Honest Mistake, Re: Paycheck

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Hey Guys,

At work on Wednesday I printed off my paystub and noticed I didn't get paid for 2 shifts. I told the ward clerk and she corrected it and emailed payroll, and my director. I told her it was 2 Day shifts. Well I'm a new grad being oriented for 6 months and am following a full time schedule. My preceptor was away for those 2 days so I worked with someone else. Tonight I'm at home and was trying to think of who I worked with. And holy crap! I remembered that I got called on to work 11p-7a on Tuesday, so I didn't work that wednesday. The Thursday I could remember who I worked with! So long story short I told the ward clerk that I worked 2 days instead of 11-7 and a day shift! Problem is that my director and payroll already thinks I works 2 days, now I have to get them to change it. I need an honest paycheck for my own piece of mind. I made an honest mistake and I need to make sure it gets corrected. I'm just worried that they are Going to think I lied about it, when really I made an honest mistake :( Thanks for letting me vent, sorry for the long post, little distraught right now, I am just looking for some words of wisdom and advice...thanks guys, you are all awesome, take care...

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This is a good reason to write down shifts worked/scheduled in a pocket calendar, even if you have a set schedule, and refer to this calendar before saying anything about a discrepancy. I've forgotten what I did as early as three days later. The brain likes to erase itself when the subject is work.

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Thanks Caliotter3, I normally have all my shifts written down, however I never corrected it when I got called in...lesson learned I suppose. I will speak with the ward clerk who I talked to. As it turns out she is the girl who called me in, so it should jog her memory as well :)

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I work in hospital payroll (I'm a nursing student), this kind of thing is pretty common, no need to worry :)

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Thanks Jennafezz, at least I know I'm not the only one who has goofed up :)

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In what state do you work that the ward clerk is responsible for payroll?

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The ward clerk isn't responsible for payroll. She just enters our hours on time sheets that get sent to payroll.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

I don't think you have anything to worry abt. It all runs together after a while, and anyone who has done this for any length of time knows that.

And, hey, kudos to you for your honesty! You just want the money you worked for, and that's never a bad thing.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Our days to work are on a spreadsheet that covers 2 pay periods. The NM prints one out for each employee and the main one is on the cork board. I kept mine on the shower door so I could see it as I got ready for work or ready for bed. Any changes had to be submitted on paper and OK'd by the NM and only she could change the main sheet on the board.

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it's not that big of a deal. if you cashed the check, spent it, and never said a word that could be an issue. if you tell them, that's being honest. they will cancel the other check and issue a new one. don't worry.

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happened to me before....payroll and my director were not upset when i told them i needed to fix the issue.....no worry

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It was for the same amount of hours, right?!!! So the only thing needing fixing is the main schedule. That is unless you get shift differential for the 11P-7A, ...they may actually owe you money!!!

Bottom line...email everyone and tell them sorry you mistakeningly did it and want to set the record straight...dont get all worried about this...you did not hurt or kill a pt!!!

Ive done it several times in my career....besides, they were the ones who did not do it correctly in the first place.

Dear......

When I checked my pay stub, i realized I was short two shifts.

I mistakening told (ward cleck) that I worked blah and blah and she corrected it.

When i got home and thought about it, I realized I actually worked blah and blah.

Those were the two days that (preceptors name) was off. I was called in by (ward clerck) and worked with (whomever).

Please let me know if there is anything else I need to do to correct this error.

Thanks for understanding. I will watch this closer in the future.

Regards and have a great day!

Nurse0612

Send the email to your director, the ward clerk, payroll and your preceptor.

That's it. FORGET ABOUT IT!!! lol

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