NPs ever have to take call?

AtomicWoman · Mar 4, 2013

I agree with TraumaRUs. I would have no way to determine and equivalent workday to X days/nights of taking call. Sometimes I get no calls, sometimes I get slammed with calls. If one of us wants to trade work days, we trade work days. If we want to trade taking call, we trade taking call.

allnurses Guide · Mar 4, 2013

I have first call every 6th weekend. It really isn't too bad. Nerve wracking at times though :)

allnurses Guide · Mar 4, 2013

I'm on call one week out of 5. It's phone consultation only, and I usually only get 3-4 calls per week.

AtomicWoman · Mar 5, 2013

It would be a lot more nerve wracking for me if I couldn't access the EMR from home. At least I can see what meds the person is on, what problems they have etc.

Trauma Columnist · Mar 5, 2013

Yes indeed the EMR at home is a lifesaver.

leahvonleah · Mar 7, 2013

Our primary clinic is looking to transition NP/PA to start taking call but also to incorporate specialty clinics to cover call;

I am in endocrine so the thought would be to cover patient AND hospital/ER call (DKA patients) 1 week/month.

My issue is compensation. When asked if there would be additional compensation for taking call, of course they looked at me like I was asking for something unusual.

When I was hired, the job consisted of M-F 9-5. I know health care is dynamic and ever-changing but what is everyone's experience with this??

AtomicWoman · Mar 8, 2013

Don't. Get. Me. Started. At every single job I interviewed for, I was expected to take call "as part of the job". And it didn't matter if the pay was salary or hourly! Mind you, I do not cover hospital call, as our practice is a primary care office without a hospital practice. I told my husband that in my next job, I will either (a) not take call, or (b) be compensated for call, or © be paid so much I won't mind taking call! I don't know where this trend started, but it's beyond annoying. Sure the physicians take call, too, but they make a lot more money.

PsychiatricNP · Mar 8, 2013

I work in psychiatry and the call issue always seems to come up. I am curious how others have negotiated this? Because I am not salaried anywhere that I work, I am always compensated additionally for call. At Facility A, I am paid a set rate ($200) per week of call and then paid an additional amount ($25) for each call that I take. At Facility B, I am paid a lump sum ($400) for the weekend to take call, no matter the volume of calls, it is the same pay. At Facility C, I am paid one lump sum ($2500) for a 14 day period of call (24/7 for 14 days). I am currently in negotiations with another inpatient facility and they are looking for Monday-Thursday night time phone call and I am not sure how to negotiate this or what would be fair compensation for all involved. None of these call arrangements require that I go in and see a patient. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on how to negotiate the weeknight call?

leahvonleah · Mar 8, 2013

I don't even know where to start with negotiations. I'm just concerned if we don't start setting a precedent- it will be expected as part of our duty. Sure , physicians don't get paid to take call, but their compensation historically has been in alignment with the "off hours" duties associated with their profession. I foresee more call expectations as our roles evolve.

I've been in my role 8+ years and more and more I'm hearing about call.

Tha ks for the input so far!

AtomicWoman · Mar 9, 2013

My NP colleagues and I joke that we sure would like to know who started this whole "call is part of your job" thing! Somewhere along the line, some NP(s) agreed to do it.

AtomicWoman · Mar 9, 2013

I work in psychiatry and the call issue always seems to come up. I am curious how others have negotiated this? Because I am not salaried anywhere that I work, I am always compensated additionally for call. At Facility A, I am paid a set rate ($200) per week of call and then paid an additional amount ($25) for each call that I take. At Facility B, I am paid a lump sum ($400) for the weekend to take call, no matter the volume of calls, it is the same pay. At Facility C, I am paid one lump sum ($2500) for a 14 day period of call (24/7 for 14 days). I am currently in negotiations with another inpatient facility and they are looking for Monday-Thursday night time phone call and I am not sure how to negotiate this or what would be fair compensation for all involved. None of these call arrangements require that I go in and see a patient. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on how to negotiate the weeknight call?

I am envious that you get compensated. Good for you!

unplannedRN · Mar 9, 2013

I'm just a prospective NP student, but happened across this.

I think that unless you are a salaried employee or co-owner of the business (clinic or whatever), or an independent contractor, then you are by definition a non-exempt hourly employee. In that case, USDL law says you HAVE to be compensated in money, or 1:1 extra time off work for taking call--unless you don't get any calls. If you do, and you've already worked 40 hours for the week, or will have by the end of the pay period, then you are in OT and must be paid accordingly. (Typically, holidays pay more, but I don't know if that part is the law--don't think so.)

Just being available is a gray area with which I'm less familiar. (When I've had call as a nurse, we got a flat-but-low rate for being available, then the full OT rate for any actual hours worked, in 15-minute increments. We kept careful records.) Salaried employees can be paid, but it's negotiable, not the law, that they earn money for after-hours work.