On Call

[0707RN]

New to an agency that staffs with all per diem, no field staff are salaried, but most work full time patient loads.

I was clear when I started as OASIS nurse that I wanted to work part-time, not more than 8-10 visits/week, and was told that on call would be rare. Now in staff mtg, they tell us that we'll be required to rotate call for a week at a time---Mon thru Sun on call.

I asked what the on call pay was and if there is a differential for evening/weekend visits and was told no there is nothing. What the heck??!

I'm enjoying this job and don't want to change again because there seems to be something negative about every agency around here, big and small. Why do they seem to think they own you for a per diem position?

[homecaresurvivor]

I've never worked for a home health agency that didn't pay me for being on-call, so in my experience your situation is unusual. In addition, in the companies where I've been paid per visit, I've gotten some additional pay for night/weekend visits. This just doesn't seem right. Is it even legal to not pay you to be on call? I don't know. I wouldn't doubt if it is legal. Employees seem to have few rights.

It's interesting that there are no salaried or full-time staff where you work. I've never run into that either, and I've been a home care RN for 23 years. I agree with you about the way per diem staff are used. I've been per diem for the past few years (just couldn't handle the documentation for a full-time load anymore....Shoot, I can barely manage the part-time documentation!! :) ). We are required to do call as well, which I always dread. But being reimbursed for my time (even though it's not much) does make it a bit more bearable.

[toomuchbaloney]

I have never worked on call when I was not paid a stipend to carry the pager/phone.

If my employer wants me to put aside my personal plans to be immediately available to the patients then they are going to have to pay me a stipend/hr plus my hourly rate when I am actually speaking to, travelling to, or visiting a patient (including any overtime or bonus).