Enhanced pay for staffing crisis

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

What questions should I be asking about the contract?

You should find out how much money, if any, you will be forced to pay to the hospital if you break the contract.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

My questions are what happens to you once that "contract" is up? Do you go back to the unit you were on before? Can you transfer to that unit if during that contract you do well?? What is the real incentive for agreeing to this if they pay isn't much different?

Barnstormin' PMHNP · Jul 9, 2015

The contract is for the same unit I work on as a per diem nurse while I am in grad school. So, as far as advantages go, I am not really seeing much as you pointed out. I would get brownie points big time but the fact is that the contract would take me 3 weeks into my fall semester and I'm not too thrilled with that. I will ask about the penalties for breaking the contract as the commuter pointed out, I hadn't thought of that one......It kind of stinks, I am not one to be a martyr, as I feel staffing problems are created by the administration and they then expect nurses to fall all over themselves to help them out of a jam. I think I will turn it down unless they offer me something really ridiculously high like 60-70 an hour lol. Thanks

smf0903 · Jul 9, 2015

A hospital near me is paying RNs triple pay (employees and contract) to help cover their needs. I don't know if the RNs have to sign a contract? They can't even get people to work for triple pay because they have run so short-staffed for so long :nurse:

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 9, 2015

It sounds like you have a good handle on the situation. My hospital has done similar things in the past and the questions that other people have suggested sound appropriate to me.

I suggest going into the meeting with a friendly attitude of: "I would like to help out and could use the extra money, but it doesn't fit well with my school schedule. Is there any room for negotiation?" For example, ask if you could do it for the first 4 weeks and remind them of your school commitment. Do the calculations together as to how much extra money you would actually earn. And ask about any other benefits that you would get during that time. (For example, in my hospital, per diem staff do not get any tuition reimbursement -- maybe you could get some of that added.)

In the end, if the deal is not good enough for you, then politely say no ... and maybe offer to work a couple of extra shifts to help out to stay in your boss's good graces.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I am interested in such issues and am genuinely curious.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 9, 2015

It sounds like you have a good handle on the situation. My hospital has done similar things in the past and the questions that other people have suggested sound appropriate to me.

I suggest going into the meeting with a friendly attitude of: "I would like to help out and could use the extra money, but it doesn't fit well with my school schedule. Is there any room for negotiation?" For example, ask if you could do it for the first 4 weeks and remind them of your school commitment. My hospital has allowed that.

Do the calculations together as to how much extra money you would actually earn so that they can see how much they are really offering. They may have based their offer on a part-timer's rate, not a per diem rate. And ask about any other benefits that you would get during that time. (For example, in my hospital, per diem staff do not get any tuition reimbursement -- maybe you could get some of that added.)

In the end, if the deal is not good enough for you, then politely say no ... and maybe offer to work a couple of extra shifts to help out to stay in your boss's good graces.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I am interested in such issues and am genuinely curious.

Barnstormin' PMHNP · Jul 9, 2015

Thanks llg, I was thinking along the same lines about stepping up to help out with some shifts, but I never thought of asking for tuition reimbursement. It is fairly likely I will be working for this unit after I graduate so I want to help but I really, really, wanted a few weeks of my summer to regroup and relax before it all hits the fan for the next few years lol.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 9, 2015

One of my RN jobs used to offer a $20 an hour bonus so that was added on top of whatever your regular wage was. There was no contract. I worked that gig like an animal!

The four week contract sounds like a decent way to make a few extra bucks and look like a team player. FWIW I definitely wouldn't tell them you want time to relax before starting school, not that it isn't a valid thought just that it will be the last thing admin cares about when they are in a severe staffing crisis.

Barnstormin' PMHNP · Jul 10, 2015

JulesA, I completely agree! Although I'm sure the admin's won't be suffering.