[grad student]

what are the pros and cons of registry nurses, including travelers?

[nursinghumor]

I've worked agency in a lot of places.

Cons:

1. You have no guaranteed hours working per diem. You can be cancelled at any time up to two hours before the start of a shift.

For every five shifts I schedule myself for 1-2 are cancelled without a replacement shift available.

2. Unfamiliar territory. Imagine floating to a new unit or facility every day and having no clue where even the basics were.

Agency nurses spend 1/2 their shift trying to find the freaking bedpans, supplies, forms and other basic items you need.

3. Staff Nurse Bias. Other nurses knowing that you are making more money per hour that they are (agency nurses make 25-35% more per hour) will tend to give you the tougher patients, assignments.

It doesn't matter that your pay rate doesn't include benefits or guaranteed hours, you are still treated much differently.

I've done agency for 6 years and it's great for parents with kids to raise for the flexibility. If was going to back to being the breadwinner and carrying benefits, I'd drop agency in a heartbeat. You're much better off working on staff.

For my sitation, raising a child, growing a business, it's the best solution for now.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com