Temporary nursing agencies that supply the nation’s short-staffed hospitals with nurses often fail to verify credentials, keep important licensure records, and interview applicants before hire, according to an interesting piece in the Los Angeles Times.

According to the article, “An investigation by the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica and the Los Angeles Times found dozens of instances in which staffing agencies skimped on background checks or ignored warnings from hospitals about sub-par nurses on their payrolls.”

The article explores how many temp agencies routinely send nurses who have been red flagged as incompetent by one hospital to another hospital. Some nurses at temp agencies failed to produce records of licenses, and still others who had been put on probation-or even lost their license-were still on lists for hire at some agencies.

Though many larger nurse agencies voluntarily pay for accreditation by The Joint Commission, many other smaller agencies receive no oversight, reports the Times. What results can be nurses repeatedly falling asleep on the job, stealing drugs, and failing to adequately perform basic nursing skills.

Are there temp nurses at your hospital? Are you a temp nurse? Do you think the temp agencies are responsible for providing quality nurses? Do you think hospitals should do more?

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