Manditory Overtime

justanurse · Apr 17, 2000

Nope, mandatory overtime is all around. I work in the eastern mid-west and we do it too. Yes, it's because they don't want to hire enought people, or give enough $$ or respect to those few who are left. For the last 3 months we have been working an extra 12 hour shift every two weeks. Finally, they've started restructuring our hospital and we've gotten some more staff to work with us, so everyone should have to work only 1 shift every 6 weeks. But, it still makes nobody happy.

Deb2300 · Apr 19, 2000

Originally posted by LenMalRN:
Up here in Mass we have a problem thats affecting all nurses Manditory overtime has caused alot of pain and agrivation with the nursing personal up here. The Board of Registration has not addressed the issue. Hospitals are not staffing properly and using manditory overtime as a staffing solution. If a person refuses nomatter what the reson the hospitals have used threats to report these nurses for patient abandonment and loss of license as a way of coercian to keep nurses working.
Right know we have a nurses strike going on in Worcster Ma to fight issue I would like to know if this is a regonal or national problem

We were also threatened with abandonment and fear of losing our licenses. With further research, it was confirmed by administration that our refusal might be a state reportable incident. It was further learned that if we gave ample notification that we could not stay for the overtime, we were not in danger of losing our licneses, etc. The entire day shift went one step further. We all visited our primary doctors and obtained written letters that excused us medically from working more than 8 or 12 hrs. in a day. We found all the doctors very much in support of our requsts. Needless to say, no more mandatory overtime for us.

ratchit · Apr 19, 2000

Yes, we all have the mandatory OT clause in our job descriptions but it is supposed to be for emergencies only. I don't work for the hospital in MA that is out on strike but have seen the administrators on TV saying "it would only be about 3 hours a week per nurse." As if that is a good thing!

We are "essential personnel", we need to go to work when the rest of the world stays home. But these nurses have lives and shouldn't have to go to work everyday not knowing if today is the day they won't make the doctors appointment or be able to pick their child up from day care. Other professions have these clauses but they aren't abused for day to day needs. If the hospital needs OT every week from every nurse then they should be doing more to hire more staff.

Best wishes and lots of support to all the Worcester RN's!!