The Trials and Tribulations of Agency Nursing

Nurse agencies provide temporary positions for nurses who like the option of working different places and setting their own schedule. Agencies contract with health care facilities or anyone in need of temporary nursing help and provide temporary staffing. These agencies provide short-term staff or long-term staff on a temporary basis. Hiring through an agency saves the health care client from hiring full-time staff to fill temporary positions. It is a cost saver for the client and a money maker for the nurse.

Nurses who work through an agency have at least one year experience and enjoy the challenge of working in different settings. The temporary staff members are highly qualified and have a variety of experience and skill sets to fill just about any temporary need. Agencies can provide a nurse on a moment's notice or schedule work for a few days or a few months.

Some nurses like to work an agency as it allows for more flexibility or more time off. They can decide when to work and even where they want to work. Some facilities use temporary nursing staff for some of the grunt work while others hire a temporary to jump into the deep end of the pool and pitch right in along with the permanent staff members. An agency nurse has to be able to adapt to any situation and find their way around in pretty short order. There usually is not a lot of orientation time, so the nurse must be a extraordinarily quick study.

An agency nurse may use this job as a part time job along with a full-time job. It is a way to make some extra funds on a day off or during vacation time. Who could not use a few extra bucks these days? Working an agency job may expose the nurse to a different facility setting, different and sometimes better ways of performing nursing care and other nursing fields. Those retired from nursing may take on a shift or two from time to time to keep their hand in the field. Agency work on a part time basis is a terrific way to transition from full-time nursing to retirement.

A drawback to an agency nurse position is if projected staff levels are more than required the agency nurse will be most likely be canceled. It could happen a day before or an hour before the shift is to start, or you may show up to work but find you do not have any for that day. In agency work, no work means no pay unless your contract states there is to be a cancellation fee paid to the nurse under certain cancellation situations. Before you sign on with agency, ask if your work is canceled will they try to find you another shift. The object of the game is to make money, but if you find your shift being canceled a lot, you will not make any money.

An agency nurse usually does not have any benefits. Maybe a 401(k) plan or access to medical and dental insurance but there is no paid vacation, sick or holiday time. Your hourly wage will be higher than a permanent staff nurse, and that is the trade off for no or acutely few benefits.