MDS Coordinators on call question

call schedule where i work revolves around 3 of us. the don, the restorative nurse who also does schedules and myself (mds) the don takes the call phone during the week and we all take turns with weekends. we do all get along well and are flexible covering each other for special events we need off, etc. some weekends are pure hell and i have found myself working midnite shift but some weekends the phone never rings. but yes it can be frustrating at times.

At my facility, the MDS nurses have no on-call, no weekends, no holidays.

My building has a MDS nurse, PPS nurse, and a TILE nurse, none of which take call. My administrator and RN consultant feel it is too taxing on that position and we need to be in our office doing assessments and not out working the floor due to call offs.

Their are 5 of us who take call in rotation. We are also expected to come in 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday of our "on call" weekend (and we always have the possiblity of being called right back in to cover a call off). If we are really lucky we MIGHT get a day off sometime to make up for it, if not its a 12 day/row stretch (and the crabbiness sets in about day 8). All of us are hourly, but we get no extra $ for ruining our whole weekend.

Call without pay is unacceptable...plain and simple.

"On top of that, one of the sister facilities found out we were having to take call and they think it's absurd and wonder why the DON isn't doing like she's supposed to.

I'm disappointed that this is turning out this way. I took this job, with a 12$ hr pay cut so I could be home more and now this. Why do some facilities and management try to take advantage and squeeze every living breath out of you? "

Hmmm...what is the DNS supposed to do? Did anyone force you to take that job? I have 2 MDS nurses, 3 nurse managers, and one SDC. They rotate on call on weekends. I have a supervisor as well. If there is one call out the supervisor covers the shift. If there are 2 call outs, the on call nurse comes in and gets time and a half. It is a rare occasion for an on call nurse to come in.
On the other hand, some of us are on what we call Administrative Duty....we HAVE to be in the building on a Saturday or Sunday...not on call mind you...we must be there. In theory we take another day off during the week because we are all salaried, but we really never have the time to actually take a day off.

I have two MDS coordinators, an RN & an LPN. THe RN does rotate weekend call with myself, my 3 floor managers, my admissions nurse, and my ed director. We all get an automatic 4 hours comp off during the next week and if we come into the building to work a shift, then take that time off during the week. The MDS nurse is the only one that is not salaried, so she can chose the overtime if wanted.

It is difficult for all of us to take a day off from our own work but, it's the luck of the draw.

yikes...I hardly think having to come in on the weekend raises one to the level of martyr. I have, at the moment, 123 residents. 15 of them are Medicare. The 2 MDS nurses work 40 hours, on call every 6th week for a weekend. If they come in, they get paid. They do NO extra work...they do not have to try to fill the slots. They don't ever help out with anything else in the building. They hid in their office during survey. And now one of them, the PPS MDS nurse, is complaining that 15 medicares are too many. Get a grip ladies. Most facilities our size have 27 Medicares and 10 managed cares thrown in for more fun (yes, I have been the MDS Coordinator and had that many at one time).
Everyone's job is important, but let's not let our titles go to our heads and think we are more special or worthy or better than any of the other nurses in the building with jobs just as important.