Nurse Agency vs Permanent Employment: Which is right for you?
If you have always worked in a permanent nursing role, the idea of stepping into agency work might make you feel nervous. There are a lot of misconceptions about agency work, and it can sometimes be viewed negatively. However, if you are interested in making a change in your career, joining a reputable nurse agency can bring you new opportunities.
In this blog, we will break down the key differences between working for a nurse agency and holding a permanent nursing job, so you can decide which is a better fit for you.
Shift flexibility
One of the biggest misconceptions about agency nursing is that it is a less secure career path than a permanent position.
With a permanent nursing role, you work a set number of hours every week, and your rota will be decided for you. This is a great option for anyone who needs consistency in their working patterns.
With agency work, on the other hand, you are in control of how many hours you work, and when you work them. This gives you much more flexibility as you can pick up shifts that fit with your responsibilities, such as childcare.
This means you get to choose exactly how much you work, and how you spend your other time. You can pursue hobbies or further education and can take a day off or go on holiday on your own schedule - without needing to give up the career you love.
Pay rates
With a permanent nursing role, your hours are consistent. You know exactly how much money you will take home each month.
With agency work, your pay will fluctuate depending on how many shifts you pick up. However, this gives you control over how much you earn. You can increase or decrease your hours based on your availability and earn higher rates of pay by working less popular shifts, such as Bank Holidays.
The hourly rate for agency nursing staff is also typically better than the rate for permanent nursing staff. At Medway Nurse Agency, for example, we offer competitive wages to all our staff.
Rather than waiting for your wages at the end of every month, we pay our nurses weekly. There are also other opportunities to earn money, such as our referral bonus scheme.
Permanent nursing roles typically come with many benefits that nurse agency work doesn’t have, such as holiday pay and sick pay.
However, agency roles can also come with benefits. For example, Medway Nurse Agency offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a free uniform, and we will help you set up your pension.
Training
With any nursing role, you learn a huge amount on the job.
Nurse agency work allows you to develop a wide range of skills, as you have the opportunity to regularly work in different environments.
This means that if there is a particular type of nursing work you would like to gain experience in, you can choose shifts that will help you build these skills.
The more varied experience you build, the wider range of roles and opportunities will be available as your career progresses.
When you join the Medway Nurse Agency team, you will receive mandatory training to prepare you for any nursing environment you will enter. This training is refreshed annually to ensure you always comply with our policies, procedures, and client requirements.
Our staff have found this training beneficial for developing their careers. One of our nurses says:
“Working with Medway has provided me with an opportunity for professional development that is competitive in the industry. They have gone the extra mile to actually sponsor employees to enhance their Professional development and skills. Thank you, Medway, for standing by your staff.”
Working environment
Finally, you should also think about your working environment.
With a permanent nursing role, you will typically work in the same hospital every day. You may occasionally be moved to a different department, but, in general, you will work with the same people until you move on to a new position.
This lets you predict your workload, plan your days, and develop rapport with your patients and fellow nurses over time.
When you work with a nurse agency, you choose where you work. By taking shifts in different organisations, you can work out which one suits you best.
For example, if you are used to working in a hospital, you could choose to work in a nursing home or care-at-home setting instead.
Our nurses will work with organisations including:
Nursing Homes
Residential Homes
Charities
Day care centres
Respite care settings
The variety of work is one of the reasons why our nurses work with us for so long. One of our team recently said:
“Joining Medway gave me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills in different settings. I enjoy working with different people who treat you with respect.”
If you think you will miss developing long-term relationships with other staff members or patients, you can go back to the same care organisation, or take a care-at-home, supported living, or live-in care role.
We hope this blog has helped you see the key differences between nurse agency work and permanent employment.
The type of work you choose will depend on the shift schedule, frequency, and consistency you are looking for. If you would prefer a position with a set routine, a consistent number of hours, and a regular working environment, then a permanent nursing role is your best fit. However, if you are looking for an opportunity to develop your career and gain new experiences with complete flexibility on when and where you work, joining a nurse agency will help you create the balance you are looking for.
At Medway Nurse Agency, we only hire the best healthcare staff; qualified professionals who are committed to delivering compassionate care.
We provide nursing staff for healthcare organisations across Edinburgh, The Lothians, Fife, Dundee, Perth, and Kinross, and carers across Scotland. We recruit under the Care Inspectorate Safer Staffing Guidelines.
