Clock out by 8am or get reprimanded!!!

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To all,

does anyone else get this at their job? I mean, for the most part depending on how your night/day went you would clock out right about on time or a little/waaay past it if you had a grueling shift. BUT!! what if now you receive a memo about all nurses, not just you must clock ou tor are ENCOURAGED to clock out at eight am/pm because accruable OT is too expensive and being busy that shift is not an excuse. TOP that with being told that having not complied with this matter you will get reprimanded. Hell, some nurses I have wokred with started clocking out at 8AM and going back to finish off charting and even report at times just so they wont get written up. Mind you we do have small forms that we can present to state why we are late clocking out etc which in turn has to be approved by the manager and supervisor, but with the staffing issues at our hospital of 3:1 AVERAGE IN ICU and even worse on the floors (we're not union) that has been recently brought forth our clock out times on average has been 30 minutes -1 hour from the set standard. Anyways, just wanted to pose that in the event the hospital fires or forces nurses to clock out on time secondary to an ultimatum is that illegal? this is for the state of NJ.

thanks all:bluecry1:

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Seems the hospital has 3 choices. 1) Pay the OT 2)pay nurses a salary 3)Intimidate nurses into aquiessing and forgoing what is legally due them

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Yes, we are encouraged to clock out no later than 0730. I am sometimes there after 0730 because of being unable to give verbal report because of late staff, interruptions, etc. I now leave the floor at exactly 0730, go out to my car and continue with verbal report by calling from my cell phone. This way I am off the clock, starting my drive home and still completing my duties. If I have had a hectic night and paperwork is not completed I send myself an email outlining the situation. The email is timed, dated and stamped. This way if I am called in for paperwork violations I can show them I made an effort. Of course I always complete essential documention (I&O's, change of status), but the fall risk, skin score and endless repetitive nonsense I will not complete if running behind.

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.

there is a very simple term for this process--its called illegal.:nono:

unless you are salaried, you may not lift a finger off the clock. a quick call to your state labor board will make short work of this practice.:nurse:

had a nm try this 15 years ago. not only is she no longer a manager, she is no longer an rn.:D

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I knew a nurse who would clock out and then go back and finish her work....I told her I would NEVER do that - and she shouldn't either. It seemed illegal to me to have someone so intimidated that they would work for "free" - if there is too much work then the mgt needs to look at staffing. Unfortunately mgt is never looking out for the nurses' best interest.

The email to self timestamping the probs on a shift is a great idea:twocents:

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Working for free, under intimidation, equals slavery.

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They attempted this where I work too. I am not sure where they stand with it, but i frequently clock out past 1930...nothing has been done yet, but I am sure they will find a way to get me. Actually, I probably won't get a raise at my annual review! in any case, I have doubts about the legality of this practice.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Forced working for free to me equates with slave labor. For others it may not but at a minimum it is theft of services.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Regardless of situation.....you cannot lift a finger off the clock. Work is work, and you deserve to be paid for it. Worst case, do you really want to work for a place that doesn't pay you for doing your job?

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

I only clock out when I am totally finished and leaving the floor, I don't care what management says or thinks, its illegal and I won't do it

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

seems the hospital has 3 choices. 1) pay the ot 2)pay nurses a salary 3)intimidate nurses into aquiessing and forgoing what is legally due them

or,...4) add up all that over time,..use it to hire more staff and we can all leave on time as we would like to!!!

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What would be the legal issues if something happened (a code maybe) and you performed any nursing while you were not clocked in? would you be covered by anyone's ? I think you need to be on the clock to be covered by the hospital's insurance

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