EXtra compensation for mandatory inhouse call for salaried crna?

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Hi,

I live in NW PA. Currently salaried CRNA with call from home; no additional compensation for callouts: we do cases(mostly solo), intrathecals, lumbar punctures and IV starts, etc.

Now administration wants to make us take inhouse call because they want to start a labor epidural service--of course all the work will be done by the crnas and the MdAs will be home in bed. The hospital does not want to provide any additional compensation for this.

Does anyone know of any labor law that would required them to provide extra pay for all the additional risks we would be incurring, not to mention the drastic increase in hours worked?

Appreciate any help.

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this is how we work----I like the experience of working this way--I worked last night and slept for about 2 hours, but I enjoy doing the epidurals (most of the time) b/c there is great satisfaction--I also enjoy working on my own---the huge difference is we are paid hourly---this is where the bulk of my pay comes from----there has to be something you can do, I just dont know where to look---I for one, would start making lots of noise----they tried a little while back to make us go home when we were not working, and to give us a call pay of $10.00 an hour---they tried to paint this as we could be home on weekends some, and holidays---what they didnt tell was that we would still do the same amount of work, just with a huge pay cut. When it looked like almost half of the CRNA's would quit, they quickly dropped their $$$$ idea. there are some Sundays I stay all day and maybe just work a couple of hours, but I feel we deserve it b/c of all the work we usually do---it is very odd for us not to have an epidural going anyways. We get a small Christmas bonus from the epidurals we do, but I think many others can make more. But I would hate to have to work like I do for a set salary. I would definitely stand up for what is right. I would contact other places, and just explain to andministration that is crazy to not think you deserve more money. Hope this helps some--you will have a increased workload--we do from 60-90 epidurals a month---this adds up to not much rest usually at night

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If not too personal, what does your average yearly comp run?

I also do not know where to search for more info on this. Mostly with this hospital, it is not WHAT they do but HOW they go about doing it.

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I sent a PM with some info for you

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I sent a PM with some info for you

Thanks-and one right back at ya!!

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are they making the in-house call hours on top of your already 40 hrs/wk?

if so -- i believe there could be labor laws against that - would have to check...

good luck

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are they making the in-house call hours on top of your already 40 hrs/wk?

if so -- i believe there could be labor laws against that - would have to check...

good luck

Yes, it would be in addition to our regular 40 hrs--and, of course, when someone is on vacation, another one of us would have to cover that person's call in addition to our own.

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Yes, it would be in addition to our regular 40 hrs--and, of course, when someone is on vacation, another one of us would have to cover that person's call in addition to our own.

Passin'Gas---the only groups I found were a public forum with 11 members and a clinical group. ?

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Two excellent CRNA internet groups are and I would post your question on one of those forums.

Now to get to my opinion. Get all of the CRNAs together and come to a common ground on this issue. Elect a spokesperson and talk to the hospital administrator. Tell them that you would be pleased to provide the service and want to discuss how you are going to be compensated. Tell them that you are concerned that your rights to fair compensation may be violated and that you hope that you won't have to retain a labor lawyer to research the topic. You may wish to offer some alternatives, like time and one-half over 40 hours a week worked, shift differential for night shift, pay per case after 6:00 p.m. (based on relative value guide), etc. It would be a good idea to ask some other CRNAs in other hospitals how they handle this. Also, you may want to suggest the MDAs provide this service.

Let us know what happens.

Yoga

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Two excellent CRNA internet groups are and I would post your question on one of those forums.

Yoga

I sent a PM suggesting these very same groups!

PG

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Another thought--you are a salaried employee, which essentially means you are working under a contract. They have changed the terms of the contract, so you have every right to open up the entire contract for negotiation. Another area of negotiation is the fact that there is a lot of discussion about long hours in medicine and the increased incidence of mistakes. Research this topic and take the information with you when you talk with administration.

Yoga

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Just another thought to add to Yoga's excellent advice - on the discussion of hours and safety, the issue that research brings up is really excess hours per day - not per week. Unfortunately, most residency programs have have addressed the safety issue by limiting hours per week that residents work, still allowing them to work 24 or 30 hour shifts (as does my current hospital). If interested, google "Lucian Leape" of Harvard, or "To Err Is Human".

Good luck with this; let us know how things go.

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