Downstaffing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Have decided to take a break from my current job. I have been consistently put on call or reduced this past month. Ok fine. But today was what absolutely pissed me off. I came into work at 7am, discharged 2 of my four patients and at 11am they wanted to put me on call until 3pm when they would have more admits. They also wanted me to float to another campus. I explained to them that I did not have my vehicle as it was at the dealership getting work done and I received a courtesy ride to work. I was told that's too bad and I would have to figure it out or call a taxi. Let me reiterate I am not resource, float or anything. I never agreed in hiring to float between hospitals multiple times throughout the day. This is insane. Essentially asking me to clock out for a few hours but standby until their admits get there. This is the most unprofessional thing I ever heard of in what's suppose to be a professional career. What a joke. Burned out and I haven't even worked over 30 hours a week in over a month because of this sporadic work schedule!

Crap like this is why I'm surprised when folks say they don't want unions. That sounds horrifying and I'd never put up with it in a million years.

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I completely agree with all of the comments here, however this is a reality in many health systems throughout the country and is becoming increasingly popular. There is zero benefit to the employees in agreeing to this arrangement other than keeping their jobs but worse yet are the 'on call' rates paid to be at the beck and call. Sorry, but I think my time is a little more valuable than $3.00/hr!!

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
It's sickening... you assign me 5-6 patients at a time...and they get needier and needier. Not medical or nursing wise either. Just plain needy. Oh and how about our hospital has a menu you can "order" off of. Like spa treatments oh and a foot massage. Guess who is expected to do this! Me as the nurse. please. If I am going to be doing massages and foot rubs and facials I would have went to school to be an esthetician. Just nonsense. Like the lady who came in with SOB....doctor ran every test you could think of on her and nothing wrong. He tells her to lose some weight and start working out...she flips tells him he doesn't know how to do his job and reports him to hospital administration. Or the woman in the ER holding room who calls hospital administration and complains that her room doesn't have a window so they admit her....later complains after having all pain meds ordered given that she wants a PCA....doctor says no she calls hospital admin...doctor orders pca....she overdosed and needs narcan. Is this really what I want to be apart of!?

This is all unbelievable. These people are insane. And dirtbags. Please find a way to get out of that hospital system. Magnet, you say? You might want to find a way to drop a dime to the Magnet people and tell them just how magnetic this hospital is.

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Of course that is no way to treat a professional. They will continue with their process.

The question is, where will you work next?

Best wishes.

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Of course that is no way to treat a professional. They will continue with their process.

The question is, where will you work next?

Best wishes.

They reduced me yesterday. But not until 0630. Then they just called me to tell me they wouldn't need me again today but was putting me on call for an entirely different unit???? I said no I'm not taking call and the charge told me I need to call and talk to the staffing office. I live 1hr and 15 minutes from the hospital they put me on call for??? Their on call policy is that I be there within 30 minutes. Ugh I'm just sick and tired.

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Crap like this is why I'm surprised when folks say they don't want unions. That sounds horrifying and I'd never put up with it in a million years.

They need a union. I called a union rep because they need to organize. This isn't just me but all the nurses. I'm leaving shortly anyways to go back to the east coast but these weirdos need some sort of representation. The hospital, well nursing anyway is out of control.

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No they rotate, however this has happened to be most shifts that I have been scheduled the past month. We got a new VP of nurses and all incentives and such were cut and now everyone is required to float except for the first 6 months. Well lucky me I'm the one that has floated so much that I am usually the lucky one that has worked or been cross trained to the unit that is short half way through the shift. They have a resource pool but the problem is that the pay is not competitive at all and you are required to float between three different hospitals in the same metro areas....miles apart and many times half way through the shift. Because of this many people don't stay because it's stressful and "too much work". It's not like three connected hospitals. Sometimes being floated to another hospital for the 3-7p portion of a 12 hour shift...many times not getting there until close to 5 because you half to give report, drive there, Park, get report on new load of patients and then late with no break because you only had two hours to assess and chart and care for 5 patients.

No Ma'am, what they have done is made you more marketable, especially with all your new certifications. I would immediately start applying elsewhere and leave when I have a better offer. Never let a job burn you out or take away your love of nursing. They don't appreciate the sacrifices. They'll use you up and then do the same to the next person when you're gone. I learned the hard way and am now paying for it with my health. Find greener pastures while you can!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I agree this job has no redeeming qualities and you should quit ASAP. I wouldn't float to different hospitals in one shift, it so ridiculous and disrespectful. One of the reasons I would never do float pool. Just get out and find a decent place to work! Maybe try a different unit or a clinic where you wouldn't be put on call so much. I see no upside to staying at this place.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Oh **** no. I can't really think of much more to say than that... except maybe to bust into that old country song "Take This Job and Shove It" :whistling:

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...for significantly more $$

Yeah, right?

A $30 minute massage alone is like $50 plus tip....🙄

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I agree this job has no redeeming qualities and you should quit ASAP. I wouldn't float to different hospitals in one shift, it so ridiculous and disrespectful. One of the reasons I would never do float pool. Just get out and find a decent place to work! Maybe try a different unit or a clinic where you wouldn't be put on call so much. I see no upside to staying at this place.

I know, I'm floored by their recent antics. They used to offer double time for picking up. Then went to time and a half. Now mixed it all together. Decreased pay and shift differentials. I believe the evening diff after 7p is 1.25 and weekend is 1.25. Straight weekend diff used to be $10 and they decreased it to $6. They have a float pool/resource but they don't stay long once they get floated three times in one 12 hour shift between 3 hospitals. So they implemented that everyone be required to float and increased staffing ratios 1:5 and if short up to 6 on days and 1:6 nights and yes same thing I've seen a single nurse take that odd patient for a total of 7. No CNA unless you have over like 10 patients on days anyways. Not sure about nights. They continue to hire but don't have the hours for the nurses??? This past week alone I was reduced or put on call for a total of 28 hours! I worked one full shift and that was because I was finally pissed off enough I said told them that if they sent me home on call to not even bother calling me because I would not be coming back and would call out if I have to. So they put someone else on call for two hours only to call them back in. Was literally told that's it's costing them money to not tighten up for a few hours....like I wasn't busy charting or something. I was still charting my assessments from the morning.

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Oh **** no. I can't really think of much more to say than that... except maybe to bust into that old country song "Take This Job and Shove It" :whistling:

My prn job had a call in for tomorrow, called me and asked if I would be available to work. I took it! And called out from my regular job. Don't want to deal with being reduced, on call or floated. í ¾í´·í ¼í¿¼*♀️ Oh well. Being on call doesn't pay my bills.

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