Overtime for PCA's/PCTs in hospital setting?

[PVCCHoo]

I know this will vary greatly, but is OT generally available for a PCA/PCT working in a large teaching hospital?

Thinking about applying for a job at one after my first semester of nursing school when I would be qualified for the position, but working only three 12 hour shifts at just 12 bucks an hour is not gonna make ends meet for me. Not trying to go crazy since I will be in school FT, but looking to maybe pick up an extra shift every week or two.

Is that even possible usually?

Thanks

[cdsavannah59, CNA]

Where I work they are very strict about scheduled hours and clocking out on time, but the hospital I work at is not a teaching hospital. There are 2 techs on my day shifts, one of us works three days and the other works three days, no PCT's on a Sunday. So there is no extra time to pick up, if one of us is absent, then they do without a PCT for the day.

[Stephalump]

I could work 7 days a week at my hospital if I wanted to - but I don't.

Even if our shifts were all covered, we can float to fill spots on other floors.

[cdsavannah59, CNA]

I need to correct my post, we can float to another floor, to get extra time but must bid for it ahead of time. PCT's that I work with on my floor have scheduled department hours and can only schedule the allowed hours per week on our floor. We work with new moms and newborns so they don't use PCT's from other floors if short on PCT help unless it is from L&D

[CowboyMedic, DNP, APRN, CRNA]

We schedule our own shifts for 36 hrs, 3 12's, a week. The if there are holes in the schedule we can sign up for them. I normally work 48 hrs a week. We get OT after 40 and a shift bonus for picking up the shift. We can also pick up shifts as sitters for psych pts or others areas within the hospital. I stay in the ER for all my shifts.

[Nalon1 RN/EMT-P, BSN, RN]

Your not going to get the answer you need here, it varies from facility to facility (and even department to department within the facility).

Your employer may be short an employee and you can pick up shifts, then they hire someone and then no OT.

Do not ever depend on OT to make your ends meet. It can help, but it will not always be there.

[PVCCHoo]

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely need to talk with some folks at the specific facility. I know a few who have done it.

I think I could manage on the base salary, but it would mean a severe tightening of the belt for a year or so.