I'm so upset! (warning-long)

Nurses General Nursing

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You work in CA on a med/surg unit and don't follow the 5:1 ratio law? My understanding is the ratio stands no matter what time it is.

If you are on-call then it unfortunately isn't really a day off.

Your schedule stinks and I would definitely try to work it out with the managers and other nurses and if it isn't fixed, I would look for another job.

I am very curious about the ratio though.

Sorry for your hard evening.

steph

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

We don't have an on-call system, but the few times I have done it, like Steph. said I don't think of it as "it's not my weekend to work" but as a day for me to work and not a day off. That way if I get called in I don't get upset. But I would be upset for being called in unnecessarily. That happened to me once too, I was called in and had four patients, when our ratio is 6 and everyone could have had six without me. :(

Are the ratio's so high because you consider the charge without patients is considered a RN that brings the ratio down to the law?

I would talk to the manager and wonder why you were called in where there are occasions when the same situation occurs that others aren't called in.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Basically there has been a run of call outs from nurses over the past few months...and so far every single time Ive been on call I've been called in. This REALLY pisses me off, because these "on call" days are MY DAY OFF! I NEED MY DAYS OFF BEFORE I EXPLODE FROM STRESS!!!! This is MANDATORY OVERTIME, and I don't care for it! I don't care about the extra money, I just need my day off for my own sanity. I deserve it. I work over my time ALL the time giving report and what not, and its a miracle if I ever REALLY take a full lunch. So give me a freaking day off already....Anyway, I digress...

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Just a though, but maybe these other nurses are calling in because that's the only way to get time off (if they're doing as much on-call time as you). You may have to call in on one of your scheduled days to get time off, too- at least to get some kind of break. At any rate, if this is how things are on your floor, it seems like this system is not working. I'd be ticked about not getting on-call pay, too.

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Specializes in pediatrics.

I am suprised that occurs in California (thought they legislated against that). At the hospital I work at, we have mandatory on call (sign up for call one shift each four week schedule period). I have to say I have mixed feelings:

1) I have worked in facilities without call, Every week as charge I had to call employees asking if someone would come in and work. Typically, staff either felt guilted into coming in or they had got to the point they would not even answer the phone. They and I got burned out from constatntly being called to ask to work. I have not had to do that routine even once at the "on-call" facility.

2)You are paid for your on-call time (not much $2 an hour is about standard). Like everyone else I assume I am coming in to work -- always susprised if I don't . Doesn't bother me much because I worked an 84 (7 - 12 hour shifts instead of 6 per pay period) hour schedule for years so it doesn't feel like overtime to me.

3) I have noticed that the facility with "on-call" does not keep as large a pool staff as the facilities that do not do "on-call".

4) So I go in, and every nurse has 5 patients, 1 nurse has 4, and we have 2 clinical associates! (And no, they did not give me, the ON CALL person the 4 patients!..sorry but I think I should be treated a little better, since I was the one who got called in...) SO basically, if I hadn't been there, every nurse would have had 6 patients....BELOW THE MAX WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE! (just an aside, It seems having 4 would put you up for the first admit, I would much rather have started out with 5. I never put float staff in that position, I always started them with a full assignment so they would not have to do an admissinon. I wonder if your charge was thinking the same way.)

Anyway, I wonder if the "on-call" facility is as budget minded as the non "on-call" facilities are because they rely on system that is dependent on overtime. You typically avoid overtime whenever reasonably possible. Pool staff is used before overtime staff and no overtime staff comes in unless patient acuity and/or "numbers" truly reflect a need. I am more suprised that you get called in and paid overtime when clearly you were not deperately needed in staffing. Your manager needs to address with your charge nurses that on-call staff are used only after consideration is given to what is essentially needed and not so they can merely be "comfortable".

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That really stinks! Our unit is considering mandatory on call also. We will be paid $1.25/hour! I would rather have the time off, than this token pay. A cheap way for the hospital to get around paying a pool, or agency nurse- abuse the ol' loyal nurse. This is a 'day off' where you can't leave your house, bake a cake or plan a nice meal, babysit any kiddos, see a movie, go grocery shopping, or much anything else, because you have to be ready to leave at a moments notice. Held prisoner in your own home, for little or nothing.

We have got to get together as nurses to stop this. It is occurring more and more often at many hospitals, so soon there may not be anywhere you can go that won't have this ridiculous policy.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

What happens if you say NO you can't come in?

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You work in CA on a med/surg unit and don't follow the 5:1 ratio law? My understanding is the ratio stands no matter what time it is.

If you are on-call then it unfortunately isn't really a day off.

Your schedule stinks and I would definitely try to work it out with the managers and other nurses and if it isn't fixed, I would look for another job.

I am very curious about the ratio though.

Sorry for your hard evening.

steph

No I'm not in CA, I'm on the east coast

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What happens if you say NO you can't come in?

I'll get fired? Or at least severly reprimanded, maybe suspended from work. Yes I am mandated to sign up for 2 on calls, but this is a day I chose. And it in the schedule for weeks. Its not like I can say "oops, I forgot, I can't come in"...they will KILL me! Ugh, this job is killing me....

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I'd look for another job.

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No I'm not in CA, I'm on the east coast

Oh . . . sorry, I looked at your screen name and thought you lived in So. Cal.

I agree with the others who said find a new job then . ..

Tweety - here in CA the charge nurse cannot be considered as part of the ratio as a way to meet the ratio law.

steph

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Just a though, but maybe these other nurses are calling in because that's the only way to get time off (if they're doing as much on-call time as you). You may have to call in on one of your scheduled days to get time off, too- at least to get some kind of break. At any rate, if this is how things are on your floor, it seems like this system is not working. I'd be ticked about not getting on-call pay, too.

:yeahthat: :yeahthat:

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