"Star System"

Yes, we have one of these, but it's for patients at risk for falls. We put "falling star" magnets on their doors. It is rather worthless in my unit (ICU) since 99% of our patients are "risk for falls"... seems rather redundant to put those darn stars all over the place. They're so common that they tend to be ignored. It's probably useful on the regular floors, but not so much in the ICU. They also want us to put orange socks on patients at risk for falls, but that is also pointless in the ICU, especially when you are trying to assess hourly pedal pulses on your patient on a balloon pump, or one with such terrible CHF that the sock won't even fit on over their "cankle." Heh.

Sorry, way off topic, but just reminded me of the star thing

When I worked as a psych nurse at the State Mental institution we were subjected to mandatory overtime to cover the following shift for a nurse who called in. There was an actual rotation roster for this and you could refuse 5 times only. Neveer worked a place where so many people called in sick.

we don't yet have forced/mandated overtime, but i see us coming to that soon enough. we have had an on call shedule for the last 3 years, and management is looking at ways of making it 'attractive' for employees. hmmmm?

Honey, I don't work over. I am 54 years old and semi retired. I work 8 hour shifts. I will stay over to help the night shift charge nurse get caught up if we have had a late night rush, otherwise no. When people call in, we usually have people that will come in early or work over. We have nurses on our floor who want to work lots of overtime. So it usually works out OK.