Mandatory OnCall

Furball · Jul 6, 2002

Mandatory on call will make your staffing problems worse because folks will leave.....

Been there done that.

OC_An Khe · Jul 7, 2002

Treat the cause not the symptom. The question is not how mandatory on call works but why are ther not enough RNs willing to work at the institution? The only time I have seen this system work is for a short duration to fix an unexpected lack of staff. It will never work for the long term. Answer the question, honestly, as to why there isn't enough RNs and what would it take to get enough RNs.

TIREDmidnightRN · Jul 8, 2002

Mandatory On-call has been a problem where ever it is tried..exhausted staff.....crisis situations where babysitting is not available...One nurses aide had her children dropped off at the police station because she was forbidden to go off duty on time and the babysitter had to go to work herself!

I would never work anywhere where that was required!

fergus51 · Jul 8, 2002

We don't have mandatory on call or OT because labor laws here don't allow it, except under emergency situations. I would not work at a place that had it. How are you supposed to have a life when you never know if you are going to be called into work? Especially when those on call shifts are in addition to an already full time schedule!

You need to fix the underlying problem by getting more staff, not treating the staff you have poorly.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jul 9, 2002

My workplace does not have it, and if it did, it would cease to be my workplace. You will lose more people attempting to institute such a policy, which would require more mandated OT/oncall, which will lose you more people and so on.

Look elsewhere for the solution to your staffing problem, or your staffing problem is likely to get worse.

Agnus · Jul 13, 2002

If you don't think voluntary on call will work, what makes you think mandatory will? These folks work there by choice; it is not mandated that they work there. Since they have chosen to work there, you need to respect that.

I agree, find out the cause and treat that.

We fill only the beds we can staff at our facililty. An odd concept to some. But then we hold on to our nurses, and enjoy an excellent record of patient satisfaction. (We depend on word of mouth for marketing not expensive ads.)

live4today, RN · Jul 13, 2002

Huh??? :confused: There is NO sane way that I would work mandatory for anyone. Has your administration lost it's ever loving mind? :eek: Questions like that are why nursing is getting the bad reputation it is getting. How about solving the dilemma by hiring more staff??? :nurse:

toadwoman · Jul 13, 2002

I was recently "offered" the chance to convert to a full time position at the hospital where I work per diem. I am reluctant due to the issue of mandatory call: 1-2 nights per week plus a 62 hour weekend per month. This is required and the existing staff are exhausted and take many sick leaves. The director is trying to get rid of per diems and travelers due to budget constraints handed to her by the administration. The CEO of the "not for profit" corporation which runs the hospital received a $1,000,000 bonus on top of his $700,000 + annual salary last year for keeping the hospital in the black. This will continue as long as nurses continue to accept practices like mandatory OT. They are the rungs of the ladder on which a few ascend to wealth while compromising their own health and the health of the patients they serve. My dilemma is this place is the only game in town and I like my job and the nurses I work with but I don't want to end up like them!

Cherry Soda · Jul 16, 2002

I would leave my hospital if they started mandatory on call. Puleeze. It's hard enough being there on the days I am scheduled. :)

2ndCareerRN · Jul 16, 2002

Like fergus, it is illegal where I am at, Washington.

Before any full-timer can get any overtime at all, management has to log that every available on-call/per diem/part time person has been contacted about the shift. It sometimes makes it hard to get OT, if you want it. Sometimes an extra shift makes for a nice night out on the town, or a surprise gift for my wife.

bob

mjtrn · Jul 16, 2002

Thanks for all the replies. The committee I'm on suggested mandatory on-call as a way to have someone available when our unit got ER admits or emergency open hearts. Many of us would like to have someone available to call that we know would come in and not have to call our way through the regular staff list. But we have decided against mandatory on-call and will probably go to a voluntary on-call of some kind.

Does anyone work where the unit handles admits, emergencies, etc. in a novel and sane way and that the staff is happy with?