Staffing/ agency ideas

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Like alot of the other LTCs in our area, we've been using alot of agency nurses. We are a small facility and only have a few nurses. When one goes out for medical leave, quits or gets fired it seems to take a while to replace the nurse. We do have a few steady agency nurses, but I sometimes they don't work out or are just used "as a warm body" I know it is hit or miss on the agency nurses, but was just wondering about this issue.

I was just wondering if any place has uses a traveler nurse or have agency nurses that sign on for a specific contracted term...like a 13 week assignment thing?

Any ideas on this?

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Just an opinion, but a facility would do better to pick a couple of nurses from an agency, give them a little training, and offer them at least 2/3 shifts a week. They would know more about the facility way of doing things, and the facility could possibly count on them to work. Things that come to mind are, days usually heavy with admissions, change over, and weekend night shifts.

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That is kinda what we do already. But, alot of these agency nurses call off too (They accept a different job after saying yest to us..with a different agency). That is why I was kinda thinking the contracted term.

For us 3-11 is the shift with the admits and D/C and a lot of docs after hospital hrs. 7-3 has the biggest med pass and res getting to pt/ot and appts. 11-7 is the easiest. Yep...I've worked all three.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I've worked with travelers before. Some were so wonderful we tried to convince them to stay full time with us. Of course we couldn't match the salary...but, as with all things, some of them were horrible. One said "I didn't think all the patients wouild be so OLD"..Didn't they tell you this was a skilled nursing facility I asked? Yes she said but I didn't think people here would be so old...

Where I am now, if we have to use agency, we have a list of 3 nurses from the agency that we like. We've given them orientation to the way we do things. It's not as good as having my own staff but it sure beats the revolving door of a different nurse every day.

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
I've worked with travelers before. Some were so wonderful we tried to convince them to stay full time with us. Of course we couldn't match the salary...but, as with all things, some of them were horrible. One said "I didn't think all the patients wouild be so OLD"..Didn't they tell you this was a skilled nursing facility I asked? Yes she said but I didn't think people here would be so old...

Where I am now, if we have to use agency, we have a list of 3 nurses from the agency that we like. We've given them orientation to the way we do things. It's not as good as having my own staff but it sure beats the revolving door of a different nurse every day.

LOL!!!!!

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As a side note...I was thinking that if I'm still doing LTC later in life (kids grown and out of the house) this would be kinda neat to pursue...RVing and travel mixed with some work in some nice places....

A girl can dream......

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
As a side note...I was thinking that if I'm still doing LTC later in life (kids grown and out of the house) this would be kinda neat to pursue...RVing and travel mixed with some work in some nice places....

A girl can dream......

Boy you read my mind- have you room in that RV for li'l 'ol me? LOL

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Specializes in Cardiac/Step-Down, MedSurg, LTC.

I wish my facility would leave me an agency number every now and then when the per diems tell me not to call them because they have another job full time!

I haven't seen an agency nurse in my building for at least 9 months now. I kind of miss them around. I was jealous though, one RN got to wear shorts in the summer *shakes fist in dismay!*

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