I have practiced floor nursing in the medical surgical units for 15 years. I am not working as on off-shift supervisor (nights, weekends, holidays). I am an associates RN with ACLS. When I started nursing the neuro patients were considered medical patients and I spent the majority of time working on that unit. I am currently working on my BSM and will continue with my MSM. I have always know that I needed to do something else, but when I hurt my back (lifting a patient) and the hospital I worked at didn't help me much I went back to school. I have worked at the hospital I am at now for a total of 13 1/2 years. I quit after 4 years because I got married and moved to another location. I hated my new job (2nd shift small hospital--where the hospital I left was a trauma center). I went back to that trauma hospital. I worked for another 3 years before trying travel nursing. I lasted at that for almost one year. I quit because they had me driving 300 miles per day and I begged for my load to be lightened....they acted like I shouldn't be complaining and tried to get me to take more patients (I was already working 18 hour days with charting included). I am back at that trauma center I started out at because that is where I can do the job until I complete my education. My supervisors could have helped by listening and understaning that I wasn't exagerating. When I hurt by back my supervisor tried to help, but since I work nights she wasn't there to help when the night supervisor took the extra CNA away (that was there to do my lifting.....I was young and I 'helped' the other nurses out often and couldn't even stand up straight with my back pain)...... Her (supervisor) hands were tied, but I still feel she could have helped more. I probably should have sued....but I need a job and if I sued I wouldnt' be able to get a job in this part of the state ever again......
I hope this helps. Hopefully someone will answer my questionaire too!!

I missed some questions--sorry. When I copied and pasted I must have dropped some or something. Best position for me: I am still looking. Management is good, except everything rolls down-hill and I'm at the bottom! Also, I like bedside nursing, but I can't do it continuously like I used too. Best pt:nurse ratio: dayshift 5:1 nights 6:1. Most impt recognition because without it what's the point. Money-If I can't survive and am always worried about money I can't think beyond that. Good management because someone to 'hear' what you have to say is very important. Mandatory overtime: illegal. I don't have children, but one reason is because there is no daycare for nightshifters. I think a hospital could offer some sort of care, but I did a paper on it and it is very expensive even when it is in house. Our hospital offered discount vouchers for a daycare that was near, but again only for dayshifters as the daycare was closed after 7pm. Talking about such we have a new mandatory get healthy campaign, but nights doesn't have any thing better than vending machines..... I don't understand what you mean by facuilty v/s agency......
I do hope I've helped. Noone seems to want to answer my short questionare.....guess this site is more for people who can't even write sentences and are trying to get basic nursing school information......Guess I'm a little bitter as I spent a good hour and half trying to answer peoples questions ect. (-: