Is it typical for per-diem job?

adorblepuppy · Mar 11, 2009

I would be looking for another job.

KMCmom · Mar 12, 2009

Hi adorblepuppy,

Thank you for the reply. Well I was actually thinking the same thing since it happened three days in a row. I worked at a nursing home more than 1 year but this was the first time that I work with the staffing company so I was not sure if I just got unlucky or this canceling thing was a bit too much.

Again thank you for the advice. I'll sure look for another job while I still keep this job for another week or even month and wait to see what's gonna happen.

xoloveinautumn · Mar 12, 2009

I've been called off atleast one day a week for the past 3 weeks.. we are also a smaller hospital

KMCmom · Mar 12, 2009

Hi xoloveinautumn,

Thank you for sharing your experience. It just updated four days in a row since my shift got canceled again today.

I guess per-diem and/or staffing jobs are slow right now but being canceled four days in a row seems a bit ridiculous...

xoloveinautumn · Mar 12, 2009

Yes four days is a bit ridiculous

the most I've been called off is i think 2 days in a row..

I've been pretty poor lately!

KMCmom · Mar 12, 2009

Thanks for the comment again. Yeah, I was happy that they gave me the shifts but never expected this.. If I had known that my shifts would be canceld so often, I would not have accepted the shifts. Every day I wake up 4 in the morning, call the staffing company "to confirm", and hear "they canceled your shift". I'm getting tired of this..

Good luck on your work! Hope you won't be called off as often as me. :) I'll keep looking another job.

asun21ta · Mar 12, 2009

Normally, the agency calls the cna's/nurses if a shift has been cancelled. Oh well, whatever works! I worked for a staffing agency, and sometimes a shift would be cancelled, but never 4 days in a row. Seems like their work load is either slow or unreliable. You can't get ahead with jobs like this-especially if you need the money and this is your only source of income. I would start searching for another job. The next time you wake up at 4am to find you've been cancelled, reset your alarm clock for 8am. Then go look for a new job. IMO:D

xoloveinautumn · Mar 12, 2009

Yep again this week for me

I got called off sunday and today

I wonder if its like this everywhere?

asun21ta · Mar 12, 2009

Yep again this week for me
I got called off sunday and today
I wonder if its like this everywhere?

Yes, I think other places people are facing a similar fate. A old co-worker of mine mentioned that her LTC had funding cut backs, so guess what? 1 CNA and 1 Nurse from each shift were laid off. (They did it secretly, basically getting rid of the newest people they hired) So instead of being fully staffed, they are understaffed daily. Mind you, even at full staff, it wasn't enough help. It's not like this everywhere, but everyone is feeling the crunch a little bit. Keep your options open. I wouldn't recommend quitting completely, but I would have something else to fall back on.:wink2:

dblpn · Mar 13, 2009

Hi All,
I recently got a job as a per-diem CNA at one of the healthcare staffing companies. After the interview/orientation, they gave me some shifts ( 5 days a week, 8 hour shifts) but they've canceled my shift three days in a row. When I call them the day before and confirm my schedule, they tell me that no change has been made. However when I call them a few hours before my shift starts, they tell me that my shift got canceled.
I'm just curious if it happens sometimes. I would not be so worried if it happens once in a while, but since it happens three days in a row now, I'm getting a bit nervous. Please give me any info/thoughts/ about this. Thank you.

this happens ALL the time with stafing agencies. i've worked for three of them and most of my shifts were cancelled. i would get booked for a full week and everyday those shifts were cancelled. i couldn't make a living that way so i went perdiem at a hospital and part-time at another. with the way the economy is going healthcare facilities arent using agency nurses and especially cna's. my cousin is an rn at a hospital and they never use agency. they would make nurses do primary care or use their own perdiem staff to fill in. so if i were you i would really look into something more solid than an agency.

KMCmom · Mar 13, 2009

Hi asun21ta, xoloveinautumn, and BeeNursey10

Thank you for the comments. :bow: Just talking with you guys here makes me feel better. I would be more frustrated if I did not. The staffing agency seemed legitimate but unfortunately that's what happens in some staffing agency and also with this economy their workload must be slower than usual. Oh well..

this happens ALL the time with stafing agencies. i've worked for three of them and most of my shifts were cancelled. i would get booked for a full week and everyday those shifts were cancelled.

I feel a bit relieved after reading your post because now I know there are some others who have the same kind of experiences as me. Thank you.

Yep again this week for me

The next time you wake up at 4am to find you've been cancelled, reset your alarm clock for 8am. Then go look for a new job. IMO:D

You know my shift was cancelled again today. It means I got called off all of my shifts for this week. As you guys said, I cannot definitely keep counting on this job only and I think it's time to start looking for another job more seriously. :) Again thank you guys!!