on call hours for L&D

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At my hospital on L&D we are required to do 20 hours of on call if you are full time and 12 hours if you are part time for every scheduling period. our scheduling period is divided into 4 wks which may be from say june 9 to july 7. It seems as if you are called in at least 95% of the time. I am wondering if this is the standard of practice for L&D in all hospitals or is it only unique to some? I find this practice quite annoying

Specializes in OB, lactation.

we just started mandatory 24h (7a-7a) call every TWO weeks!!!!

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lol...Yeah, we get a whole $1.75 to be on call. I understand that they have to do SOMETHING, but I was told 8-12 hours when I was hired not 44 EXTRA hours. I cant do it anymore, I wont do it! I too have a life, a family, and friends that I have neglected for way too long.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

We have to sign up for 20 hours per six week schedule. We get a whopping $2.00 per hour for being on-call, and get paid regular pay if we get called in. Personally, I think there's no excuse for on-call....facilities should hire enough staff to cover the needed slots or use the float pool.

What I really hate is never really having time off. How can you plan weekend trips, etc if you have to stick around "in case" you get called in?!? :o

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.
We have to sign up for 20 hours per six week schedule. We get a whopping $2.00 per hour for being on-call, and get paid regular pay if we get called in. Personally, I think there's no excuse for on-call....facilities should hire enough staff to cover the needed slots or use the float pool.

What I really hate is never really having time off. How can you plan weekend trips, etc if you have to stick around "in case" you get called in?!? :o

Don't you get to choose what time/day you are on call?

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We have to sign up durning regular shift hours. Since I work 1900-0730, I have to sign up for times slots within those hours. I live an hour away so driving in at 2am is exhausting and a little scary at times. I would love to tack on 4 hours at the begining or end of my shift but we cant.

I agree, you cant make plans to do anything else while you are on call. So I sit at home waiting/dreading on the phone call while my family goes on without me. When you have 40+ hours to sign up for, you know you will give up at least one weekend day to do it. That is usually what is needed and will fit your schedule.

What really makes me mad is when I get called in and floated to another department, especially depts. that do not have manditory call themselves.:angryfire

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
Don't you get to choose what time/day you are on call?

I get to "choose" if I'm lucky enough to grab the on-call sign up sheet before everybody else has picked it apart. I usually work 3 12s during the week, but often have to sign up for weekends or evenings to get my on-call hours in. Some unlucky coworkers have even had to sign up night shifts when they work days to get in their hours.

Regardless, there is never a week when I'm not on-call...and sometimes I'm on-call two days plus the three I'm scheduled to work.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I have considered moving to an area like Ambulatory/Day surgery on a perdiem basis--- and a position, teaching birthing classes, soon, just because understaffing is such an issue EVERYwhere anymore. I have a friend who owns a childbirth ed business willing to hire me. Hospital nursing is so tough anymore, is it not.

Pennywise, pound-foolish is the way so many administrators run things today. It's so disheartening. The only thing saving me is being perdiem.

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