Absolutely ridiculous... You can keep your 4 hours

Mulan · Feb 7, 2014

What kind of hospital schedules you for a full 12 hour day shift, calls at 5am to cancel you from 7a-11a but tells you your on call from 11am on... And then decides that at 3 they will have you come in for the last 4 hours of ur scheduled shift to cover someone else's call out on a different floor? You bet I'll be the first to say no... If they felt they didn't need me for my scheduled 12 hour shift enough to call me off at 5am don't expect me to come in at 3pm for 4 hours

That kind of crap has happened to me before, but do you really have the option of saying no?

Unless you are agency.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2014

... or have a UNION with the cojones to protect their members from this sort of harassment.

HeartRN13 · Feb 7, 2014

Do I have the option of saying no? No I don't but when my boss calls me in to her office about me not going in I will tell her that it's not courteous to staff that way. I have a 6 month old baby at home with bills to pay. If I'm canceled my first 8 hours, there goes my child care, and my paycheck. It's rude and unnecessary. If you anticipate needing the extra nurse at any point in the day, then just keep her on the schedule. Expecting me to come in for my last 4 hours of my scheduled 12 to cover a callout at 3pm on a different floor is just ridiculous.

HeartRN13 · Feb 7, 2014

This hospital is not union

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Feb 7, 2014

I have worked at a union facility, this was acceptable there. Does it stink yes.. but...

It's all in the contract.

HeartRN13 · Feb 8, 2014

There needs to be some sort of regulations or rules set for this. If they choose to cancel you then they cancel you. Or if they put you on call and half of your scheduled shift has passed they can no longer call you in. Something at least. Their freedom to do things the way they did today is unfair treatment. I would have reported to work gladly at 7am for my scheduled shift, but if they cancel me for my first 8 hours and expect me to come in at call from 3-7, I'm gonna be ******.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2014

Unfortunately...the day is your scheduled day. There are no labor laws that cover this and it is becoming increasingly more common. Some states have laws that require them to pay call pay...but they can make a policy to have you at their beck and call. To refuse can be insubordination and grounds for termination. Especially in this current employment environment....they have many nurses to replace you.

I see you are local to me...several facilities have been doing it in this area for quite some time....at least since 2000.

Frankly they can do as they wish without a Union contract...Welcome to nursing.

WoosahRN, MSN, RN · Feb 8, 2014

If it's your scheduled day I don't think you can say no. I don't agree with it though especially considering on-call pay can buy you a dollar menu meal. Our hospital has on and off done this 4 hour on call/cancel stuff. It didn't really stick though so now you're just on call. I had one night that I was called in at 0200. Got the patient, who was immediately downgraded (deemed to not be ICU status). That meant they were then "over staffed" and I was sent home at 0500.

HeartRN13 · Feb 8, 2014

That's what I've been gathering on this type of situation. It's just inconsiderate when there really are other staffing alternatives to canceling until the last 4 hours of a scheduled shift, and then requiring to come in. I understand they can do whatever they want however they want, but I still don't think it's right, courteous, or necessary.

HeartRN13 · Feb 8, 2014

They use and abuse their per diem nurses instead of utilizing them for what they are actually for. The incentive that once existed for per diem positions is gone, and replaced with opportunities to take advantage of their per diem status.

LindaB73 · Feb 8, 2014

Yep!!! Get called "off" for a 12 hour shift. But you only get four hours at a time. You have to call in at 10 to see if you need to go in at 11 and if you don't you need to call in at 2 to see if you need to go in for the last four.