Exempt RNs

[pcaldea]

Hi everyone,

What are your thoughts on the following situation:

There was once upon a time a nurse (shall we call her Star) who was hired into a exempt status position. One that, mind you, had a job description that did not match the actual responsibilities of her position. Nevertheless, with excitement and enthusiasm she took on the challenge, Star determined to make herself an expert in her new position.

Fast forward nearly 9 months later and Star is under a new manager, one without an ounce of managing experience and who had early on showed signs of being a bit 'bossy.' Armed now with the actual title of 'manager' this former co-worker turned boss now has a firm grip on the day to day tasks of our fair RN. Knowing that the roles have changed, our heroine experiences what we common folk would describe as 'micro-managing.'

From insisting on finding out the details of where Star was to take her sick relative on an off day to refusing to believe that Star was attending a training seminar and went as far as researching the course and instructor online to, despite Star's reservations, insisting they meet twice a week for one hour in which her job responsibilities were reviewed and made recommendations on what needed to be done (a fateful waste of time due to redundancy).

A job that had once been something Star looked forward to became a dreaded one. A promising career turned into a rotunda parade of 'I need you to work a full day (day before Thanksgiving- despite having accumulated 43 hours already and despite having a work policy of working 4 hours count as 8 worked hours) all to make a team meeting in which she basically looked at Star and another coordinator and said "thank-you" -- a meeting she had previously stated was "too important to miss"..

Star's dreams were filled with the manager's echoing voice asking "how many hours did you work this week' to 'you have to work a minimum of 40 hours, whatever it takes to get the job done' and 'no more flexing hours until further notice' and overstepping her manager's role by scheduling meetings and appointments on Star's behalf without consulting with her. Star made several attempts to appease her manager's hunger for power and control by taking several approaches of trying to point out what specific things her manager was doing that were not 'okay with her.' Speaking to one of her superior's was of no use, she insisted on 'I stand by whatever she says.'

Not much changed and so alas, it has come to the point of which Star wishes that she had never stepped into that kingdom and kept riding into the sunset. But how will her short stint at this institution look on her resume if she were to change job positions? Is she willing to give up her job position? Is this a 'sign' that she must move on? How long is she willing to 'see it through'? Are any labor laws being broken by working outside of her job description's listed responsibilities? All of this she ponders and requests input from her fellow fair RNs...

(to be continued)

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Star needs to start looking for a comparable position NOW.

The magical one year mark will be reached during the search.

No labor laws were broken in the making of this story. A nurse's job description includes "everything and anything".

You could discuss going over your hours with the labor board , if anything comes out of it... power tripping manager would find a way to throw YOU from the tower.

[pcaldea]

How right you were!!!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I was 'promoted' to exempt status when I accepted a house supervisor position a couple of years ago. Being an exempt employee and receiving a set salary is a raw deal if you are still being utilized as a floor nurse, IMHO.

By the way, I am no longer in that position. Although my new job has is exempt status and pays a set salary, I actually have the freedom to control my time.