Mandatory Overtime-- what do you think?

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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.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
I'd just say no.

They unfortunately do not have that option. Thus the term 'mandatory'.

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Specializes in FNP.
They unfortunately do not have that option. Thus the term 'mandatory'.

There are always options. Let the chips fall where they may, I tell my employer when I'll work, not the other way round, lol.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Then in many places with mandatory OT, you will not be working. C'est la Vie.

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Specializes in icu/er.

we have mandatory ot built into our work schedule in the icu and er. we work 7 12hr shift q 2wks. so we get 8hrs ot q pay period. when i first started we had some 8hr shifts, but soon those went by the wayside and the more conventional 12hr shift were started. their rationale was less staff can cover more hrs.

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

My thought exactly!

The other thing that comes to mind is , as in get your own if you don't already have it. Forcing you to work under those conditions could cause a mistake--one for which you could find yourself in need of an attorney!

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We have mandatory OT also where I work. We also have a union. Luckily my turn has never come up. We go by lowest seniority and can only be mandated 4 hours. I think we can only be mandated once in 2 years or something like that. I have been working on days where 2-3nurses have been mandated but not on my floor:) if it was happening all the time I would HATE it. Especially if its like my hospital and you don't find out sometimes until 1.5-2 hours until you are supposed to go home. I have always said if I get mandated and I am supposed to come back that night I WILL call off. I know I cannot physically do it. I get close to falling asleep now on the way home sooooo not safe!!

I am union also. I can be mandated for 4 hours only (I work 12 hour shifts), and only once every 3 months. That's vastly different than being mandated daily or weekly.

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Specializes in MS, OB, PEDI, VNA, TELEM.
I am union also. I can be mandated for 4 hours only (I work 12 hour shifts), and only once every 3 months. That's vastly different than being mandated daily or weekly.

Yes there is no set time period in which you can look forward to not being mandated again. Right now we have 3 travelers working the night shift. They cannot be mandated, nor can per diem staff. It's a small unit with 20 beds.

The only thing keeping me there is 5 weeks vacation per year coming up soon and the $$. Starting over would be difficult. But part time would be heaven!!

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I think that OT pay rocks and I'd scoop up every hour of it that I could... of course, we get paid like crap at my place. My OT hours are the only ones that are competitive wages.

On the other hand, having anything forced upon you sucks.

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Specializes in FNP.
Then in many places with mandatory OT, you will not be working. C'est la Vie.

Ok with me. I work for stimulation and personal satisfaction, not money. I would never allow a job to dictate the rest of my life.

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You should check with your Dept of Labor and see what your state laws are regarding nurses and O/T. The BON could help you as well. Some states have set criteria that needs to be met before mandatory O/T can be put in motion and it is fairly strict. Also, I don't think any state allows you to work more than 16 straight with at least 8 hours off in between shifts. It might even be more than that. Check on that as well.

Pls call out when you are too exhausted to provide safe care. Don't put your license and more importantly your patients at risk. It's not worth it and the hospital will throw you to the wolves if you make an error of consequence.

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Specializes in MPH Student Fall/14, Emergency, Research.

Just wanted to resurrect this thread because I was reading this amazing story about how some Canadian postal workers joined in solidarity against mandatory overtime.

They are unionized, but the issue of mandatory overtime was not on the table for their collective bargaining. So they were essentially acting together without the protection of the union. VERY cool story.

http://recompositionblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/postal-worker-solidarity-defeats-compulsory-overtime/

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Specializes in MS, OB, PEDI, VNA, TELEM.
Just wanted to resurrect this thread because I was reading this amazing story about how some Canadian postal workers joined in solidarity against mandatory overtime.

They are unionized, but the issue of mandatory overtime was not on the table for their collective bargaining. So they were essentially acting together without the protection of the union. VERY cool story.

http://recompositionblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/postal-worker-solidarity-defeats-compulsory-overtime/

Thank you very much for bringing this forward.

I will be passing it on to my fellow union members.

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