working for two agencies

suzanne4, RN · Mar 30, 2004

Before I had my own agency I always worked for at least two agencies, sometimes up to four. Depending on where you live and what your specialties are........................It tends to get cyclical at times, one hospital can get quite busy all of a sudden, and the agency that usually places you doesn't have a contract there. The hospital where you have been putting in all of your hours suddenly gets a drop in census and a new administrator, and they immediately cancel all agency contracts. It has happened before and will always happen, that is why you should never put all of your eggs in one basket. Each hospital will usually have a favorite agency that first gets their order, if they can't place it then it goes on to agency #2.

Hope that this helps........................ :balloons:

suzanne4, RN · Mar 30, 2004

In 25 years of working agency, I have never had a non-compete clause in any contract, as far as not working for another agency at the same time. Some of the contracts had a clause that if I wanted to go full-time staff at that hospital before my contract was up, the hospital would have to pay a fee to the agency, but that was the extent of it.

renerian, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2004

Actually the agency I talked to today had a non compete. I did not sign it yet.

Thanks everyone for your input,

renerian

suzanne4, RN · Mar 31, 2004

Was it a non-compete for working at the same hospital that they send you to for another agency or directly for that hospital in a certain amount of time OR that you could not work for any other agency at the same time?

Big difference? Not wanting you to work for another agency at the same hospital is understandable and actually not a non-compete contract, HOWEVER, not wanting you to work for another agency at the same time is ridiculous. That would be the same as your hospital telling you that you could not work anywhere else on your off-time.......................... :balloons:

renerian, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2004

Non compete as in not working for two like entities.

renerian

suzanne4, RN · Mar 31, 2004

I would stay as far away from them as possible....................what happens if all of a sudden they no longer have work for you, are you supposed to starve, or have to go to work in another city?

IMO, put a cross over that name............................ :uhoh3:

renerian, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2004

I am considering doing that. I may write on it I already work for another like entity and both companies are aware.

renerian

nightingale, RN · Mar 31, 2004

In Wyoming (not Home Health) I saw the noncompete clause in a contract I was considering for a travel position and decided to NOT sign on with them. Later that year, I heard of a nurse who was having to travel quite a distance to work because the Agency would not waive the noncompete at the only facility in town. Not only was she not able to work for the facility directly (which is common in Agency Nursing) but she could not work for another Agency with this facility either unless she paid the $5,000 penalty.

Locally, in my small community, I recently interviewed with another HH Agency. They "were surprised" that I wanted to work for more then one agency PRN. I am PRN with one Agency and would like to do this with more then one to keep my options "open" and allow for low census.

It was common in another city that I lived in (much larger) to see the nurse work one agency and then go to another agency to work that same day if visits were needed by both. I really do not see the anything wrong with this AT ALL; I am surprised by this "loyalty demand" of the two Agencies I have interacted with closely so far. Not only are my hours NOT guaranteed, I may work 10 hours one day and 3 the next. I would just as soon work two jobs, work a lot of hours when I can then schedule whole days off.

Today, I am scheduled off. I had to insist that I was taking the day off, even with NO visits scheduled I was expected to remain available.... uh no... thank you. I guess it is all about, for me, quality of work life. I do not mind working hard but I need some control of income as well as quality time away to recharge.

goodywhyte · Apr 1, 2004

This is very interesting to me, the soon to be jobless one with a house and dogs and cats and daughter to support. Are you talking home health or hospital agency staffing? Can you make a good income working per visit? Or, agency at the hospitals. I may have to consider any and all of these!

renerian, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2004

Your poor friend. That would be horrible!

renerian