Travellers......PLEASE HELP!!!

2ndCareerRN · Nov 12, 2003

Just aquick answer in passing.

Your contract is between your agency and yourself. The agency has a contract with the hospital.

You need to look over your contract, often there is a clause that says the contract can be cancelled with a two week notice on the part of the company, or yourself.

If your company does not stand behind you on this, and attempt to get you another position very quickly, you may need to talk to a lawyer familiar with contract and labor laws where you are at.

Try posting this same question over at http://forums.delphiforums.com/travelnurses

and see what you can come up with.

Now, what hospital has taken this monumental step backwards in patient care?

Let us know who your company is and how they respond.

bob

Midwestbabygirl · Nov 12, 2003

Thanks for your reply Bob..

The hospital I am speaking of is Grady Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Otherwise known as "Shady Grady."

My contract states that my assignment can be terminated at any time by me or my agency. If I choose to terminate, I am subject to any housing fees AND hospital penalties charged to my agency from the above stated facility. It also says that the hospital can terminate for any reason they "deem appropriate." So I guess I am screwed. How is it that THEY can charge a penalty if I terminate, but I can't charge them a penalty if THEY terminate?

My agency has been helpful in trying to get me another assignment, unfortunately, I only have a license in GA and my home state of Minnesota. They don't have any assignments in either state, at this point. So, I am having to return home and work local agency until I obtain a license in another state. These are unguaranteed hours with no health insurance.

I guess you live and learn.......

passing thru · Nov 12, 2003

The hospital can't do away with all agency nurses if they are 85 % staffed with temporaries.

As a seasoned traveler, I have seen and experienced this lots of times.Usually the hospital finds themself contracted with "too many agencies." So, they come out with this "new rule."

And, usually, they consolidate the dozen agencies they are coping with now ............. to 2 or 3 agencies. Makes life easier for them. Usually , this situation presents itself when one or two agencies have made them "" an offer they can't refuse.""

That is, they've offerred the hospital a better deal, where the hospital pays a lower rate for their nurses. It is "strictly business."

Where do you fit in? You need to have 2 or 3 agencies in your purse. So, when one gets the boot cause another agency has beat them in the contracts, you call another of your agencies and keep sailing.

The thing to do now is go talk to one of the supervisors, or the staffing person, and find out which agency is going to be their primary agency. tHEN GO AND APPLY WITH THEM. cOMMUNICATE WITH THE STAFFER YOU WANT TO STAY THERE WITH ANOTHER AGENCY,

VOILA !! You are back in business and never lose a day's work.

It isn't YOUR fault your agency isn't one of the contenders.

This is how the agency game is played. And, you tell your agency that you will contact them when this run is over. Your agency works for you.....

Try to understand the implications of that. It does not hurt your resume/work history/employment history/ if you switch agencies every week.

You go with whichever one gives/gets you WHAT YOU WANT.

dared1 · Nov 12, 2003

Sorry to hear about your contract. I live in Atl and Grady has been doing some serious hiring, I have heard that they are making their salaries very nice to prospective nurses. In 2001 I had an assignment in their OB/GYN clinic (SWEET) for 6 months and I did not have any problems. Although your current agency does not have any assignments in the area, you may want to check with other agencies. What agency are you working with now?

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2003

Please put in Grady under "search" option. You will find plenty of complaints listed against Grady.

Sorry that you have problems with them.

Let us know what happens and I will keep you in my thoughts.

skybirdrising · Nov 24, 2003

I dont understand what the fuss is about. It isn't like there is a shortage of positions in any given location. Too many other opportunities to be *****ing about the lost ones.

WyomingRN · Nov 24, 2003

The facilities in this area that were using travelers told them they weren't using travelers any more. What a line of bull, they just switched to out-of-state companies for a couple of months and shortened contract times. The out-of-state companies were charging them more than what in-state companies were charging, but to make their point, they paid the higher rates. The facilities wouldn't renew contracts with an agency who had a nurse(s) that was pregnant or had small children. They knew that they had these nurses over a barrel because they were limited in travel options, and offered them to sign on for open positions or PRN. Like everybody everywhere, they needed the pay check so couldn't sit back and watch how the facilities manipulate the system. As soon as they got them signed on, they went back to the local travel agencies.

Instead of hiring on, I had started my own one person agency, and offered rates $15.00 and hour less than what the agency was charging them. Everyone from CNAs to LPNs, to RNs, to the Unit Supervisor was behind my efforts and went to the DON and staffing on my behalf. But yet the facility had a hundred and one excuses of why they couldn't use my company. The bottom line is that facilities don't want to see any nurse get ahead or get out of its control. The individual that replaced me was from an out-of-state agency and the Unit Supervisor was very peeved because the facility was paying $30 more an hour than they were paying the agency I was with ($45 per hour higher than the rate I gave them). So the decision is not always money. There is always money to screw nurses just as there is always enough money to pay CEO ridiculous salaries. Generally speaking, this facility uses one particular agency because the head of staffing and the owner of one agency are best buddies. This company gets first shot at all open shifts, and if they can't fill them, then they will go to other companies. This is a game that is being played all over the United States. I have talked to nurses from coast to coast and border to border. Same story ---- not using agency nurses --- of course all the while using out-of-state agencies and importing out of country nurses.

By the way, I have succeeded in getting contracts at other facilities and now get paid my rate of $50-$55 per hour depending on how much travel is involved and how often my services are used. My contract is direct with the facilities so there is no middle man. I am putting an incentive clause in my contract giving those who use my service at least three days a week an additional $5 an hour discount. If just one facility takes advantage of this, it will cut my travel down and be well worth it. I'll let you determine what I make per shift.

It would really be nice if all travelers did what I did and we could get rid of the middle man.

Midwestbabygirl · Nov 24, 2003

Originally posted by skybirdrising
I dont understand what the fuss is about. It isn't like there is a shortage of positions in any given location. Too many other opportunities to be *****ing about the lost ones.

Excuse me, but "all the fuss" is because I only have my license in Minnesota and Georgia. I am a burn nurse, only wishing to travel to burn units. The two months I had left on my contract was the time I was counting on to get licensed in other states and find another burn position. Unlike ICU, L&D, and M/S, Burn unit opportunities aren't as numerous. SO....skybirdrising, does that answer "what the fuss is about"?