Overhiring?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med Surg/PCU.

We are currently overstaffed, with most nights having one more nurse than needed on the schedule. Assuming no one calls off, that extra nurse either floats to another unit or is called off. My manager just announced she has hired 3 more FT and 2 PT nurses to add to the shift. During the course of conversation, she mentioned to a few of us that the new policy is to overhire so that when the inevitable comes and people quit, we'll be ahead of the game and not have to pay OT and bonus incentives to get people to work. The nurses who have been around a while and are the ones most likely to float are not happy about it and are starting to look for other jobs. I figure it's only a matter of time until the prediction comes to pass and we have another brain drain. Anyone else have this particular practice at their hospitals?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

That policy amazes me on many levels. All the complaints I hear are about understaffing. I don't know whether to congratulate your management for its foresight and concern about potentially being short-staffed, or commiserate with the current staff over frequent floats.

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That policy amazes me on many levels. All the complaints I hear are about understaffing. I don't know whether to congratulate your management for its foresight and concern about potentially being short-staffed, or commiserate with the current staff over frequent floats.

I wonder if they are just using that floor as a float pool of a sorts to float people to plug a staffing hole.

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This has been common practice at places I've worked. We alternate between being horribly overstaffed and horribly understaffed. I don't mind much, because I love being canceled and having an unexpected day off. I also have no problem ignoring calls begging me to come in on my expected days off. It can be stressful to employees who need their hours or get used to relying on overtime pay, though.

From an employer prospective, it makes sense to hire more people than needed when turnover is high. Most people give two weeks notice when they quit, but it often takes longer than that to hire a new nurse and push them through orientation.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I have heard of places where they don't mind over staffing as it provides a convenient in house float pool. Sneaky as hell though.

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Specializes in Med Surg/PCU.
I have heard of places where they don't mind over staffing as it provides a convenient in house float pool. Sneaky as hell though.

We have a fairly new CNO (within the last 2 years) so I was wondering if this might be the working idea. Then I thought, "Now you're just being paranoid." Maybe not. :confused:

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It is usually the other way around--but here's what confuses me--

If someone is hired as part time or full time, and continually "called off" they won't have too much PTO if any. And usually benefits are based on 40/24 hours per week. So I am not sure how that would work out. Unless they are wanting to call off the more senior nurses as they have enough PTO to do so?

Seems to me that hiring a bunch of per diems would be more logical.

With all that being said, sounds like a float pool without hiring specific float nurses--as some will get a higher rate of pay due to their experience and ability to float.

Also, if called off, can you be called back in if the acuity/census changes? Very subjective in that ratios can not always be based on patient number but rather patient need/acuity.

I would be mindful of the fact that each time a nurse is called off, they are using up vacation time. Which dwindles pretty quickly if one is being called off with any regularity. And non-existent for a newer hire, and have heard of a nurse having to "pay back" benefit monies as they haven't worked a full week on which benefits are based. Additionally, being told to float to a unit to which they are unfamiliar or not oriented/trained to do is a risk as well.

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It is usually the other way around--but here's what confuses me--

If someone is hired as part time or full time, and continually "called off" they won't have too much PTO if any. And usually benefits are based on 40/24 hours per week. So I am not sure how that would work out. Unless they are wanting to call off the more senior nurses as they have enough PTO to do so?

Seems to me that hiring a bunch of per diems would be more logical.

With all that being said, sounds like a float pool without hiring specific float nurses--as some will get a higher rate of pay due to their experience and ability to float.

Also, if called off, can you be called back in if the acuity/census changes? Very subjective in that ratios can not always be based on patient number but rather patient need/acuity.

I would be mindful of the fact that each time a nurse is called off, they are using up vacation time. Which dwindles pretty quickly if one is being called off with any regularity. And non-existent for a newer hire, and have heard of a nurse having to "pay back" benefit monies as they haven't worked a full week on which benefits are based. Additionally, being told to float to a unit to which they are unfamiliar or not oriented/trained to do is a risk as well.

I haven't seen a place that would deny benefits because they couldn't offer you the promised hours. It's their problem, not the nurses'. They also pay you a few dollars an hour "on call" and you were required to be available within an hour if they called you in to work for increased staffing needs. It's always been optional whether to use your PTO.

One place I worked regularly placed me on call, and I didn't mind. It was an honest practice due to low census; most nurses lost a day every pay period or two. I chose to use up most of my PTO to maintain the income, but I would volunteer to go on call and averaged 60 hours worked in my 72 hour position. I didn't need the full income at the time, so it was nice. It was like having mini vacations every few weeks.

At my last job, you would get put on call once in a while or floated once in a while, but if you were floated to a higher acuity unit or different type of unit (e.g. MS nurse going to OB or ED) you basically worked as a tech, so there was not a serious risk of making an error due to having patients with different needs than you normally care for.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

At most places, (even in the dreaded "at will" States), they must allow you to work you'd FTE. Catch is, you don't get to pick where. Most nurses, given the option of floating or staying home without pay (or using their vacation time), will stay home.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Here's some other perspectives - any chance your facility might be anticipating some type of job action and seeks to pad the staffing roster in anticipation of not enough staff?

Also, are there some staff in a probationary period who just may not make it through?

Or are there some 'senior' staff that the new administration may wish to thin out the ranks, and thus are planning to pad up the ranks in advance?

Makes me wonder since you mentioned "inevitable" and 'new CNO'? (Paranoid me, I'm thinking question #3.) I did think maybe they were planning ahead for vacation requests, but this is already end of June.

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Specializes in Telemetry; CTSICU; ER.

Yeah where is this glorious place that is overstaffed?? We can't keep people at any of the big hospitals in this state--we have a lot of travelers on the different floors/units. Always understaffed!

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The nurses who have been around a while and are the ones most likely to float are not happy about it and are starting to look for other jobs.

And when they leave they will be replaced with these new nurses who are making a lot less money. Seems like the hospital comes out on the winning end of this deal.

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