BID Shift

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Is anyone else doing this where you work?

I work per diem at a local hospital to a particular floor. They recently just started doing BID shift there. Actually, those shifts start in Sept., but we just had to start bidding online for them this past week. The way it will work is that the Nurse Mgrs go ahead and fill in the schedules using only staff with benefits and agency nurses. After that is done, the "holes" in the shifts are entered into the computer and then per diem nurses and any other nurse wanting extra shifts go in and bid on those shifts.

They had started this at another hospital I worked at but it went a little differently. Instead of the NMs filling in the schedule with regular staff & agency, they also included their per diem nurses. THEN, whatever was left over went online.

Does anyone have any idea how this may end up working out? I have a feeling that if all of us per diem nurses are going to have to race each other to the computers in order to get the shifts we want and then not get them, some of us may start looking for work somewhere else after awhile. There are lots of per diem nurses at this hospital and I think the hospital may be shooting themselves in the foot by going about this the way they are. It's like they're saying agency is more important than the per diem nurses who've been loyal to their floors. Going agency is looking more attractive to me now...in addition to a better chance of getting the shifts I want, I'd also get paid more AND with benefits. Hmmmmmm!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

I have worked with bidshift and typically it works the way you mentioned it. the agency nurses sometimes have contracts so they can't give shifts to per diem nurses if they don't know if you are going to pick up those shifts or not. most per diem nurses have alot of flexibilty and usually don't have to work a lot of hours, so NM's will try to fill the holes with nurses that they know need the hours (staff and contract agency). it does suck, especially if you need the money. i have worked per diem before because the hourly rate is higher, but i quickly took a staff job because i couldn't depend on hours to be there when i needed it and i found myself stressed out every schedule hoping there were enough hours. wasn't worth it for me.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

We do Bidshift where I work. ONly full time and part time nurses get their scheduled hours. ALL per diem and PRN staff bid on shifts and if you want OT. So far there has been plenty of time to go around. We have been doing this for about a year now. Seems to work really well.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

We just started this.. and you'd better fill in your schedule or you're not going to get them.

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Ok, I must be losing my mind. I read the title to this thread as BID shifts, and I thought to myself, BID! I can barely stand to go in to work ONCE a day let alone BID. Oops.

I think that regulars should be scheduled first with more preference than agency, but that doesn't happen in my place either.

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Ok, I must be losing my mind. I read the title to this thread as BID shifts, and I thought to myself, BID! I can barely stand to go in to work ONCE a day let alone BID. Oops.

I think that regulars should be scheduled first with more preference than agency, but that doesn't happen in my place either.

ROFL, I was just coming to post that same thought!! LOL....here I was imagining going in for four hours in the morning, then leaving and coming in for a night shift, HA!

I think it's nap time for me...:lol2:

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