Yes, many staffing firms allow clients to hire a temporary or contract employee as a permanent member of their teams. This process varies by staffing firm, but typically a placement fee is negotiated with the staffing firm to complete the hiring process.

Supplemental nurses are just as educated, slightly less experienced, and more diverse than permanent nurses, according to a 2013 study published in Health Affairs. Supplemental nurses also are more likely to hold nursing licenses in several states simultaneously. Another study, published in Health Services Research, examined the role of supplemental nurses during shortages in U.S. hospitals and concluded that hiring temporary nurses could alleviate shortages that could contribute to higher patient mortality.

In addition, “[o]verall patient satisfaction with care and evaluations of quality of nurse communications are not affected by the employment of supplemental (temporary or contract) nurses compared to permanent nurses,” according to a 2014 study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, published in the Journal of Nursing Administration.