Incremental overtime

[travelinjones]

Are we salaried? When we sign our contracts for 36 hours, but end up working 40, are those 4 hours for love? (sounds bitter, sorry, just had a rough shift) I know we do our best to manage our time and finish our work within the agreed framework, but giving report to 4 different nurses at shift change is just one example of how time management can be a challenge. Occasionally, there are times when we endure the night from hell and can't even begin charting until the dust settles, and we find ourselves scrambling at the end of the shift to meet all of our obligations, but that clock is staring you down.

This is my first time writing my hours on paper instead of using a time clock to let management know when I come and go. I definitely understand the pressure to keep incremental overtime down, but do they really expect us to work 13 hours or more and say we only worked 12?

Survey...Do you write the hours you are contracted for no matter what hours you work...

Or... do you write your actual hours and if so, do you get reprimanded by management?

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

....oops! Not a travel nurse...

[SheaOBRN]

i write my times, i figure i am there and should be payed for when i am there even if it is over the contracted time. i dont get paid for renewing cpr and that sort of thing, its on my own time. but like you said, sometimes you have the night from hell and cant chart until the end and you end up over the shift. it happens!

[nsFAMU]

All except one place that I've worked had travelers go to the business office and sign in/out. I do some agency work now to and I have to sign in, clock in and fill out a time card. Im staff now and at my hospital they started this incremental overtime sheet that you have to fill out with a reason why youre leaving late and have the charge nurse sign it, and that includes staff! Personally, I want to leave ASAP but theres always that person that hangs around and talks or hangs out in the break room after giving report and I think its geared more for them.