Low Census and on call

uscstu4lfe · Nov 7, 2008

i would tell them to go fly a kite and find a new job. if i'm called off, i'm not waiting around the phone to possibly get called back. i don't have the patience, i'm not paid enough, and it's not my problem

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

when we get called off for low census,there are 2 designations........available and not needed. the available person runs the risk of being called in for any unit in the hospital while the not needed person is free as a bird and can't be called back in. obviously, census must be low all over and a certain amount of people must be put on available .........just in case.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 7, 2008

I would talk to the Chief Nursing Officer and explain this policy deprives you of an income and if you are forced to make a decision you will have to leave. Do it in a professional manner and maybe everyone can find a workable solution. I agree. You should not be obligated unless THEY obligate themselves to pay you full pay for being at home.

lindarn · Nov 7, 2008

I would talk to the Chief Nursing Officer and explain this policy deprives you of an income and if you are forced to make a decision you will have to leave. Do it in a professional manner and maybe everyone can find a workable solution. I agree. You should not be obligated unless THEY obligate themselves to pay you full pay for being at home.

I agree fully. They want you to be on call for THEIR CONVENIENCE, but do not want to pay for it. Ask the doctors if they would work on call for free, at the hospital's beck and call. If they want you to be their at the drop of a hat, after they made you take a low census day, then you are free to use the time as you see fit. Including abtaining work some place else. Period. JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

Our NM decided to post a new policy. If you get called off for low census you must be on call and be able to be at work within 45 minutes. Now, when I get called off, I don't want to use all my PTO. I go work another unit or my agency job. I tried explaining to him that this just isn't fair. But he said if I get called off for low census and then get called into work and am not available I will be written up. How do your units handle this?

The last facility where I worked had this type of ''on call'' policy, but you had to be there in 30 minutes. The real kicker was that you were required to be o/c for the whole 12 hour shift but with NO on call pay at all, even though all the other departments, medical records, CT, and the like.

It sucked, excuse my language.

Anne, RNC :down: :down:

Tait, MSN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

I worked 11p-7a at a small rural hospital out of college. I would generally be on call at least 1-2 of my shifts per week.

$2.00 an hour to sit there and wait, and were always had the chance of getting called in. (We could use PTO, but then I don't think you got the $2.oo and hour, can't remember.)

I don't miss on call at all.

I understand them wanting someone to be available, but I think they need to be willing to pay for it. Even paying someone $10 an hour to be home is better than paying to be overstaffed.

I don't know, sounds like a crock to me.

Tait

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

I don't like the idea that a staffing policy can be so greatly changed from what you signed on for, but I realize it happens.

I would, like another person posted, explain to The Powers That Be that if you commit to being on shift, then you will be there. If the staffing office feels they do not need you and calls you off, then your committment ends.

If you are called off and can make $$ elsewhere (where, presumably, you ARE needed) then that should be the end of it. If they want to pay you to sit by the phone IN CASE you are needed, then you might have to accept that arrangement as it's fairly common. You just have to decide if you can afford the call off-on call pay.

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Nov 7, 2008

The last place I worked did this. They would call at 1730 and tell you to stay home, but they wanted you to call back at 2130 to see if they needed you then, and then after that be "available" to come in when needed for the rest of the shift. No on call pay at all. After enough people complained to HR about this they had to stop.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

One more note: sometimes my facility will do the "you're off, but call later" thing. My answer is "if you call me off...I'm OFF. If you want a 'just in case' by the phone, I'll be in for my shift as usual, and you can call someone else off."

I'd rather use my personal time for when *I* want it off, thanks. And when they do call me off, they know they won't be speaking to me again that day

ShayRN · Nov 7, 2008

Thank you all for your replies. I did tell NM that if I was called off, I wouldn't be available to work. He didn't like it and I am sure if it happens I will be written up. I am at a loss. I love the work I do, I love my co-workers but my boss is a real piece of work. When I spoke up at the last staff meeting about the new policy the head of the company was there and said "well you will be getting paid on call pay" My reply was "Yeah, ok, 2.00 an hour, are you kidding?" So I guess when they call me off I will have to remind them that I will not be available that night because I will be picking up elsewhere. They can like it or not, I don't really care.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Nov 7, 2008

Our NM decided to post a new policy. If you get called off for low census you must be on call and be able to be at work within 45 minutes. Now, when I get called off, I don't want to use all my PTO. I go work another unit or my agency job. I tried explaining to him that this just isn't fair. But he said if I get called off for low census and then get called into work and am not available I will be written up. How do your units handle this?

If I'm called off then called BACK in to work (I do nights), there is no way I can wake back up and get to work w/in 45 minutes without wearing PJs still...