Overtime

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2003

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

a_clay · Nov 16, 2003

Originally posted by Speculating
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.

Well there are PLENTY of nurses that go straight into ICU after graduation.....and it's not that hard to find.....why do ALOT of hospitals offer internships for new grads then? And thanks, but no thanks, for your suggestion of first starting out on a telemetry floor first. There have been plenty who have done it, and done fine, and there's no reason that I can't either. Excuse me for being ambitious.

ratchit · Nov 16, 2003

Originally posted by Stopnik
Do people who work 12 hour shifts ever pull a double? Does your facility allow it?

Stay awake for the next 24 hours just puttering around the house. How do you feel? Are you fresh and able to make clear decisions?

Now picture that 24 hours on duty, lifting, walking, pulling, constant noises and demands (physical and mental.) Are you able to do a good job? Not just respond to crises, but do the job well?

Some people can't work more than 8 hours a day safely. Some can't do more than 12. Some can do 16 now and then (I can, but not often- LOL) but I don't know anyone who can do a good job working 16 hour shifts routinely.

I can't imagine being on duty for 24 hours in anything other than a crisis situation. You know, like a blizzard or flood where no one can come or go. And in those rare situations, people find a way to give each other sleep breaks.

I don't want anyone who has been on duty more than 16 hours taking care of me, and I cringe a bit at the thought of that.

Thinking about how tired and probably dangerous you would be, why would you want to work 24 hours straight?

IamRN · Nov 16, 2003

Originally posted by amyindallas
and it's not that hard to find.....why do ALOT of hospitals offer internships for new grads then?

You are so right! I can think of at least five major hospitals in the North Dallas area alone that have internships (extensive and thorough ones!) for GNs (or experienced RN's) wanting to start in ICU. I did mine at Parkland :) (as an experienced RN)

Best wishes!

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Nov 16, 2003

At times my 12 hours shifts have turned into 16 hour shifts. I was dragging my tail off of the floor when I punched out. So were the younger nurses. Why would anybody place their license and their life in jepardy? Remember you still have to get home! Overtime money is great until the taxes hit. I was very happy with an extra 6 to 8 hours in a 2 week period. Uncle Sam did not get it all and I had a little extra cash. Now with mandatory overtime in some places it is a have to case but the money does not show up on the check! Just my thoughts .

rn-jane · Nov 16, 2003

last summer i worked 60 hours a week for 12 weeks. We had just opened a new unit and was orienting new nurses ect. I thought i would make a nice little bundle, but with taxes to uncle sam ect i believe i only made a little over 100.oo per pay. Certainly not worth the insanity, stress and time missed with my family. I know work 36 hours a week not seeing that much less with working 40 hours, boy what a change in my life, stress level ect. OT is just not worth it.

I worked cardiac step down, work ccu ot as a new nurse? Talk about stressing yourself out!!

zambezi, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2003

At my hospital, we are "allowed" to work our 12 and, if needed, can pick up an extra four hours...i don't believe that we can pick up more. I have only picked up and extra two and after working my 12 (nights) and that two, I was sooo tired. I pick up an extra 12 hours shift every couple of weeks but at least that way I can sleep all day before I come in and not feel so tired that I can't do my job. IMHO, I don't think it is safe to work for 24 hours straight...even that 16 hours for most people, to each their own though...(Personally, if I worked days, I think that the 16 would be "easier", not the work, just because of the way your body feels sleeping nights vs. days...)

uk_nurse · Nov 17, 2003

I do 14 hr shifts, 3 days a week. Most times i do 2 days together then a couple days off then 1 day. I am not on the agency cos want to spend time with my family and hubby. I will not do overtime cos we dont get paid for it. We have to take the time as time owing, which to me is a waste of time. (unless you are agency of course) Very rarely and i mean rarely you will get paid 'extra to contract' but it has to be authorised by those above first. There has been a time when we were not allowed any agency staff at all. So you can see the pressure we were under. Agency is a last resort. They try and get the staff to swap shifts to avoid bringing in agency staff as agency is too expensive! but its a 'catch 22' situation.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Nov 17, 2003

I'm with you, Smiling Blue Eyes, not just on this topic but most of those to which you respond! Not only why would you want to do that to yourself, but safety factor for your patients has to be compromised.

I'm still curious about why administrations who pound "safety" into our heads allow this. It's such a contradiction.

If I or any of my family is ever hospitalized, especially as an inpatient, I will be grilling the staff about how many hours they have worked that day, how many days in a row, and then will seriously consider requesting to have a fresh, rested nurse instead. Once again, as long as nurses go along with this kind of abuse (nurse and patient) it will continue. And I know many nurses who are in complete denial about how efficient and alert they are at the end of those shifts--the ones who at 8 hours expect to be reassigned to the 'easy' patients, because "I've already been here 8 hours."

Some of our 12 hour nurses have recently gone back to 8 hour shifts. Thank goodness, our contract started out with 8 hour shifts and the 12's are considered special, therefore not set in stone and can be yanked at any time. My nurse manager finds 12 hours shifts a nightmare for scheduling. Right now we are about 50/50 with 8's and 12's. If they were to go strictly 12's most of us doing 8's would be gone as a girl can get, including yours truly.

uk_nurse · Nov 17, 2003

Originally posted by tntrn

, as long as nurses go along with this kind of abuse (nurse and patient) it will continue.

This is true! I also want to say that nurses have a choice whether they want to do 8 hour shifts (5 days per week) or 14 hr shifts (3 days per week) and the majority on my ward , including myself do 3 14hr shifts per week. This works well for me as i have 4 days off to be with family. i do get tired, but i do try and catch up on my sleep and yes i am tired sometimes at the end of my shift.
Working 5 days a week can work out that you can actually do 10 day stretches! I.e you can have your 2 days off at the beginning of the first week and at the end of your second week (and yes it does happen) So what is the worst, 14 hr shifts or 8 hr shifts.

Daisy · Nov 17, 2003

We had a charge nurse ( who is clueles ) actually ask us to do a double after a 12 hour shift. She offered us bonus pay of a whopping $100. No one offered so I asked her why she doesn't stay. Are you kidding? I think alot of charge nurses are given these positions because they are a danger to patient care. Someone finally offered to stay 8 extra hours. That made 20 hours on duty. Isn't that nuts?

uk_nurse · Nov 17, 2003

If we have done a 14 hr shift no one is asked to stay any extra hours. After we have finished our 14 hr shift night staff come in. If for some reason they are short staffed on the night shift, usually when someone phones in sick, the nurse in charge on the day shift will try and get cover. If not it will reluctantly go out to agency. If it is still not covered unfortunately the staff are told to cope, and incident form is then filled out.