Acute nurse question

Tish88 · Jul 25, 2011

Yes, that is common practice.

Tish88 · Jul 25, 2011

When I did acutes and was on call over the weekend, I would schedule a vacation / PTO day the following week. Because 9 out of 10 times you was working on that Sunday. When that happened, you did not have to use the PTO hours the following week, because you was over 40 hours and you could cancel the PTO hours off your paycheck and save them for another day. This way you are only working 4 days in a week instead of 5!!

Joni's Mom · Jul 25, 2011

That would work great if you know your schedule in advance, but our FA does not put out our schedule only about 2 days before the new schedule is about to start. We also have to put in our requested PTO days 6 days into the new schedule.

By the way I did get called in today (Sunday) worked 9 hours, which if you think about it, is just going to be overtime pay for the week.

Tish88 · Jul 25, 2011

We used to have 6 week schedule and when the schedule was being made, if I was on call on a Sunday I would request a PTO day ahead of time for the following week. My whole team did the same thing.

After doing acutes for 20+ years and working 50-60 hrs / week, I got burnt out.

If I was "on call" on Sunday, it was a given that I would be doing 3-4 acute treatments that day = 16+ hours. That is OK if you want the overtime, but I would rather have another day off!!!

Joni's Mom · Jul 30, 2011

Just got my new schedule

Is it common to not count Saturdays also besides not counting Sundays? I'm scheduled to work four days per week now they scheduled me to work Monday - Tues. - Wed - Friday and not count Sat and Sunday that means that I'll be working 6 days out of 7 . My DON stated that because I'll only be on-call Sat and Sunday those days don't count. By the way they had not done this to any other nurse.

Please tell me what you think and how I should handle this situation

Tish88 · Jul 30, 2011

First of all, does your unit have an "acute team" of nurses that only do acutes?

Are you ever scheduled acutes during the weekdays? Who covers the acute call during the weekdays?

Sounds to me that you are being "used" to cover the weekends as an acute nurse. Like you said, this schedule now becomes a 6 day work week. That is how dialysis nurses get burnt out and leave. :uhoh3:

I personally would either do acutes only or chronics only, not both!

Joni's Mom · Jul 30, 2011

I don't know if they have an Acute team that they can bring in.

There is one acute dialysis nurse that is scheduled to work only acutes, and she works 3 days per week, also her weekends aren't counted either, which I didn't notice.

Another nurse and me are the only 2 nurses that are scheduled for both acute and chronic, the other nurse won't take any weekends, or if she does she will only be scheduled for Sat and someone else will be scheduled Sun, and for the past 3-4 months Sat was always counted as a scheduled day.

So last month I was scheduled Chronic on a Sat. working 9 - 10 hours, and was also scheduled to work or be ONCALL after I got home from doing Chronics. I then call the Superviser I stated I was to either be scheduled for Chronic or Acute on the weekend, but not both. What happened was the Don was not very understanding, hardly no communication, about 2 days before that weekend the Supervisor called me and said the one nurse will take all of Sat oncall. I stupidly then told the Supervisor that I will take the ONCALL on Sunday. Well you guessed it I got CALLED IN on Sunday at 0730.

Now the new schedule is out and this is what they did to me. The Don said they will have to have a meeting with me, but I wont hold my breath since the other time no communication.

Should I just call in sick for one of my days off or what? Or should I do this gruelling schedule? I'll only have 7 days off for the entire month. This new schedule starts Monday.

Do you have a suggestion on how to handle this?

Please help I can't eat, sleep, or function

Tish88 · Aug 3, 2011

I would write down all your thoughts and concerns and take then with you when you have a sit down meeting with your supervisor!

Joni's Mom · Aug 3, 2011

Both the Supervisor and the DON were to have a meeting with me today, but cancelled D/T the Supervisor working at the hospital and having to fill in for the acute nurse that is on vacation. I was working the Chronic unit. By the way the DON called our unit 3 - 4 times during the day to talk to the PCT, and did not request to talk to me, she just sent me an email that said the meeting was cancelled. If I didn't check my email I would still be waiting at the other facility for the meeting.

The email she wrote suggested a meeting on Thurs. which is my only day off. I did agree to the meeting on Thurs. at 3 - 4 pm and they are to let me know which time will work for them.

I have all the back schedules and highlighted the Saturdays that counted as one of the 4 days on the schedule. I also circled the weeks that some nurses only had to work 4 days during the week and then not have to work the weekend.

Thanks for all your feedback and your suggestions.

Tish88 · Aug 3, 2011

That is good that you have all those schedules - it will help your case.

I would present the schedules to them and have "them" explain the changes that are occurring presently with your new schedules.

Did you apply for chronics or did you apply with the knowledge of working acutes too.

Does your state have any legislation regarding overtime for nurses? Some states don't acknowledge being "on call" as mandating overtime.

How is your schedule handled if you are on call on Sunday and you are out - say to 4 am doing an acute treatment and are scheduled to work the chronic unit Monday morning? How many hours does your state require "rest period" between "call out" hours and returning to regular working hours.

I had a Sunday that I was called out for acute treatments and the work day lasted 23 hours; I went home and slept for 2 hours and then went back to work for 12 hours. That is "totally" unsafe!!!

Oh boy, I could go on and on!

I personally feel your are being "used"!!!

Tish88 · Aug 3, 2011

How many hours a week have you been currently working? Do you work for one of the 2 major dialysis companies?

PM me and I will tell you how to get this handled the quickest way! I don't want to publicly post it.