Mandatory Overtime-- what do you think?

You might look up your state's Department of Labor regulations on this. If you feel that working too many hours may jeopardize your ability to care for your patients safely, you will face the unenviable task of looking for a new job, calling in sick, etc.

Horrible position for them to put you in.

Let us know how it goes.

my hospital recently reinstated mandatory ot after several years without it. now we have so little staff as we are downsizing again, that mandated ot is becoming the norm for filling gaps. you never know if your 8 or 12 hr shift will turn into 16. and then have to come back the next day. for this and many other reasons i would love to drop to 24 hrs a week. but i have to carry the medical insurance which would cost me $250/wk working part time. any comments or ideas? i am exhausted.

i think mandatory overtime stinks and i hate it.

wish i had some good ideas for you, sounds terrible, but 1000/month is steep for health insurance, i know i couldn't afford it.

i would say look for a new job but i know that's easier said than done. can a bunch of staff approach management together about this issue and try to get rid of the mandatory ot, or at least set limits on it?

My suggestion is to try and find a new job if you can.

http://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/workers_rights/Mandatory_OT_FAQ.shtm

This is a link for the NYS dept of labor regs. See if your state has something similar. Call someone at the dept of labor. Y'all may need to band together and get an attorney.

I worked at a hospital in the 80s where we unionized and went on strike over scheduling issues.

If getting a new job is not an option, I would just call in sick when you are run down. Personally I would quit as soon as I could find something else. First, take the other posters suggestions of your state labor board and your state nursing board. It might not be allowed, then you could kindly bring it to their attention (the state I mean). This is a down and dirty fight, let's not pretend that the hospital has your interest in mind at all. How about call the local TV station troubleshooter and anonymously tell them that lives are being put at risk? Good luck.

First check your state labor laws. May be wise to look for a new job.

What do I think of it - the word UNION comes to mind.

I've never worked anywhere that hasn't had mandatory overtime. I got to the point I expected it. We'd take turns, and I would expect it about every other week or so, so when that time was near, I'd come to work prepared.

Where I lived, the law said "no more than 16 hours in 24", but it might go to more than 16, slightly, if someone intense was going on at the end of the 16 that absolutely had to be finished.

I hated it too. It played with my mind and my body didn't like to drive home. I don't know what else a facility can do, though, if there aren't fresh people to fill the void...

What do I think of it - the word UNION comes to mind.

Pretty easy to say if you are in a union, but that is not really an option for those who are not (or do not want to be)

What do I think of it - the word UNION comes to mind.

We do have a union--No mandated OT was one of the things we gave up to avoid a strike. I would have struck for it.

I would not do that. Ever. I would find another job before I let someone tell me I have to work overtime. Sounds like the facility needs to work on training and retaining more nurses, instead of running off the ones they have left.