Has anyone heard of getting fired in LTC because of overtime?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2012

Although I have not heard of any nurse's employment getting terminated as a result of too much overtime, I have seen nurses being targeted by upper management for accumulating lots of overtime every pay period.

However, I wouldn't work off the clock for several reasons. Most importantly, I do not work for free.

Isitpossible, LPN, LVN · Sep 26, 2012

hey blackcat! new in LTC too, and management REALLy frowns at the overtime in my facilty as well!! i have seen nurses clock up then come back up and do last minute work which usually takes 1/2 hour or so. I havent heard of anyone being fired for overtime though.. if im running late, i call the supervisor, explain WHY im late and then get a sign off for working late, that way im covered... i ABSOLUTELY UNEQUIVOCALLY REFUSE to work for free... im sorry...

Blackcat99 · Sep 26, 2012

So what happens if you do the right thing and stay over and complete your job? Do you then get written up for doing overtime? Do you get threatened with a write up if you do overtime? I have to agree with you both. I do not want to work for free. However, I am new too and I don't want to get a bunch of write-ups either. What to do? :eek:

blessedmomma247 · Sep 26, 2012

I would notify your supervisor why you are working late. I would never ever clock out and work for free. If nurses are clocking out and still working, then management will assume you have time management problem when its really a short staffing issue. This was a huge issue at a facility I used to work for. I was called at home several times because I stayed an hour or so late. I was told if nurse Jane or Joe could do, I should be able to and I told my DON that they did their charting off the clock. Of course when those nurses were called they denied it...but the DON did a little investigating and found out why were working late and having such a problem. The result was the supervisor on duty was required to help out on the floor during certain times during the shift and if we had an emergency or an admission...then everyone had a role to help the nurse involved. If it is a persistant problem, then sit down and see if you have a time management problem or if you need extra help on the floor and always ask for help.

MarggoRita · Sep 26, 2012

I feel I would rather receive a write-up for staying late to do my job than to receive a write-up for failing to do my job, I would just feel better about that if those were the only options.

Blackcat99 · Sep 26, 2012

Good point. It sounds like I am going to get written up either way. I guess it is best to get written up for overtime rather than getting written up for not doing my job. I am not going to work for free. I will notify my supervisor and explain why I am working late. Isn't that something when you think about it? Instead of just hurrying and getting my work done and going home, I will need to spend even more time having to call my supervisor to explain the whole situation to her, thus wasting even more time and causing them to have to pay me even more overtime!!! :sour:

NamasteNurse, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2012

At my facility rumors fly about all the write-ups but I have yet to see one for overtime. They say all the time "no overtime" but I would NEVER clock out and go back in. What if something happened like an emergency and you responded off the clock? I can just imagine the problems. LTC is a crazy ass place to work, you gotta go with the flow and see what really happens, ask your DON what to do. She will probably say get done on time. It's a tough call...

IowaKaren · Sep 26, 2012

Where I work now, they are pretty forgiving but it also helps when you work a straight 8 hours (paid for 7.5 hours) and then have some spare time in case to you have to stay over some, basically having an extra 2.5 hours extra to not go over 40 hours. The last place I worked, nurses were always being pulled into the office for a talking to (not a nice talking to either) and would have to leave early. I was told once that when I clocked out for lunch (on overnights), I would have to take an hour lunch or whatever to 'give' the time back. You just can't deal with an incident report or emergency and be able to give report to oncoming nurses in 10 minutes time or whatever at times and some things can not be passed to the next nurse to handle. Needless to say, that was one of many reasons why that was my LAST place or employment.

HurricaneCasRN · Sep 30, 2012

My facility has a census just under 100. We have three nurses to cover that, no bridge nurse or supervisor or anything...just the three of us. It can get hairy. BUT, we NEVER get talked to or written up for staying over. In fact, our DON tells us always that we have all the time we need to finish. Phew.

wyogypsy, RN · Sep 30, 2012

Yes, I have seen nurses get fired for too much overtime. This same facility also knew that nurses were clocking out and working on their own time. When I was evening supervisor I told the nurses that if I ever caught them doing that, that I would write them up. I would back them up completely and even take some of the responsibility for their overtime, but not for working off the clock. Facilities that allow this are not following the law, and if a worker's comp claim happened when someone is there off the clock because they are in trouble if they have overtime, then the facility will face a huge fine.

Blackcat99 · Sep 30, 2012

Yikes!!!!:***: I want to keep my new job. I had overtime last night and I will probably have overtime again tonight.I want to do a good job and complete my entire job duties before I go home. Do they usually fire new people who stay overtime or do they fire nurses for overtime who have already been working there for awhile?