Top Reasons for Agency Nursing

[Burnenup]

Hi! I have been interested in Agency nursing since nursing school, mostly for the flexibility, travel, you know-the perks! :) I elected to get some more ICU experience and ended up in a BCC class, hoping to take my CCRN in about 3 months or so.

Heres the dilemma (you knew there had to be one, right?): I have this full time job, but sick of call offs! already 2 within a month, and no more PTO time to cover. Bummer, especially right after Christmas, son's birthday. I am nervous about making the leap, but am thinking I will meet with a recruiter for an agency, then check into contracts. Ultimately, I want/need/see myself working a contract, even traveling for the 13 weeks or so, then coming home, and working PRN while baseball season is rolling. My son is in 10th grade, and I want to be able to go his games, have some fun, then pick up another contract. I am also interested in pursuing CRNA school, but not until he graduates.

Is this what I can do with agency nursing? I am interested in the reasons one chooses this over a full time position. and oh ya, I figured a few months is long enough in any hospital! Thanks.

[neurorn6]

I work as a traveler, I can't get OT with my current facility so my company hooked me up with a sister company that does per diem work. So, I get my full time hours and pick up as much or as little extra without getting hit in the pocketbook with taxes. My payrate is very good and really no hassles. I get called off alittle, but since it's extra, no big deal. The one good thing is that if I get called off, alot times they call me with something else.

It works for me. I can also use the agency if I take time off between assignments and go home. They will hook me up with something local if I want to work a day or two.

[Cali]

Is your question about agency/per diem or travel agency nursing?

I'm an agency/per diem nurse and a travel nurse. I love agency/per diem nursing because:

1) I make my own schedule. (You can work or take time off whenever YOU want. I'm currently out of town on a 13 week travel nursing assignment and before I left, I just told the agency I was going away for a few months and I'd called them to get booked for work when I got back in town. They just said okay. No hassle.

2) If something comes up, you can cancel your shift as long as you call early. You're not penalized for calling off as you would be with a regular job.

3) No staff meetings

4) I get paid EVERY week via direct deposit

5) Flexibility, Flexibility, Flexibility

6) If you work a shift at a hospital and you don't like the hospital, just tell the agency to take it off your list and you never have to go back.

7) It pays better than a regular hospital job.

The downside is getting your shift canceled. With the economy being so bad it doesn't seem as though hospitals are using agency nurses as much because they're trying to save money.

As far as travel nursing goes. I like:

1) Weekly pay

2) Temporary assignments. (I can't work at ANY hospital for too long because you just get tired of the people and the politics. By the time you're sick of the people, your 13 week assignment is over)

3) No staff meetings

4) You get to meet new people all the time.

5) You can experience a new place/state every few months.

The downside of travel nursing is if you don't like the hospital you're at, sometimes you may have to pay to cancel the contract. I was on an assignment once and my contract stated I had to pay $750 if I canceled the contract. You can also usually get better (and more) benefits working at a permanent hospital.