need for LPNs at this time. This agency has been in business for many years and has a good reputation, paying more than most agencies in my area.

I would love to know the good and bad from those of you do agency work. I know I would be sent wherever there is a need, but I have enough experience that I am confident in my skills to "just get in there do it."

Thanks! :)

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Everyone seems to be talking about travelling.

I work for a temp agency and schedule by the week and/or month. I used to fill in on staff positions at various hospitals. It's true that some facilities 'dump' on the 'rent-a-nurses'. With my agency I'd agree to one or two shifts, and whether or not I did more shifts or decided 'don't EVER send me back THERE!' was contingent on how I felt after completing my Look-See shifts. At that time I worked at 4 different hospitals, depending on need. What made it ok was if one shift was horrible, the next one might not be.

I can't say I was always warmly embraced by facility staff, but once they had me working with them a few times and saw I held up my end of the bargain and didn't grouse, it got so they would say "Oh, thank goodness it's YOU."

One thing to be aware of:

Needs of facilities do rise and fall, as does the census for PDN cases within the agency, and if things are in the slump stage, it can mess with your bill-paying.

[Alicia777, MSN, NP]

I had a really good experience as a med/surg agency nurse in between jobs. Most everyone was very welcoming and I felt like I fit right in-without having to be subjected to whatever politics were going on in their workplace. Plus being able to self-schedule and receiving a great hourly rate was awesome. Actually, I ended up using the charge nurse as a professional reference for the permanent position I ended up taking.

On the downside is being cancelled less than 2 hours before the shift and possibly the "heavier patients" comment although I never remember being all that stressed out.

My agency was Medical Staffing Network..