Nurses working overtime

[Brian]

It seems nurses are working more and more these days. Instead of hiring they just give you more hours.

Do you think you spend too much time at work? On average, how many hours do you work per week?

Please share this with friends and post your comments below!

[Music in My Heart]

The only time I get paid a competitive wage is when I'm going off at time-and-a-half. I grab all the OT that comes available.

[shleyyy87]

I am an RN Supervisor at a LTC Facility. I usually average about 45-50 hours/ week... Feels like a lot more considering I kick out 32-34 hours of that within a 48 hour period!! Every weekend 16 hour shifts both days... Thumbs down!

[kellenl]

Depending on the rules and regulations of the facilities, most LPN's in the ER and OR setting report directly to the medical director and not a RN.

Before leaving the hospital setting I was an OR nurse and we did not have on single RN. We had an APN that did the pharmacotherapy for the MAC and pre op medications but LPN and PA's did everything else. Lindarn sounds like you have major RN-itis.

[kellenl]

I take PRN OR/ER call for a local hospital, and I am an LPN.

We get a flat rate a day to hold the pager, $100 a day then $56 an hour if you get called in.

In Arkansas LPN's can do everything RN's can do. We can hang blood, hang chemo, administer IV

sedation and they pay difference is essentially none-less than 1 dollar an hour.

[britt314]

Does anyone feel that if you say no to overtime enough times, that they will eventually stop calling? or is more of a you can count on them calling everyday your off no matter how many times you your employer you will not work that day? I am just curious, and am still in nursing school.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Does anyone feel that if you say no to overtime enough times, that they will eventually stop calling? or is more of a you can count on them calling everyday your off no matter how many times you your employer you will not work that day? I am just curious, and am still in nursing school.

*** Eventualy those who say yes most often will get called first. However if they are not available then the caller will go right down the list.

I think a nurse should NEVER actually say no to over time. I set my cell phone up with a special ring for the hospitals number. When they call if I don't want to do OT I simply do not answer the phone. If you don't have a cell then screen your calls with an answering machine. My advice is to never answer the phone when your employer calls unless you already know you will do the OT. I think it's important to make it clear that I am not at their beck and call.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

many years ago I lived near a hospital where nurses were bringing RV's to work and parking them, with permission, in the back parking lot. It all came to a screeching halt when someone reported they were prostituting as well. Talk about taking care of family needs!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

many years ago I lived near a hospital where nurses were bringing RV's to work and parking them, with permission, in the back parking lot. It all came to a screeching halt when someone reported they were prostituting as well. Talk about taking care of family needs!

*** I woulnd't be surpuised if that was true. My wife is a social worker and has many prostitutes and strippers as clients. An amazing number express a desire to become RNs and quite a few claim to be in school for nursing.

[mmm333, LVN]

I have come to the realization that in nursing. Nobody appreciates you working overtime. They appreciate perfection in your work product. They will not think back when you make a mistake and say "this nurse always jumped in to cover a shift or work a double when we were short, never said no, did 5 doubles in a month, did this stuff as a new/novice nurse, was a superhero and mentor to new nurses, etc". Managers don't remember how fatigue impacts a nurse's performance and efficiency. So as thanks for your contributions, you'll end up getting hounded about overtime, written up like anyone else for a med error (as it should be), and possibly fall out of favor and be (wrongly) cast as a bad nurse- when in reality you are simply burned out or fatigued. They may decide to get rid of you rather than let you take some time off. If you can work all those shifts and be a perfect nurse, than more power to you! I found out that it's not worth the impact it can have on patient care and possibly one's job security. Just do your job and do it well especially in an environment that has been really fast-paced and crazy lately like my area. For me, one extra shift per month is about all I want to do, and no doubles for now. Once I have more experience I might do more, maybe even a couple months from now. But right now, I'm focusing on providing top-quality nursing care.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

a this level yesterday i worked a whole shift overtime, in most facilities unlike staff nurses, upper management gets paid a set salary therefore, is up to you to schedule yourself in accordance with your workload. needless to say, this will allow me an extra day off sometime in the near future

[wooh, BSN, RN]

many years ago I lived near a hospital where nurses were bringing RV's to work and parking them, with permission, in the back parking lot. It all came to a screeching halt when someone reported they were prostituting as well. Talk about taking care of family needs!

These days they'd probably promote you if they found out you were prostituting, as you're apparently willing to do whatever it takes for customer service scores!

[kjnsweets]

I'm reading these posts... To the one that is working in ER playing on the computer....I wouldn't say that in a public forum