low census, cancell that deprives nurses of their livlihooding shifts

ilstu99 · Sep 24, 2008

I am working my 1st job in a community hospital and I got a phone call asking if I wanted to be cancelled and be on re-call. I had no idea what staffing was talking about. Well it seems if the census is low, they call people to cancel them and we have to take vacation time or no pay. They are mandating time off on some floors. I was reading an article from the Mass. nursing association (they help w/unionization) and there take on it was that it is like a "rolling layoff" depriving nurses of their livelihood.
Just wondering if this happens at your facility and what your thoughts are about MNA's view. (our hosp. isn't union)

I think it's a pretty common practice. I've never heard of a hospital that doesn't utilize it by some title or another...."canceled"..."cost-contained"..."unpaid time off/unpaid leave"...whatever.

My department rotates through the staff list, and also gives people the opportunity to sign-up if they would like the day off. I'm not one of those people, and when I get the "day off" call, I call staffing and ask if I can work on a different floor. I also sign-up for overtime when it's available, so I don't have to use vacation time when the census is low. Another option is to work PRN at another facility.

I really don't have an opinion about the union issue. I understood that this was a possibility when I took this job, so I prepare for it. IMO, it's the nature of the beast....feast or famine, whatever. I'm not really keen on paying people for work they aren't actually doing, and transferring that expense to the consumer.....which I am also one of.

Quaffetti · Sep 24, 2008

Our hospital calls it "low census." Fortunately our hospital is usually pretty full so it's rare that it happens, but it does occassionally. Generally they ask for volunteers first, and then if they don't get enough volunteers they do the mandatory call offs.

But they almost always get enough volunteers.

Nurse Salt · Sep 24, 2008

Our union contract has a "no cancellation" policy, but we can volunteer to be canceled if we choose. A friend of mine works at a hospital that cancels by lowest seniority, as a new grad she got canceled 8 out of 12 shifts one month... Not a great way to foster learning or hospital loyalty if you ask me!

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2008

We have a "call-off" policy that states the previous shift will look at our staffing sheet and determine if they have a need for us somewhere...if not, then we are called off in a rounding manner. Whoever is working that has had the longest time between call offs is the winner. Sometimes, we'll say that we'd LIKE to come back in (on the 2nd of 3 days, for example) to ensure continuity of care....doesn't always happen. I'm due off orientation in 2 weeks, and I'll probably get called off my first week....but you save up your earned time to pay for it. It's normal in any hospital...

But the one that calls off by senority is ridicuolous in my opinion....how are you supposed to work?

CHATSDALE · Sep 24, 2008

unfortunately this happens when you need the money the most but it does happen

low census frequently happens around the holifays when people put off elective surgery but it can happen anytime

usually the problem is on the other end of the spectrum, too many patients and too few nurses but putting money away for a lean time is always a good idea

november17, ASN, RN · Sep 24, 2008

I am working my 1st job in a community hospital and I got a phone call asking if I wanted to be cancelled and be on re-call. I had no idea what staffing was talking about. Well it seems if the census is low, they call people to cancel them and we have to take vacation time or no pay. They are mandating time off on some floors. I was reading an article from the Mass. nursing association (they help w/unionization) and there take on it was that it is like a "rolling layoff" depriving nurses of their livelihood.
Just wondering if this happens at your facility and what your thoughts are about MNA's view. (our hosp. isn't union)

It happens at our facility as well. All you have to do is say "no" if you don't want it. As a matter of fact, it happened to me today. When we are "on call" we earn $5 an hour. I simply slept in with the phone next to my head. After I woke up I sat around drinking coffee and reading a book. They never ended up calling and I was on call until 3pm, so that was 8 hours of easy moolah..The rest comes out of my vacation pay but the heck with it, I never put in for vacation time anyways. Gotta use it up somehow! I'm not hurting for money either so I guess earning $5 an hour for a few hours when I could be working doesn't really bother me at all.

And yes, we can get mandated to have time off but that RARELY happens. If no one takes the excused absence and they have extra people the house sup. or NM will find somewhere to put you or something for you to do (like be "chart nazi" for the day...gah)!

lpnflorida · Sep 24, 2008

Yes, being called off happens. Some years more than others. The advice you have been given to try and put some money aside for this a great advice. Try at some point saving some vacation time which can be used on the days you are being called off.

Where I work, this has been happening quite a bit these past few months. Much more than I have seen in the 10 years prior. I see it as part of the difficult economic times everyone if facing nation wide.

If you must seek a prn position in addition to your regular job to supplement your income during the lean times at your regular job.

Our policy at work is, being called off (econ) is rotated based on title and then on who was last to be called off. Worst scenario, called off 3 days in one pay period, ouch it hurt. Other years we have begged to be called off, and it never happening. Just try to prepare as best you can.

OC_An Khe · Sep 24, 2008

I have always thought that the mandatory canceling of shifts is grossly unprofessional and discriminatory to RN's. Ask any professional that works for a salary if they would accept that type of condition to their employment. I think not. Also if the census is low, that means that other areas have less work also. Yet I have never seen other workers (particularly office types) in the hospital being sent home for the shift.

Our union contract specifically curtails this practice and effectually limits it to PRNs and those RN's working an extra shift to fill a staffing hole. If an RN wants to voluntarily take time off/ be placed on call it is by mutual agreement only.

twistedpupchaser · Sep 24, 2008

Wow, what a concept! Where I work we do 8.5 hour shifts and in the past week I have been asked if I will do a "double" every shift. This is the norm for parts of this facility as we are on average 60 full time positions down for Rn's permenently.

To make it even worse, the hospital has been told that the patient/staff ratio's are way too low and need to put more staff on each shift. Thats going to give even more overtime to us the overworked and undervalued. BTW they can't hire nurses quick enough, but with the cost of living here the nursing pay doesn't quite cut it so retention is a huge problem.

As for your problem, some posters have already suggested prn work, in an effort to look inteligent I will suggest prn work. (darn, that inteligent thing just doesn't work for me.)

NeoNurseTX, RN · Sep 24, 2008

Sometimes we get canceled 2x a week, sometimes they're calling us for OT before we can even leave the hospital from our last shift!

BookwormRN · Sep 24, 2008

We can be called off as well, however, the hospital can only "make" you take one full shift of on-call/low census per pay period. If they call you and you've already been called off, you can refuse.

In fact, I requested On-call today due to a low pt census...hope they call me!!! (Ya, I'm one of those who doesn't mind being called off!)