Published
I would appreciate if the board could help answer some questions surrounding nurses work schedules and if benefit related issues may or may not influence scheduling behavior pertaining to hours worked?
From the forums I have learned and gathered information that stems from operational issues affecting nurse turnover and overall job satisfaction, however I am not on the operational side of the spectrum and trying to understand the relationship of benefits, schedules, and job satisfaction as it relates to nurse retention and turnover.
Thanks in advance
I work a weekend program now and I used to get paid benefits for 24hr. It was great! I would often pick up more hours or when tired of that, work agency. The variety and options kept me from feeling 'burn out'. It also gave me a lot of flexibility as far as my children's schedule went. When my facility was bought, they made us pick up an aditional 8 hours in order to get benefits. I did because I needed them, but I find I resent it and rarely pick up more hours. (They told us they would probably grandfather us in, but didn't.)
I also went on a job interview at a place that offered a premium rate for weekends / 12 hour shifts/ no benefits. If you wanted benefits, you had to commit to 3 12 hour shifts fri, sat, sun or sat, sun, mon at a rate 9$ an hour less. (When if you worked their 8 hour shifts you only had to do 32 hours to get benefits) It looked like a nice place to work and I was interested, but I thought they were crazy(and said so- nicely)to offer so much less. My current facility pays the same premium rate with benefits!
Another facility I was very interested in working for only had 3-11 available and offered me a lower rate than my weekly rate at my current facility. (There are different rates depending on shift and when.) I would have taken it if they would've given me 4 8 hour shifts, but they insisted it was a 40 hour/week position and would not be flexible about it. It was also every other weekend. I know its part of nursing and don't mind too much, but they had a weekend program (no positions open so why would I have to work weekends?)
Flexibility, quality of life issues and benefits are my top priorities. Next is pay. I also don't understand taking a pay cut just because 'it's not fair to the other nurses with more seniority'. In the buisness world, that happens all the time. Salary is negotiable. So I find myself staying in a job I am not too happy with, until my children get older or my husband gets a better job/benefits.
EmerNurse, BSN, RN
437 Posts
I'm really big on a hospital offering benies right off the bat, not after 3 or 6 months of employment. We're healthcare workers and we have to go for months without insurance????? Lord knows we can't afford Cobra on what we make!
Bah.