Compressed schedules for VA nurse managers?

[bossy_nurse]

I'm new to management in the VA system and have a co-manager. The co-manager arrangement is becoming more common in our facility and we are thinking of asking to work 10-hour days, with flexibility to cover the meetings during the week and have a presence during weekends as well. We are already expected to "flex" our schedules to cover more shifts, getting calls on the weekends to cover call-outs, often taking patient assignments during the week as well, and coming in early and staying late for no extra pay to get all the administrative demands taken care of. Is there anyone else out there, VA or civilian, who does this?

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

My understanding of your post is that you are not on a time clock and expected to work more than 40 hours to be in compliance with your job description. It's certainly surprising that this would happen in the VA. I worked for a private, for profit employer who demanded that nurses not stay overtime. If we stayed overtime, we were called to the manager's office and shamed for inefficient use of our time. Consequently, some of the nurses used our own time to complete reports and other assignments after patient care was over and we were "off the clock". It seemed that the more we performed work off the clock, the more the employer would assign. The days were long, the balance between work and personal time was awful. Eventually, it became tiring and I left. Other nurses left also and recently I heard that employer has removed the no overtime rule.

I'm not suggesting you leave your job. Ten hour shifts may be more reasonable and provide a better work-life balance. You can leave your present employer and find a very similar situation with your next employer. I work in a non union state. I suspect the situation you describe is very common for both employee's who work "on the clock" or are exempt from the time clock.

[bossy_nurse]

Thanks for your comment, Marisette. No time clocks at the VA, but we do get paid OT when we work over 40hrs in direct patient care. Not really "expected" to work past 40hrs on the administrative work, but time gets away from you when the work is never done. When I do make a point to leave on time, I have to shake people off my leg to get out of the building. My co-manager and I thought we might be more effective if we worked 10hr days, alternating weekends, coming in on the off-shifts and taking a little perk of having another day off. So far from the feedback I've gotten, assistant NMs do this, but not so much managers. I was hoping to find a precedent that would strengthen my case.