frequent call in's or no shows

Specialties Geriatric

Published

How does your facility deal with frequent call in's?

Seems like we have no extra staff to call in. I think everyone must get a phone call at least once a week asking them to work extra. Some people just don't show for part or all of their shift, then say they were confused by the schedule? I saw this kind of behavior when I worked retail (people went for lunch and never came back)

(one one left for three weeks then showed up wanting to know why he wasn't on the schedule.)

Anyway, what's up with healthcare these days, why do we have no PRN staff anymore?

I keep hearing how people want and need jobs, but I guess where I work, it's better to not work here!

Anyone else dealing with this stuff and any ideas to make people want to show up and pull together and actually kind of enjoy work, even though we are really busy?

Well, the ones who call off a lot, have FMLA for some reason or another and it is intermittent FLMA, so they can take days as needed. Many times they just use a FMLA day, whether or not the reason they are calling off is actually covered by the FMLA. They are protected by it.

how on earth do they get away with this? talk about a gaping loophole. i remember a social worker with a rough personal life and a difficult pregnancy having the intermittant option and using it to the max! The other case managers had to take up slack, never knew when she would show up or not, half the work would be completed on a discharge case, then left with no note or directions for the next day. Total chaos. They were ticked off...and Social Workers tend to be a pretty forgiving bunch. Seems like there should be some structure or agreement to how one is to fill in if on intermittant FMLA.

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I have an interview for a PRN position next week but am starting a FT salaried home health position in Sept. Around where I live the cut backs have forced less PRN/part time positions..other posted have stated this as well - lots of people who were PRN or part time needed to go FT for various reasons w/the economy and many people now are working FT but picking up extra. As for me, I too, like Isabelle49, would like to work back in a hospital setting - for various reasons, but also like Isabelle49, I do not want to work 12 hr shifts anymore. Did so for years and years and regardless of what any facility will tell you 12 hours is really 13-15 depending how fast/slow report goes as well as whatever happens during the shift w/unexpected admissions, discharges, transfers, etc. Eventually the pendulum will swing back to using more supplemental staff and I believe 8 and 10 hr shifts. Healthcare is not what it once was that's for sure

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I work at a facility in Wyoming where we used to have a great PRN staff of nurses and CNAs. The current DON and past to wannabe ADONs got mad at the PRNs when they wouldn't or couldn't work every single time they wanted them too. They expected the PRN people to sit home and give up their life just waiting for a call, instead of appreciating them when they did come in. So now they have no PRN pool and it is their own fault. Other local facilities utilize PRN staff and it works out great for everyone!

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Specializes in Psych.
how on earth do they get away with this? talk about a gaping loophole. i remember a social worker with a rough personal life and a difficult pregnancy having the intermittant option and using it to the max! The other case managers had to take up slack, never knew when she would show up or not, half the work would be completed on a discharge case, then left with no note or directions for the next day. Total chaos. They were ticked off...and Social Workers tend to be a pretty forgiving bunch. Seems like there should be some structure or agreement to how one is to fill in if on intermittant FMLA.

How do they get away with it? They already have the doctors note for the FMLA saying that the condition will flare from time to time ( some have it for recurrent bronchitis, some have it for migraines, others for back issues, the list goes on and on) So basically they LIE when they call in. Yes it is a loophole and like many loopholes, gets exploited at times. Unless someone can prove they are lying there really isnt anything the management can do.

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Specializes in ICU.

My place is in a similar situation. Our prn staff consists of only 15 people, all of whom either do not answer the phone or are already scheduled to fill in the gaps that are missing from lack of full time people.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I have a list of per diem nurses and CNAs. Trouble is they never want to pick up a shift. Honestly I think there is a group of them who say they want to be per diem and end up at 4 or 5 facilities. They get paid for orientation and then never pick up a shift. Most places I've worked expect the day shift to give a one hour's notice and the other shifts to give at least a 3 hour notice.

Instead of hollering at management you should aim your frustration and anger at your co workers who constantly call out.

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I have a list of per diem nurses and CNAs. Trouble is they never want to pick up a shift. Honestly I think there is a group of them who say they want to be per diem and end up at 4 or 5 facilities. They get paid for orientation and then never pick up a shift. Most places I've worked expect the day shift to give a one hour's notice and the other shifts to give at least a 3 hour notice.

Instead of hollering at management you should aim your frustration and anger at your co workers who constantly call out.

Lots of interesting points in your post.

Co workers...now days it just seems like no on cares for each other. Used to be that we had a great core group..ft, pt and the occasional prn person. If you got sick or needed off...ask one another and most likely someone would trade or just take the day so that it was covered and no forced OT at the last minute. We weren't all friends, but we worked together for the common good. A team. Or, management would make deals..you double today, you can have off xyz.

Staff wants to see that frequent call offs get written up. Who wants to work with a nurse that works when he or she wants to and gets away with it?

The too many per diems or prn....yes...I see this! Or they work agency and get calls and pick and choose where they are going.

Our facility really doesn't treat PRNs or per diems that well. Yes, they get a little higher wage, but there is no orientation to the facility. I understand that an agency nurse goes in without an intro and hits the floor running, but if you want to keep a prn nurse...treat them well. (yeah, the pay helps) but also try to include them as part of the team. Offer them the inservices that you hold for the other nurses, give them a day or so into to the facility and call them or at least have a system where they can get a few hrs a month. Cut them when they don't agree to pick up shifts.

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Specializes in LTC.

Our nurses are generally pretty reliable but there are certain CNAs who call in a lot. We have a ton of on-call CNAs, but most of them have another job and/or are going to school so they can't just pick up a shift at the last minute so the aides end up working short. The last few weeks have been awful for staffing with so many of the college students going back to school.

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