ICU/CCU 12 hour Wages

[MacsMom]

Hello All, I am new to this site, so hopefully I am posting in the correct forum. I am a 12 hour ICU nurse and have been for 7 years. Last week, our hospital approached the nursing staff and has asked us to give up our 12 hour shift differential (an 11% differential) as it is costing them too much money. They are asking us to phase this differential out over the newxt 18 months. Anyone else experiencing pay cuts out there? Of course I am angry and feel very devalued as a nurse so I don't feel like I can see this issue through managements eyes. I feel like with this nationwide nursing shortage they are really hurting themselves with this one, and I believe that if they restructure (as they have "softly" threatened) to all 8 hour shifts that they will need more staff which means mone cash out of pocket for insurance, taxes, etc. I'd love to hear if anyone else out there is experiencing anything similar and what the nursing staffs responses were. Thanks, Monica

[suzanne4, RN]

The facilites that I know of that did this in the past actually offered a raise to the nurses to replace this. It essentially just changed something in the way that they did their books, but an actual paycut? Never. They will have a mass exodus, unless that is what they are trying to do. And could very well be.

[lowski]

I really can't see how that would be even feasible for the Hospital. It would cost more money to staff 8 then it would 12 hours due to the increase in staff it would take to staff the 8.

I've seen facilities ask the staff a preferance of 8 or 12 hours. Oddly enough, they choose 8 every time.

But cost effecient? Very doubtful.

[MacsMom]

suzanne4 and Iowski,

Thanks for your reply. I didn't think about the possibility of the hospital trying to cause a mass exodus-guess new grads really are less expensive than experienced RN's. If that is the case, I feel sorry for the patients and their families for the care or lack of that they will receive. We actually ahve some nurses who have choosen to work 8 hour shifts in our unit, but the majority choose to wlrk 12's. The hospital states that they do not want to do away with 12's, just the differential that goes along with it. Today the union and hospital officials meet again,, can't wait to hear what they come up with.