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Our on call is less; as in, we work 36 hours a week and if we get 12 hrs of on call we only physically work 24 hrs. In California you can not be forced to work overtime, although some people with unions do. Surgery is the only dept that requires on call, but you know when you sign up for that position; at least in my hospital.
Where I work in L&D we are required to sign up for 16-20 hours of call in a 6 wk period. Right now, we have several nurses off (post-op, maternity leave...), so they are posting additional hours that we can either sign up to work or call. Would love not to HAVE to take call, but I understand it because L&D census is so unpredictable.
We are required to take call 4 hours before and 4 hours after our call shift. If you are working a 12 hour shift, then the call is either before or after. We don't have a set number of hours, but I worked 0.8 and usually had call 2-3 times a pattern. Call SUCKS. And the staffing office seems to view our call nurse as the remedy for all staffing issues. You call and tell them you need more help for the next shift, and they say, "Well, keep your call nurse." NO, they are for emergencies, not for issues we might have a chance to remedy!
They just increased our call from 24 to 36 hours in a four week period. Everyone is so burnt out! We are short staffed and frequently have call offs. The call nurse is supposed to just be for c-sections but is so frequently being used for understaffing that you're almost guaranteed to get called in.
mombabyRN96
30 Posts
We now have to pick up 30 hours of on-call requirements every 4 weeks! I was wondering if other people have this crazy requirement. We are short staffed so we know that when we are on call that we will be working. I think that 36 hours a week is enough work for me....after all i do have a life and a family too! I am thinking about just leaving mother/baby for good!