Overtime

For RNs, 16 hours is the longest time allowed in my hospital system.

I have *very* often worked doubles, even back to back. I have worked as an agency nurse w/the same schedule experience; doubles back to back. It was a great way to work my full time hours in very little time space and/or accumulate hours to qualify for OT rate...of course those were the days when I didn't have any children! LOL! Wouldn't think of doing it now; I have a 2yo and 4 yo.

The longest I have worked is 16 hours. At my hospital you do not have to work 40 hours to receive OT, if you come in to work extra hours while they are short, you receive time and a half. If you have 40 hours in, then you would receive double time.

Lisa :)

I'm still a student but it ALL of my previous jobs I have worked lots of OT. I know there seems to be a nursing shortage and I'm assuming that OT is pretty easy to get. Is that correct? I'm hoping to be going into ICU after I graduate and wondering about OT. I actually like to work some OT....I don't wanna work 7 days a week...but I have normally, when not in school, worked 60 an average of 60 hours a week. Is it very hard for a new grad to get OT? I guess I mean, do you have to be on the floor a certain amount of time before most employers will let a new grad work OT? I know I will want to work some OT to help pay off students loans faster. Just curious. Thanks in advance.

Amy

can't imagine WHY anyone would do this. no amt of money is worth it; esp after UNCLE SAM takes HIS share. nopers not me.

When signing up for overtime you need to remember that if you make a mistake that harms a patient people will assume that exhaustion was a factor. If you volunteer for doubles or lots of hours frequently they could reasonably assume that you have put your financial needs above patient safety.

Sometimes in a crunch my hospital will use nursing staff on overtime to be helpers, with no assignment, or as secretarial staff so we get extra help but only fresh minds are dealing with patient care and med administration.

I though that JCHO only allowed 16 consecutive hrs (like 2 8's back to back or a 12 and a 4 back to back)? Or at least that is how it is at my facility.

THis hospital dumped JCAHO a few years ago (thank God)

When I worked in Georgia there was a law (I think it was a state labor board law) that we couldn't work more than 16 hours straight. I did work 18 hours once or twice when I was at work and then went on a transport out of town, but several of those hours were spent riding in the transport ambulance back home.

In Georgia I worked 12 hour shifts. Sometimes we'd work an extra 4 hours before or after our 12 hour shift began or ended but never worked a double of 12's.

In my new state our unit works 8 hour shifits and I've noticed quite a few people work two 8's back to back for a total of 16 hours each time, but they don't stay longer than 16 hours. Since this is a new job and new state for me I need to check into whether there are laws here concerning how many hours straight a nurse can work.

I personally feel drained after 16 hours and feel I'd not be at my best for sure if I worked longer than 16.

Originally posted by amyindallas

I'm still a student but it ALL of my previous jobs I have worked lots of OT. I know there seems to be a nursing shortage and I'm assuming that OT is pretty easy to get. Is that correct? I'm hoping to be going into ICU after I graduate and wondering about OT. I actually like to work some OT....I don't wanna work 7 days a week...but I have normally, when not in school, worked 60 an average of 60 hours a week. Is it very hard for a new grad to get OT? I guess I mean, do you have to be on the floor a certain amount of time before most employers will let a new grad work OT? I know I will want to work some OT to help pay off students loans faster. Just curious. Thanks in advance.

Amy

Amy, Darling you think way too much. You haven't graduated nor passed Boards yet, and you have yourself pulling 60 hours a week in the ICU. You may find it difficult to walk straight out of college, green as they get, right into the ICU. You may have to spend some serious time canvassing Dallas to find that. I suggest you spend at least six months on a telemetry floor before you fixate on ICU.

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

can't imagine WHY anyone would do this. no amt of money is worth it; esp after UNCLE SAM takes HIS share. nopers not me.

Exactomondo. I "worked" 96 hours this pay period (and that's not counting the extra 10 hours a day I put in every day, because my position is salaried). By the time taxes are taken out (and the gov't takes out more, because this extra money puts us all in a higher tax bracket), I'll be lucky if I see an extra $100 on my paycheck, this Friday...

I just heard yesterday that the CEO of our company got several million dollars, following the recent merger of our company with another. I'd be happy just knowing right now, that I am going to have the money to buy Christmas presents this year...

:angryfire