Rap. Response OT

Specialties Travel

Published

Say I work with an agency that specializes in rapid response, that already schedules for 4 12 hour shifts a week through the duration of the contract, guaranteeing an OT rate. Could I work 5 or 6 shifts a week (1-2 extra) if I wanted to really dip into the OT rate?

Do agencies allow for this?

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Yes, if the hospital permits. But they usually are severely short staffed if they are willing to pay rapid response rates so are more than happy to accommodate overtime.

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By the way, I'm not actually sure how rapid response contracts are written. They may be at a flat bill rate for all hours so it doesn't really cost the hospital extra for overtime. It seems likely to me that such bill rates will either be flat for all hours, or base bill rate plus 10. Either way, the extra cost for more hours doesn't really have any disincentive for the hospital to allow travelers to work extra hours to fill needed shifts.

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Last summer I used Fastaff and I was routinely begged by the facility to work 60 hours a week. I was in Tennessee making $3000 a week. Do it but beware of burnout, I felt it after 6-8 weeks. I don't think I've worked an overtime day since! lol

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I love working that much! As I've never worked rapid response, I've seldom had the opportunity. But the checks sure look good. Had a couple of 5 figure weeks (barely, and in holiday weeks) but of course averaged out over a year it doesn't have a huge impact. But 60 hours a week for three months is a nice bump. I wish I could just do one assignment like that a year and skip working the rest of the year.

Before becoming a nurse, I did construction offshore and worked weeks on end (I think five or six weeks was the longest) of 12 hour shifts seven days a week with housing and great food on a huge derrick barge. Of course, I was younger then but it seemed easy. Since half your pay was overtime, I made a ton.

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Specializes in ICU, and IR.

I am working in Ky right now and they are paying all the overtime I want. They are even offering their regular staff an additional $30/hour for any extra shifts after their 36 hours. I have been working 5 days a week some weeks but I will taper that down now...I was doing it because cross country was paying triple overtime for the month of January I made a little over $2K in one week. With this being my first assignment I am loving it.

FYI the travelers don't get the $30/hour pay but we do get the triple overtime rate (In January.

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I am working in Ky right now and they are paying all the overtime I want. They are even offering their regular staff an additional $30/hour for any extra shifts after their 36 hours. I have been working 5 days a week some weeks but I will taper that down now...I was doing it because cross country was paying triple overtime for the month of January I made a little over $2K in one week. With this being my first assignment I am loving it.

FYI the travelers don't get the $30/hour pay but we do get the triple overtime rate (In January.

So you're working 5 12 hour shifts a week under a triple overtime rate and still just barely breaking $2,000 a week? I'm sorry but you're being ripped off. The good news is your recruiter is making a fortune off of you and probably really likes you!

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Specializes in ICU, and IR.

Yep this was my first assignment so I probably took a much lower pay than what I could have gotten...oh well. Plus its only KY not California.

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