Do you work overtime?

krob0729 · Aug 13, 2005

Hey Ed
When I got into Nursing about 25 yrs ago I'd had a LOOOOONG period of being really really broke. Had wife & baby. I remember SO WELL the first paycheck I got as an RN. IT HAD A COMMA IN IT!!!! I'd never had a paycheck that had four digits to the left of the period.
Since then I've virtually been amazed at how much money I can make. It has of course changed my life!!
But the downside is that I spent far too many hours at work, making lots of money, that I could have spent with family, hiking in the Smokeys, sailing...well you get the picture.
I didn't carefully manage the money I made. It was too easy to just keep those large paychecks pouring into the checking account.
I've told my kids, and anyone who'll pay attention to an old baldheaded 'grumpy old man'--overtime is great but addictive. Use it with caution.
Yer Papaw John

gotta agree. i copied and framed my first check... 4 numbers and a comm????wowowow....i couldn't believe it :rotfl:

tntrn, ASN, RN · Aug 13, 2005

After providing good patient care, my number one goal when I set foot on my unit is to leave on time. Rarely do I have to stay over to chart, which IS overtime: if you are unable to do it during your shift it should be paid at OT rates. As a per diem nurse, they don't want to give me OT for late notice shifts, and therefore I rarely agree to work them. There's a way to make it happen, administration is just too busy concentrating on their bottom line, which has enabled their stock prices to double in the past 8 months or so.

If they don't see that it can be a win-win situation, then I don't need to be there. I have a very full life outside of work and refuse to work, even when they are "desperate" at straight time, unless I was scheduled to be there.

allnurses Guide · Aug 13, 2005

At my hospital, working an hour or two past your shift isn't paid as overtime either. Neither is staying over after a scheduled shift is over. Overtime at my hospital is defined as any hours worked past 40.

Now, a supervisor WILL offer premium pay for an extra shift usually, but we don't get it AUTOMATICALLY.

grimmy, RN · Aug 14, 2005

when i saw the title of this thread, i thought: "is that some sort of joke?" yes...only yesterday i worked for 15 hours straight, and it had nothing to do with charting. several ors were still running at 5:30, and there was simply no relief in sight. i was scrubbed in doing a chest wall resection, and that was that. yes, i get paid handsomely, but no amount of money in the world will make sure i get home safely, and ensure that my joints aren't aching like mad when i get home.

the counter to all that are the days when i get sent home early because cases have been cancelled, pts are too sick for surgery, etc. they're rare, but those days do happen, too.

pinoyrn · Aug 14, 2005

as little as possible. if asked to stay and finish my case, then I stay, but only if I like the surgeons. I usually stay and finish neurosurgery cases.

MDSlady · Aug 14, 2005

I just had to reply to THIS!!! I am an LPN in my facility and about 2 months ago got promoted to MDS Coordinator. I work Monday-Friday 7-3 in my office, but with the condition that if a nurse calls out they have the right to pull me out of my office to take the floor. This happens about once a month. I frequently also get asked to work doubles and pick up a floor on 3-11. I also am "on-call" every 5th weekend. And without a doubt, I had to work 7-3 both Saturday and Sunday. I'M EXHAUSTED!!!!!

I feel the RN's in the office don't want to do a floor, (no, they are afraid to do a floor!!!). I don't think any of them have passed meds in years.

I feel lately, because I'm an LPN they are abusing this and still use me to do all the on hands patient care, but I love when we are in report and they sit there and say that the floor nurses are not doing their job. It kills me. I see both sides of it. It's not easy to be a floor nurse on a sub-acute unit by yourself /c 30 patients. Or any long-term floor at that.

I guess, my biggest problem is that I feel that I can't say no. I guess I'm just going to have to try like everybody else does. But then, I feel sorry for my patients who end up having agency nurses that they don't know. It throws them all off.

So, yes I do alot of overtime. I haven't had a day off in 9 days. It's really starting to get to me. (Think I'll leave work tomorrow early!!!) :saint: