Healthcare Administrators - Frequently Asked Questions:

How can The Nurse Agency help my facility?

Staffing your units is hard enough without having to deal with problems with the agencies you use. The Nurse Agency is here to help. Offering thoroughly screened Healthcare Providers, over thirty years of combined agency experience among our three owners, courteous, reliable and fast service, and fair bill rates, we intend to become the premier supplemental staffing agency in the Chicagoland area.

We know that agencies are often perceived to be the "enemy" of hospitals - draining their budgets and creating tension between staff and agency nurses. While we can't promise we will solve all of your problems, we can assure you that it is our goal to change your perception of agencies by offering you Healthcare Providers that are excellent caregivers and an office staff that will always respond to your needs in a timely, professional manner - and all of this at bill rates that are among the lowest in the industry.

Who Are We?

The Nurse Agency was founded by Penny Golden, RN, Steven Golden and Ann Weist. Together we have over 40 years of supplemental staffing experience. Our goal in creating this company was to provide our employees with an agency for which they could be proud to work, and that hospitals could respect and trust. We accomplish this by offering our employees exceptional pay rates, a 401(k) Plan benefit and a Cafeteria 125 Plan and our hospital client's service that is unparalleled in the supplemental staffing business.

What can I get from The Nurse Agency that my current agency doesn't offer me?

Our people make all the difference. From the courteous and professional manner in which you are treated by our office to the qualified and exceptional Healthcare Providers we send to work on your units you will notice the difference that a nurse oriented agency makes in your facility.

Fair billing practices: Often agencies will raise your bill rates just when your needs are the greatest and you are desperate for their help. We guarantee that you will not receive one bill rate increase during the duration of our one year contract.

Like your facility, we never close: We have office staff working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are always accessible. Orders can be sent by fax, e-mail, or can be called in to our office. You will never have to talk to voicemail or wait on hold for minutes at a time as you go through a telephone prompt system. We are here for you when you need us.

How are nurse incidents handled by your company?

No one is perfect and there may be times one of our employees will make an error while working at your facility. The most important thing about these situations is that they are handled properly by someone who is qualified to do so. Your clinical contact at The Nurse Agency is Penny Golden, RN. Penny has been an RN for over 20 years and is your contact person if a clinical issue does arise. She handles all clinical issues herself and makes sure that the healthcare facilities feedback is provided to our caregiver in a timely manner, and that the hospital is given a report about the steps Penny took with our employee. All incidents are documented and placed in the employees file in case further questions arise in the future.

How are your nurses screened to ensure that we are getting qualified Healthcare Providers?

All Healthcare Providers who apply with The Nurse Agency must have one year current experience in their specialty. They are tested with nationally validated clinical exams created by Nursetesting.com. These tests were developed to determine a healthcare professional’s skill and qualification in their specialty, and their capacity to utilize and apply their knowledge to deliver safe and effective patient care. These exams identify the most important aspect of each clinical specialty. The healthcare provider must meet or exceed the unmodified Angoff score on each exam they take.

Healthcare Providers are also required to complete a skills inventory and provide us with two professional references (one must be a supervisor). Applicants must also supply us with their RN License/CNA Certification, CPR Card, ACLS Card, proof of immunity to Rubella, Rubeola, Hepatitis B, Varicella, a negative Urine Drug Screen, an annual physical, and an annual TB test. They must also pass our OSHA and Age Appropriate tests and sign a HIPPA certificate. Every one of these items must be in their file before we allow them to work a shift.

As required by JCAHO, we also do Criminal Background, Office of Inspector General, HHS, and IDPR Checks.

Speaking of JCAHO, what kind of documentation will you send us on the Healthcare Providers who staff at our facility?

Every nurse who staffs at your facility is required to bring their license and CPR card with them to every shift. In addition, we will send you a JCAHO report that our computer program creates on every employee to document their credentials. If you require actual hard copies of their credentials in addition to the JCAHO report, we are more than happy to fax or email those to you upon request. We are certified by JCAHO as a Health Care Staffing Service so you can trust that our employees' credentials are kept up to date.

How do we start using The Nurse Agency?

Simply call our office at (773) 779-8200 and we can arrange a meeting at your convenience to discuss how we can assist you and answer any other questions you may have. If you feel comfortable with our company and would like to sign a contract, we can fax and/or mail a copy of our standard contract to you. Many facilities utilize their own supplemental staffing contracts that have already been approved by their legal department and we are happy to sign one of your contracts.

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