how long does it take you to leave work

Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

...seriously?

Up until a few months ago, that's how they were doing it here too. I'm not really sure why they changed it, but now they pay us down to the minute. Budget, I guess. We are cutting back because of that a LOT lately.

yousoldtheworld · Apr 18, 2011

Up until a few months ago, that's how they were doing it here too. I'm not really sure why they changed it, but now they pay us down to the minute. Budget, I guess. We are cutting back because of that a LOT lately.

That's how they do it where I work, too...but I think fuzzy's "seriously?" was more in response to the idea that, with as hard as we work for such low pay, getting paid for an extra 7 minutes is unethical. I think.

I personally have no issue clocking out if I get done a couple of minutes before ten/six.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Apr 18, 2011

Yeah, I said that because I couldn't believe this person thinks it's "unethical" to get paid for an extra 7 minutes. Every place that I have ever worked, healthcare or not, rounds off to the nearest 15 minutes. If the facility ALLOWS it, then how is it unethical? You are not cheating them.

JDZ344 · Apr 18, 2011

The evening shift is most often when I am out late. If I have started a task, I finish it before I go, if I can. But I wil hand over something that is likely to take a long time to finish.

bhanson · Apr 19, 2011

Yeah, I said that because I couldn't believe this person thinks it's "unethical" to get paid for an extra 7 minutes. Every place that I have ever worked, healthcare or not, rounds off to the nearest 15 minutes. If the facility ALLOWS it, then how is it unethical? You are not cheating them.

How is it not cheating them?

Here's a standard "round to the nearest 15 minutes" time clock schedule:

Key:

:08-22 = :15

:23-37 = :30

:38-52 = :45

:53-07 = :00

Optimal clock-in time is at :22, :37, :52, :07.

Optimal clock-out time is at :08, :23, :38, :53.

If you are required to clock out for lunch and do it "optimally" you will get paid for 28 minutes of work you didn't do. In fact, there could be as much as a 56 minute difference in actual work done but be paid the exact same amount.

I don't have a problem getting paid more/less than your actual work as far as variance goes, but I do think if you consciously manipulate the system every single day that it's a bit sketchy.

yousoldtheworld · Apr 19, 2011

But there is a difference between making an evil cackle and furrowed brow, saying "I'LL SHOW THEM!" and clocking out not one minute before or after that 7 minute window, and, you know, leaving when you're done.

The people I work with who do make sure to clock out exactly on the hour stand around waiting for that hour mark to hit, so what's the difference? They're paying you the same for the same amount of work, anyway.

bhanson · Apr 19, 2011

But there is a difference between making an evil cackle and furrowed brow, saying "I'LL SHOW THEM!" and clocking out not one minute before or after that 7 minute window, and, you know, leaving when you're done.
The people I work with who do make sure to clock out exactly on the hour stand around waiting for that hour mark to hit, so what's the difference? They're paying you the same for the same amount of work, anyway.

What I actually see is people standing around in the break room doing nothing waiting for :08 to roll around. They will ignore call lights during this time and zoom out as soon as the time system will accept their punch and give them credit for :15. I don't have a problem with "leaving when you're done" but the point of the half hour overlap between shifts is to ensure a smooth shift change. Even if your work is done they're paying you to be "available" until :15.

yousoldtheworld · Apr 19, 2011

Fortunately I see none of that at my facility, everyone's pretty much ready to leave as soon as they can. We also do not have a half hour overlap, and our rule as that we are allowed to leave as soon as our replacement arrives. We don't have call lights, so if my work is done and my replacement is there, I clock out and go home if it is within the allotted "acceptable" time.

NiquiCNA · Apr 19, 2011

How is clocking out at 7:08 unethical? ROFL. Seriously.. if I clock in at 18:38 (which I do) I dont get paid any extra than clocking in at 18:45? So.. is that unethical of them?

Its a 24 hour job for a reason..

bhanson · Apr 19, 2011

7:08 am I leave.. Gives me the extra fifteen minutes since shift is 1845-0715

How is clocking out at 7:08 unethical? ROFL. Seriously.. if I clock in at 18:38 (which I do) I dont get paid any extra than clocking in at 18:45? So.. is that unethical of them?
Its a 24 hour job for a reason..

You're taking a sentence, ripping it completely out of context, and then ignoring everything else and in the process completely missing the point. If you re-read my posts it is clear that the negative overtone is explicitly directed towards those that clock-out at an optimal time primarily for their own benefit, I make no claim of hostility towards incidental time-clock transactions.

My overarching point had been left for implication but let me clarify it directly. As a member of the healthcare team you are entrusted with the responsibility for the well-being of your clients. Everything we do should be client-focused and we must look out for their interests. Although we do shift-work, due to the highly dynamic environment we operate in it is not reasonable to expect to be able to leave on-time every day while keeping the client as a priority. Some days the acuity level may be higher across the entire unit and it may require the entire team to work over in order to keep the level of care at expectation. I believe this extra work is at expectation and is even required to maintain a client-focused experience.

This reminds me of positive vs negative feedback systems. Working extra on busy days seems analogous to negative feedback while leaving tasks for the next shift seems to mimic positive feedback. Appropriately regulating the workload overflow shift-by-shift will keep the unit as close to homeostasis as possible, maximizing client care.

Either way, I think time systems rounding to 15 minutes is less than ideal and they should all be migrated to something precise at least to the minute.

DreamyEyes · Apr 19, 2011

I work 11p-7a, and I almost always leave right at 7am.. depends how the morning is and who's coming in on day shift. We're not supposed to clock out 7 minutes earlier or 7 minutes later.. some days I leave as early as 6:55 if my relief is there, especially if I have class that morning.

IHeartPeds87 · Apr 21, 2011

My shift goes until 7:15 and I never leave earlier than 7:15. I can technically clock out at 7:08 and it goes into the time system as 7:15, but that seems unethical.
On busy days I'll stay until everything reasonable is done, sometimes it will be until 9:00 and I have no problem with that. This isn't a job where you can always leave exactly on time, it's not like at a grocery store where the result is someone waiting in line longer. In this environment leaving on time may mean someone spends another 30 minutes laying in feces which turns into skin breakdown which turns into a nosocomial infection.
On the particularly busy days it is even more important for the entire team to pitch in a little extra to make sure everyone is getting the care they deserve. If you are behind and you leave your work for the next shift then they have absolutely no chance of getting caught up, probably causing more work for you on your next shift. The people who end up losing the most in this situation is the patient. What type of care would you expect if your mother was the one in that bed?
I leave when it is safe and ethical for me to do so, whether it be 7:15 or 11:15.

I understand what you are saying. It is because of this that I will often stay after my shift if necessary. I usually get done within a half hour of my technical time to be done.

It is great to leave when it is safe and ethical to do so, and as I said i'm not going to be a sticker for 15-30 minutes here or there. But still, I have a life. And while I try not to schedule things very near to the end of a worktime, it isn't always possible. I don't think it's fair that if your shift is scheduled to end at 7:15, you should have NOTHING planned in your personal life till 11:15 or later. That just isn't right. As another poster stated, this is a 24 hour job. There is ALWAYS something you could do. You cannot run the place/help the patient/etc 'enough.' It is NEVER done. We really do not get paid enough for the level of expectations there are placed on us.

I work home health, so I do not leave until my client is in a stable position (sitting or lying down) and dry. Typically, I can get out on time but there have been MANY times where I haven't been able to clock out until a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes later. Again, i'm not going to leave my client in an unstable position, mainly because on one of my shifts, there is no one that comes in after me for 4 hours. But another shift that I work, I leave as my coworker comes in and I will not necessarily 'get everything done' and will clock out on time.

If I was repeatedly staying beyond a half hour of my official time to leave, I would talk to my supervisor about it. I have a life outside of my work, and I'm a little tired of feeling guilty about having it!