The article draws on published research, mainly survey-based, and original case study interview data to explore the forms of temporary employment in nursing, the reasons nurses give for taking temporary or agency work, as a main job or a second job, and their experiences in such employment.

The complexities of the triangular relationship between employer, worker and agency are explored in two sectors to establish the extent to which the use of agency workers constitutes strategic and rational decisions on the part of employers. Evidence of strategic subcontracting to agencies is...