How easy it is to pick up extra shifts?

[alexamasan]

In your experiences, is it possible to regularly pick up an extra shift every week if you wanted to? I hear a lot about nurses being asked on their day offs if they can come in. So I would imagine that if you volunteer, they would be happy for you to fill in the spot. At the same time though, since they would be paying you overtime, it wouldn't be cost effective.

What is your experience? If I wanted to work 12 hour shifts 4x a week, is that likely to happen?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Most large hospitals in my neck of the woods have some sort of "bid shift" system - an online application where you can log in to see what is available & sign up for the ones you want. I think it would depend upon your skill set & number of hours you're permitted to work. If you're competent to work in multiple areas, it is much easier to pick up OT shifts.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

You could also look into working in a unit that requires call coverage. I already have 4 hours of time and a half for this week because I worked late Monday and Tuesday as the nurse on call for cardiac surgery. Even if I leave early later this week and wind up with less than 40 hours for the week, I'll still get paid time and a half for those 4 hours because that's the policy for call back.

In my facility, the units that are required to take call are: ER, all of the ICUs, OR, PACU, cath lab, endo, dialysis, interventional radiology. And those are just the ones I know of for sure. Basically, procedural areas and units where a sudden influx of patients can happen.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

I agree with Rose. Call is the best and guaranteed time and a half no matter how many hours you work.

[canigraduate]

Depends on the unit and facility. If they are in a budget crunch, OT is one of the big no-no's.

My unit, you could work six days a week, 'cause we don't have enough staff. We almost always have a resource RN and/or a float.

Just be aware that the units who usually need staff are crappy.

[NotYourMamasRN]

The hospitals I have worked in are so short, that they call us and offer double time for us to come in. I am a PRN or Float Pool RN most of the time, so I am not cheap. They are so short and the staff is so stressed at one of my previous facilities, that my friends say when they offer double time they refuse to take it because of the poor work environment and unsafe nurse to patient ratios.

[Mindylane]

We seem to have feast or famine at our NICU. They're either desperate for staff and offer $450 to pick up an extra shift, or they're begging for people to put themselves on the "wish list" to be canceled. In April, I picked up a shift a week. In May, I was canceled once every week.