Mar 17, 2010, 12:39 pm
hi Eskimo,
congrats on qualifying! such an exciting time for you.
honestly, my genuine advice to you would really be NOT to be doing agency shifts just yet. I work at an agency, and i allocate nurses to shifts, and my agency doesnt employ anyone who is a new graduate for very specific reasons that are based on experience. any agency that is happy to send you out and have your first nursing experiences be shaped by doing agency work is really doing you a dis-service.
some folk will no doubt tell you that agency is great as it will give you loads of different experiences etc and its flexible and you make great money. but quite seriously, agency shifts are NOT the best or ideal way to consolidate your skills as a new nurse. infact its a very good way to set yourself up for some unpleasant experiences. Im studying Div 2 myself this year, and there is no way i will even consider working agency until i have a good 6-12mths expereince working somewhere permanent.
agency staff really have to to be independant workers who can walk into a faciliy/ward, be given a good orientation and then be able to 'hit the ground running' with very little assistance. There is nothing more irritating to permanent staff than when an agency person walks in who really isnt confident and isnt all that sure of what they should be doing without constant direction. this can lead to some agency staff being treated quite abruptly and rudely, or to the facitlity asking the agency never to send that person back again. and this is really unfortunate bcos when you are still new and learning this is a formative time in which you shouldnt have to deal with these issues.
you havent stated why you are jumping into agency work so early? but i would honeslty re-consider starting your career in nursing this way. the best way to gain great experinece in a 'hopefully' supportive and encouraging environment is to find yourself permanent work, full time part time or even casual- but at a place where you can regularly work. maybe even a couple of places if needs be. but this way your at least working in the same environment every week and not having to learn new info, new paperwork, new 'rules' and 'ways' of doing things. instead you can learn from experienced staff and bcome familiar with nursing practices in a 'friendly' environment. bcos every place you go to for agency work will be different, every place will have its own particular ways of doing things.
i really hope you understand that im just giving my educated opinion on this bcos i deal with this everyday at work. sadly we have had so many nurses get 'banned' from working in hospitals or aged care facilities not bcos they are clinically hopeless, but simply bcos they have no decent experience, they just dont have enough of the necessary skills yet to be able to function well in that environment and the nursing co-ordinators dont want people 'learning' on their watch, especialy not on agency rates- thats not what agency is for. agency is meant to be able to provide knowledgable, experienced staff to fill gaps and allow a ward to still function as well as if the regular staff are working. even if someone has worked as a PCA for years doing agency shifts its still a whole different ball game. your scope of practice is totally different and much more is expected of you.
agency work is great once you really know what your doing, and i dont know you personally so im not making any kind of judgement on your skills or abiities, but if it was me (and it will be me by november this year!), then i would hold off on agency work unto you have more experience.
good luck
