I keep getting cancelled.. help :(

PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP · May 9, 2020

All new nurses hired at this hospital are hired per diem? All new grads are hired per diem only? Does not make sense. Go talk to HR, your boss etc.

Heather Danielle · May 9, 2020

@PollywogNP on my unit new nurses are hired per diem, not sure about other units.

RNNPICU, BSN, RN · May 9, 2020

Per diem is an as needed position. Unfortunately staff have priority over per diem workers. Sadly, this is how these positions work. I am not sure why new grads would be hired into this position as typically it is for experienced nurses. Many hospitals are experiencing low census and lower volumes therefore staff are being ATO'd. Hopefully later this Summer volumes will be picking up.

Were you hired for 3- 12 hour shifts? What is your contract?

If it truly is just an as needed position, you may need to look elsewhere.

Hoping you can get some shifts soon.

Take care

PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP · May 9, 2020

Time to find out about “other units “. Go talk to hiring department about your options. Agree it makes no sense to hire new grad as per diem as it will be difficult to become proficient and to monitor progress. So you have no benefits? We’re you offered higher hourly salary then full time?

Heather Danielle · May 9, 2020

@RNNPICU yea, I'm not sure about the other units in my hospital but on the unit I was hired on all new grads start out as per diem and typically can apply for FT or PT around 6 months. I do have a set schedule where my manager gave me 3 days a week, but I have been getting cancelled from those hours this past week. It is just frustrating because in April I was working 3-4 days a week due to a surge of patients but now we suddenly are completely empty so I am first to be cancelled. I am considering looking to transfer departments within my hospital but I have only been on my unit for 4 months and feel that it won't look very good that I am leaving my unit this early on.

@PollywogNP No, I do not have benefits but my pay rate is significantly higher than that of a FT employee. I definitely am considering a departmental transfer within my hospital, I am just worried that being that I have only been on my unit since January it won't look good to other departments that I am transferring out already, plus I still don't have a lot of experience yet as a new nurse

PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP · May 9, 2020

@RNPICU I fully understand what per diem/PRN position means having been float pool, PRN back in the day. Pure nonsense to hire new grad in this role but hey one of my former students was hired in the float pool as a new grad, which was dumb.

RNNPICU, BSN, RN · May 9, 2020

PollywogNP: I agree. I feel for the OP because it really does new grads an injustice.

OP: Check with the guidelines on transfer within the hospital, some are 6 months, some are more. Also, maybe check to see if they need staff on the other units, assuming you have been crosstrained or are units that you would float to.

203bravo, MSN, APRN · May 9, 2020

Also --- when looking into the possibility of a department transfer, just be open and honest with your current manager... Let her know that you simply need to try to find something with a little more guarantee since you have to have some income... any reasonable manager would understand this.

Sour Lemon · May 10, 2020

On 5/9/2020 at 6:47 AM, Heather Danielle said:
Hi everyone, I am currently a newer nurse working on a specialized unit in a hospital. I started working there in January and came off of orientation in March, so I have been on my own for about 1.5 months. Up until now I haven't had any issues with getting cancelled, but I was just called off for my 4th shift in a row today. This is extremely frustrating because a. how am I supposed to gain more nursing experience as a new nurse and b. how am I supposed to have any means of income? It is frustrating because I was hired for per diem on my unit (all new nurses are) so we are the first to get cancelled due to low census. I'm afraid that I'll lose all of my shifts for the upcoming week as well.
Is there anything I can do in this situation? I know I should talk to management about this but in reality there is not much they can do since it is hospital policy to cancel someone if the census is low. Since I have been there only 4 months and this is my first job is it inappropriate to start looking for another one? And given the current crisis we are in I feel that this makes this extra difficult for me to find another position. I really do love my current job and don't want to leave but this lack of hours lately is not okay with me. Anyone who's been in this situation or similar, what did you do? I'm just a baby nurse who really wants to gain valuable nursing experience and a solid income. ? Thanks guys.

I work per diem and was furloughed a few weeks ago. I was also canceled for every shift the month before I was formally furloughed. My hospital is extremely slow, as fear of covid is keeping every non-covid patient away.

Chances are, you're not the only one being canceled. And if your unit is that slow, the other units may be as well. If there are busy units, the full time staff is likely to snap those shifts up (rightfully so). I recommend that you look into unemployment.

As per diem staff, I didn't think I would qualify, but after some thought I applied anyway, because I have no idea how long this slow-down will be for. I was approved for about $25 less than my full-time colleagues were, and I typically only worked one day a week instead of three.

Give it a shot. The worst case scenario is being denied.

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · May 13, 2020

On 5/9/2020 at 9:48 AM, Heather Danielle said:
@PollywogNP No, I do not have benefits but my pay rate is significantly higher than that of a FT employee. I definitely am considering a departmental transfer within my hospital, I am just worried that being that I have only been on my unit since January it won't look good to other departments that I am transferring out already, plus I still don't have a lot of experience yet as a new nurse

And this is the risk of working Per Diem; by definition it is not guaranteed hours and you will always be first to be floated or cut.

Where I work, Full time 0.9 FTE employees have been cut to 0.45 FTE, part time 0.45 FTE employees have been cut to 0.25 FTE employees, and the per diem employees haven't gotten any hours to make way for the full time and part time employees, as it should be.

Likewise, I have many part time employees who work part time hours for the benefits of less holidays/weekends and more flexibility with their scheduling days, but actually work full time hours and sometimes overtime on a consistent basis. Normally, the risk of not getting more than part time hours outweighs the benefits and perks of being a part time FTE. However with our current low census, many of them are financially struggling because of that risk.

allnurses Guide · May 14, 2020

In many to most hospitals around the nation even those in permanent positions are getting called off due to low census. Being per diem just makes you first in line. Their hiring new grads only per diem is a serious diversion from the usual and customary pathway for onboarding a nurse who is new to practice. Unfortunately, with the way things are right now, moving departments is going to be far easier than getting into a new institution due to hiring freezes