Mandatory

[runner502]

I just found out that my hospital in Florida is requiring mandatory to for nurses and pct. My director said all hospitals are doing this across the country. Are others dealing with this and is there anyway to protest this in the state of Florida or are we basically at the mercy of "management". I have a chronic condition which is challenging enough working 3, 13-14 hour days each week. We are constantly understaffed, without functioning equipment and we are forced to take whatever ER patient they decide to admit. I love caring for patients, but if things continue the way they are, they are going to lose a lot of nurses.

[londonflo]

On 7/30/2020 at 9:02 AM, runner502 said:

Sorry I meant mandatory overtime! I had just finished working 14 hours! LOL

This is not an LOL. What did you do/read/write the last 2 hours/

[runner502]

1 hour ago, londonflo said:

This is not an LOL. What did you do/read/write the last 2 hours/

My original post is what I was commenting about. My point was that I was tired when I posted it and saw that I left out the word overtime. I was laughing at myself for not noticing earlier. Not sure what your comment is supposed to mean?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 8/2/2020 at 12:22 AM, areason4stars said:

If you have worked there for at least a year you are eligible for FMLA which is up to 12 weeks off with the guarantee that your job will be there for you when you come back. BUT I thought you could only use FMLA for a medical issue with yourself or of a medical issue with someone in your immediate family ( that you would have to care for) So I believe you would need some sort of Doctors note to be protected under the FMLA....Definitely ask HR.

Google it first. To be fore warned is to be fore armed.

Don't ever trust HR farther than you can throw them. They are not your friend. Their goal is to protect the employer.

There is intermittent FMLA that you can use intermittently.

Not to be nosy and you don't have to answer, but what is your medical issue? PM me if you prefer.

Working under the conditions you describe is ridiculous. Especially the part about lack of adequate helpers and working equipment.

I wish you the best.

I guess you could try just saying no. Nicely. Not too apologetically. Just say you are exhausted and need the rest.

Maybe you could work part of a 13 or 14 hour shift.

[runner502]

Thanks for the support. Believe me I know HR is not my friend! I am probably going to wait it out and see if this is really just temporary. But, if it continues and the working conditions don't change I will probably start looking for another place to work.

[Wuzzie]

2 minutes ago, runner502 said:

I am probably going to wait it out and see if this is really just temporary. But, if it continues and the working conditions don't change I will probably start looking for another place to work.

Really reasonable thing to do. I've learned along the way that this is almost always the best course of action. I still have my initial freak out but then I get it together and see what really happens.?

[runner502]

That sounds exactly like me! I have learned the hard way over the years that it's better to think things through before reacting. I am sure they will not be able to keep this up for long because they are losing staff either they quit or they are getting sick or injured.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

On 8/5/2020 at 8:34 AM, runner502 said:

That sounds exactly like me! I have learned the hard way over the years that it's better to think things through before reacting. I am sure they will not be able to keep this up for long because they are losing staff either they quit or they are getting sick or injured.

That is exactly the vicious circle they create. One or two people quit, giving adequate notice to be replaced and yet they are not so the mandatory OT to fill those holes starts. Then staff that keeps getting mandated to stay gets sick of it and quits, or just plain gets sick so more people are mandated to fill more holes. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Once that cycle starts it gets even harder to hire the badly needed new staff as that reputation does get around. So then in desperation they start raising starting wages and offering bonuses to get people in the door.

Meanwhile they give the staff that have stayed through all the staffing BS nothing so even more staff and this time it's the experienced staff find other options where they are the ones getting the hiring bonuses and higher pay. This results in the place being mostly staffed with the newer hires which of course creates a whole new set of problems.

Can you tell I've been there, done that? I left a job of 25 years and that exact situation is a big part of the reason I finally left.