How would you like 3 consecutive months off a year?

caliotter3 · Jul 10, 2018

I have had frequent periods of long term unemployment, as well as weeks here or there, shifts off here or there, working in extended care home health, where one has a job today, but not tomorrow. I can vouch for the fact that long term unemployment is not a desirable state of affairs. Annual raises in rent alone make that a very uncomfortable position to be in. And a secondary consequence: months or even years of steadier employment do not make up the shortfall as attested by my credit report. I think while this is a good idea in principle, it will not provide practical benefits. People will just find second gigs to make up the difference and get no rest whatsoever.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jul 10, 2018

Having worked in a children's hospital for many years, I can tell you that the single reason I NEVER had any PTO accrued was because of summer low census. While I was ok (had a prn home care gig, no debt and an employed husband) many of my single parent coworkers left for this reason.

I would have GLADLY taken summers off, picked up at my prn job and let the single parents have the full-time work.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2018

When I worked in the hospital, I think some of the medical floors had a deal where their nurses could get the summers off but the deal was something like they worked 48 hrs/week through the winter and got paid for 32. They still got paid during the summer but it was hours that were owed to them/that they already worked.

caliotter3 · Jul 11, 2018

When I worked in the hospital, I think some of the medical floors had a deal where their nurses could get the summers off but the deal was something like they worked 48 hrs/week through the winter and got paid for 32. They still got paid during the summer but it was hours that were owed to them/that they already worked.

Gee, I wonder what the Labor Board thought of this practice. At the least, they should have signed letters indicating agreement to defer their wages. Personally, I would have rather put the money in the bank.

AJJKRN · Jul 11, 2018

I wonder what teachers may think of this. I've definitely had a few retired teachers as patients that sort of ranted a bit about how much "more" nurses make but they didn't seem to take into account all of the "perks" teachers often have too...hmmm...

KrCmommy522, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2018

I have had frequent periods of long term unemployment, as well as weeks here or there, shifts off here or there, working in extended care home health, where one has a job today, but not tomorrow. I can vouch for the fact that long term unemployment is not a desirable state of affairs. Annual raises in rent alone make that a very uncomfortable position to be in. And a secondary consequence: months or even years of steadier employment do not make up the shortfall as attested by my credit report. I think while this is a good idea in principle, it will not provide practical benefits. People will just find second gigs to make up the difference and get no rest whatsoever.

That was my thinking too! I am a single mother and I couldn't take 3 months off. They offer a stipend but that's to pay for the insurance, so I'm sure it wouldn't leave much, if anything, left over. Then, they say you can pick up shifts if you want, but doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of the program - to give nurses 3 months off to increase retention and decrease burn out? If you're picking up shifts during that time, then what is the purpose of the program? I suppose, they don't expect you to pick up as many shifts as you would normally be working during those 3 months, but without offering some kind of stipend to actually pay bills and live on, most would need to pick up the same amount of shifts or close to it!!

I completely agree that it's a great idea in principle. I also agree that it won't provide any practical benefits because people will need to either pick up the same amount of shifts as they would of worked anyways, or find a second job to make up the difference - Getting absolutely no rest and defeating said purpose of the program!

The only way it would maybe work is if they could provide a stipend to live off of, not just for insurance, and I do NOT see that happening ever!

JKL33 · Jul 13, 2018

Then, they say you can pick up shifts if you want, but doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of the program - to give nurses 3 months off to increase retention and decrease burn out? If you're picking up shifts during that time, then what is the purpose of the program?

That's how you know that isn't actually the purpose of the program.

If census tanks every summer, the purpose of the program is to hire people under terms where that fact is understood and accepted, so that they don't expect to be paid a full wage during the summer.

FloridaBeagle · Jul 13, 2018

I worked at a hospital in FL that had low census in the summer because FL's population plummets in the summer. I was called off about once a week, sometimes TWICE a week (and I only worked 3 shifts a week!) I ran out of PTO quickly. I would have much preferred the option to take the summer off and work elsewhere for a travel assignment or something than try to make ends meet with such limited hours.

Needless to say, I quit that job!

KrCmommy522, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2018

That's how you know that isn't actually the purpose of the program.
If census tanks every summer, the purpose of the program is to hire people under terms where that fact is understood and accepted, so that they don't expect to be paid a full wage during the summer.

Yep!! That makes a whole lot more sense than what they are trying to say the purpose is!!! :sneaky:

KrCmommy522, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2018

I worked at a hospital in FL that had low census in the summer because FL's population plummets in the summer. I was called off about once a week, sometimes TWICE a week (and I only worked 3 shifts a week!) I ran out of PTO quickly. I would have much preferred the option to take the summer off and work elsewhere for a travel assignment or something than try to make ends meet with such limited hours.
Needless to say, I quit that job!

Yes! If they said that they were doing this in the peds unit because of low census and giving people the chance to stay in their unit but work in the summer somewhere else, I would be all for that! But to say it's a chance to help with burn out...I don't see that!

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2018

Gee, I wonder what the Labor Board thought of this practice. At the least, they should have signed letters indicating agreement to defer their wages. Personally, I would have rather put the money in the bank.

This was a hospital that considered all RNs to be salaried, exempt employees. The nurses were considered to have 32 hr/week positions.