On Call time

[Nurse Carla, RN]

Maybe it's different for different places but does 30 minute call time mean in the OR and ready for the patient within 30 minutes?  Or does it mean you have to live within a 30 minute radius of the hospital?  I live 12 minutes away but can't be parked, dressed, and ready in the OR in 30 minutes. 

[NurseCDT, MSN]

In my experience it means you live 30 min from hospital, or you have 30 min to get there. There is no way you could require someone to get the call and be ready to go within 30 min unless you have call rooms in the hospital where staff are required to stay while they are on call.  It's facility by facility so it's best to check the hospitals individual policies. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Of the places I've worked with call requirements, one was ready to receive the patient within 30 minutes and one was clocked in by 30 minutes. Yes, there are call rooms available. 

You'd still need to check specifics for your facility. 

[Nurse Carla, RN]

NurseCDT said:

In my experience it means you live 30 min from hospital, or you have 30 min to get there. There is no way you could require someone to get the call and be ready to go within 30 min unless you have call rooms in the hospital where staff are required to stay while they are on call.  It's facility by facility so it's best to check the hospitals individual policies. 

Thank you!  I know for a fact that we don't have call rooms for the staff to stay in.  During my interview I mentioned that I live 20 minutes away and they were OK with that.  My mind is just running crazy with all these questions but I'll get them all answered for sure on Monday when I start my first day of Circulator training! 

[Nurse Carla, RN]

Rose_Queen said:

Of the places I've worked with call requirements, one was ready to receive the patient within 30 minutes and one was clocked in by 30 minutes. Yes, there are call rooms available. 

You'd still need to check specifics for your facility. 

Thanks!