Low cencus

suzanne4, RN · Aug 4, 2007

Middle of summer and all of the heat always caused problems there. The more areas that you can work, then the fewer chances of getting called off. You may with to see if you can orient to some other units that are not affected by in-patient census as much to have the back-up.

Or sign-up with a per diem agency to fill in the hours that you need if you get called off. There are some excellent ones in the Valley and you can get daily pay with them as well.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2007

This is pretty standard in sunbelt states and part of the reason that there are shortages of staff willing to work in those states.

Hoozdo, ADN · Aug 5, 2007

How has the summer low cencus been affecting the rest of the nurses in the Valley? At our hospital we have been really slow and most nurses have has call off's.
How are the pool staff treated at other hospitals? I know at JCL DV pool staff will take preference over full time staff who want IP-is this normal in your hospital?
Morale seems to low at the moment, I dunno if this is due to no overtime or just the middle of the summer?

June was slow, but July was jumping! One week in June I was mistakenly called off 3 nights in a row. I raised some heck about that.

This week they called me to work overtime on 3 of my 4 nights off. I did not answer the phone.

Our order of call off:

1) Registry

2) Any staff scheduled a day of overtime with low census

3) Pool

4) Staff, take turns by the last time called off a shift

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2007

Normally in the NICU the summer is pretty busy and the census is the same, if not higher, during the summer. This summer was weird though ..... it was pretty slow in May and June. Our NM said it was the slowest it's been in over 5 years.

I was never forced to be called off. On the nights we were over-staffed they took volunteers to be cancelled and usually people volunteered. I volunteered a couple of times to be cancelled, over the 2 months period.

We have some travelers, so they are the ones that are cancelled first if not enough people volunteered. Then it goes through the staff list.

We hardly ever use registry. When we're short-staffed ..... people sign up for extra and we always use those extra (over-time) people before using registry. So when you see registry on the unit you know that we're really understaffed, and that rarely happens.

Now our census is back up and we're full .... back to normal!

KarryRN · Aug 8, 2007

I also work at JCL DV and the peds floor has been really slow. Mostly people are volunteering to be cancelled or some have been splitting a shift. I haven't been cancelled because I only work 3 shifts a pay period. I have been floated to Mendy's though.

vivicaq · Aug 21, 2007

I don't like this crazy idea of low census and sending people home. bills are constant even in the summer. Does this work for ou guys or is there a better way

experiencedrn · Aug 22, 2007

I have worked at DV for several years. This is the norm for the summer, If you tell staffing you are willing to work NM they will float you there. NM is on bed overflow. go figure.

Calzonan RN · Aug 22, 2007

I know the hospital I'm at has been the opposite. Any week the nurses have been able to pick up extra shifts, in fact, we're so busy that they've asked nurses to stay over after their 12 hour shift! I don't think they use travelers so when it's busy it's the staff nurses who get to pick up the hours. The rest of the hospital may be slow (I don't know) but in L&D EVERYBODY is having babies this summer!!!

Keli

block 4(!!!) NS

GrnHonu99, RN · Aug 25, 2007

Its been slow at my facility as well. we have a lot of registry and travelers so they go first, then anyone on call or OT...then we take volunteers. Someone always volunteers. Its been tough this summer but im sure we will start getting busier...its that time of year...all the snow birds are coming back!

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2007

I desperatly need IP so I am hoping that things improve soon