How to Start a Nurse employment agency

Step 1

Review your state's most recent Nurse Practice Act carefully to fully familiarize yourself with nurse staffing regulations, such as nurse-to-patient ratios and limits for on-duty and on-call hours and what duties are within the scope of practice for the Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses and Nurse Aides that you will be hiring.

Step 2

Create a business plan that details how you will organize your staffing lists. For example, by qualifications, experience or availability. Choose nurses when new assignments come in, your fee structures and accounting methods, the procedures for handling client complaints, no-shows and nurses' concerns, and where you will obtain any needed start-up funds.

Step 3

Locate and set up an office for your staffing agency. You will need a place for nurses to fill out forms, as well as a private area to conduct interviews or meet with client representatives. Additionally, there should be adequate storage for paper records and secured electronic storage and backup systems to protect any financial, client or personnel records stored on your computers.

Step 4

Begin recruiting qualified nurses and nurse aides to staff your agency. You will need to verify the licensure, conduct criminal background checks and perform a drug screening on every nurse you hire, as ultimately you are responsible for ensuring the nurses you send on assignments are qualified and competent to practice.

Step 5

Contact the human resources departments of local hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted living homes, clinics and other healthcare agencies to inquire about their temporary staffing needs, promote your services and negotiate interviews and contracts to provide temporary nurses.

Step 6

Hire additional personnel as your nurse staffing agency grows. For instance, find a receptionist to handle calls during the day and an on-call staffing director to take last minute requests during nights and weekends. Consider hiring an accountant to keep your numerous contracts in order and handle invoicing and payroll.

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