I'm offended by this question. How or why would anyone think that a temporary nurse is somehow less qualified than a regular full time staff? I'm a travel nurse. I went to an accredited school of nursing with a GPA scale higher than most schools, and I graduated cum laude even there. I passed boards the first time 'round and have never had anything but exemplary evaluations in my nursing. I pass competencies 4 times a year as a traveller instead of the the usual 1 time a year a regualar staff nurse does. Why would anyone assume I'm less qualified or competent in my work as a nurse or that my work lessens nursing standards. I think this whole notion, which I often encounter, comes from inept nurses who know they are inept and subsequently lack the confidence in their careers to to do anything other than criticize those they perceive as weak, like the new kid on the block-- the agency or travel nurse. I worked as a regular staff nurse for years before becoming a travel, or agency nurse, and I have to say that I have to be much more adept and flexible as an agency than any staff nurse has to be. A staff nurse can very easily get complacent and work from habit, without considering new or better ways of accomplishment. An agency has constantly to learn new ways, and will by nature, constantly evaluate what is efficient and what isn't--because of comparing and contrasting. Right now I'm on a temporary assignment where the manager actually likes hearing my different experiences, and what has worked to solve some problem somewhere else-- and I feel very fortunate to have that manager. Most do not want to hear it. Most want to keep the very inefficient, wasteful status quo. I'm hoping to use all the ways I've seen and learned either to open my own staffing business (with policies I develop myself) or go into management after I've had more of a chance to compare and contrast various practices. I think the real question should be, "Does NOT hiring temporary supplemental staffing lower nursing standards." Let staff nurses not become so complacent in their sometimes very narrowly defined ways, adamant to reisist any change at all, even if it's for the better of patients and nurses. And for those who wonder if I'm speaking the truth, prove yourself as a nurse every 3 months instead of every year. See how much fun it is.

Thank you for clarifying that. I am interested in becoming a travel nurse after graduating from school and being a staff nurse for a year of experience. I appreciate both of your inputs.