Hospice On Call Compensation Structure 2012

tewdles, RN · Mar 28, 2012

On call compensation is variable from agency to agency and state to state. I have experience with compensation ranging from oncall staff who are salaried and staff who are hourly. Most hourly staff receive a stipend for "carrying the pager" and then are paid a minimum amt for a call out (say 2 hours) at their hourly rate. Some agencies also pay a differential for W/E, shift, and/or holiday work. The compensation is generally different when comparing not for profit, for profit, and hospital based hospices.

Soontobehope · Mar 29, 2012

Thanks tewdles! What is the average stipend for an hourly staff?

tewdles, RN · Apr 1, 2012

Again, that is variable from agency to agency, region to region. Our staff here get $4.50/hr to "carry the pager". I know of agencies that pay only a fraction of that.

Also, some agencies have dedicated on call staff and the case managers work exclusively M-F, 8-5. Typically, smaller agencies have a sharing of oncall responsibilities, often across departments...for instance Home Care and Hospice may share the on call responsibilities in rural areas.

niteangel · Apr 24, 2012

Just found these forums, lots of good stuff here. I work weekend nights (8p-8a) for a non profit hospice with an average census currently of around 550. There are 2 night nurses, weeknights 12-8a and weekend 8-8. Weekend days are covered by 2 admissions nurses, a triage nurse, and 4-6 visit nurses. We are paid hourly, the weekenders get paid very fairly, I feel, getting paid 32 hours for 24 hours of work. We don't do admissions at night, we cover triage and if both of us are out on visits our manager takes over phone triage until we are available again.

My previous job was a killer, I worked oncall covering 2-3 weeknights 5p-8a and every other weekend from Friday 5p -Monday 8am. I had admissions, prescheduled visits, and was on all night for deaths and symptom visits. Census was just over 100. I alternated with one other nurse, the CM took turns being backup if we were swamped, but were rarely called. I lasted 2 years there, it was a salaried job.

I am interested in hearing how other hospices cover oncall also.

goldberryRN · May 3, 2012

Where I work the pay is 2.50 per hour to be on call. Regular pay and mileage if you have to go out. Small rural-ish hospice, the CMs take turns taking call. No admissions nurse, no triage nurse, no back-up. It's not working particularly well. Several excellent nurses recently quit.

gorgenurse · May 4, 2012

I work for a smaller hospice, around 40-50 census. We used to have all of the nurses take turns doing call, one was primary and one was back up. But they just changed it to open up 2 call positions. I took one of them. So I will be doing exactly what niteangel said she used to do. I am on call 2 nights during the week, from 5p to 8a, and then every other weekend from Friday 5p until Monday 8a. The weekend call and one meeting afternoon is salaried fulltime, but the 2 nights a week is paid at $3 per hour and time and a half the full time hourly wage for all call outs, from the time I get the phone call until I get home. I also always have a backup, so if things get to crazy or I need a few hours to catch up on sleep I can.

I noticed that niteangel said that when she had that position it was a killer. I hope not! This weekend is my first weekend in this new position! :nurse: Although our census is about half of what she said hers is.

There will be another nurse who will be my counterpart, and will take the other weekends/days, but she doesn't start until next month, so right now we are doing it halfway.

I have 4 kids, 2 of them are young, so this was perfect for me and allows me to stay home with my kids most of the time.

It's interesting to hear how the hospices work.

SugarPlumRN · May 22, 2012

I work for a non-profit Hospice as a triage and oncall nurse. We have our case managers on from 8a-4p. Then, it rolls over to oncall. We have our triage nurse that takes calls from the office and dispatch out the oncall nurse for emergencies. We are hourly based with 15-20% differential. If I don't receive a call while oncall, I am still paid my rate with diff. (while waiting at home). It's pretty nice, sometimes a week goes by without me going to a visit.