1.5 years experience; worried about agency work

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

I have 1.5 years experience on a tele/step down unit but will need to relocate back to CA soon. I have an ill relative I need to be closer to. I am worried about the job market there, not being able to find a staff position and thinking agency might be easier to get. Though many places will take nurses as long as they have more than a year, I'm concerned I might not have the "chops" for it; just being thrown in.

I've got the prioritization skills and time management down; but am worried about learning a new charting system, learning where things are, and such. And, I do like to feel comfortable asking questions. There are lots of things I've never done and I need to be able to ask. I'm worried as a traveler, people might have a bad attitude and not want to help me and/or that I'll be slow with equipment and I'll get fired and it will ruin my career.

My relative is dying though and I need to be closer to them and I also need to earn a living.

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Traveling after 1.5 years can be a challenge.. but definitely doable. I've done agency and traveled.. but had many years of experience.

A nurse I know traveled to California with one year experience and was very successful.

You are right on the money that learning the new charting is the hard part. Most facilities are using EPIC. Do you have that experience?

As far as how you will be treated.. that totally depends on the culture of the unit.Be positive and friendly.

Feel free to private message me. I hope I can help.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Sounds to me like you are just nervous about stepping out of your comfort zone. You're projecting about how terrible you will be and get fired and your career will be ruined! They wouldn't have you in the first place if they didn't need you; they know you're new and get minimal if any orientation. Someone will be nice enough to show you the ropes. Unless it's a terrible place in which case you want to move on anyway. Keep your wits about you and you will do fine. You will also have much more self-confidence after you've been doing this awhile. Bless you for stepping up to help an ill family member. Good luck.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
Traveling after 1.5 years can be a challenge.. but definitely doable. I've done agency and traveled.. but had many years of experience.

A nurse I know traveled to California with one year experience and was very successful.

You are right on the money that learning the new charting is the hard part. Most facilities are using EPIC. Do you have that experience?

As far as how you will be treated.. that totally depends on the culture of the unit.Be positive and friendly.

Feel free to private message me. I hope I can help.

Hi Been there, done that, I tried to PM you back but it says your inbox is full.

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For some reason, local agency typically pays less than staff in California. Most hospitals there have unions, and even the ones that don't base pay on seniority. So agency pay may be closer to staff pay with your experience than many travelers. I would try first to find a staff job, but barring that, you may find the security of a travel contract better than local agency (and only one hospital to orient to versus several). Your workload will probably be less than where you are now as California has mandated staffing ratios. Less patients, but more likely to be full care, less support staff. Still, having fewer patients should allow some time to adjust to a new work environment.

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