Paid Report Time

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I'm curious what other hospital policies are or if there are any specific labor laws on hospitals being required to pay for time during hand off report. A little background on this, the hospital I currently work at would pay for 30 minutes of shift overlap to ensure adequate unrushed reporting. A shifting of leadership has led to them cutting that back to 15 minutes added onto the off going shifts schedule in order to give report. There are grumblings that this 15 minutes will be taken away and we are expected to give extremely expedited reports in order to decrease time paid. This raises some obvious patient safety issues as well as staff morale issues, but this administration is definitely motivated by budget. I'm trying to have my ducks in a row prior to them coming after it as I know it will be easier to dispute before taking it away than trying to get back once taken away. Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Labor law states that if you are FLSA non-exempt (i.e. paid hourly vs salary) you must be paid for all work. Paying is not optional.

Your choices are 1) take the needed length for handoff and get paid, 2) take a mere half of the time you are accustomed to, give shoddy report, and pray your colleagues figure it out and don't compromise pt safety... AFTER going on record with risk management and 3) vote with your feet.

One thought I do have, is what does this do to staff's FTE? A 12 hr 0.9 would be shorted by 0.75 hours every week; an 8 hr 1.0 would be shorted by 1.25 hours every week. I'm assuming you mean a shift would become 0700-1915 vs 0700-1930

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Also -- DO NOT chart off the clock!! It is required, you are non-exempt, and pay is REQUIRED.

I mention this bc any management willing to slash handoff... A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF PT SAFETY (look it up.) is almost CERTAINLY slimy enough to tell you to chart off the clock.

If they MUST do something, deal with time waste on a case-by-case basis. Socializing during report: time waste. Giving a thorough-but-pertinent report: documented major pt safety practice.

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Try it out first and if it doesn't work out, give them feedback but back that up.

But when I used to work on the floor, I just wanted to get out of the facility and I didn't really care for the overtime! I cared more to be at my home and have some good quality time with my life.

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In situations like these, I smile and nod and keep doing what I need to do ...on the clock. I was confronted once and invited the manager to "shadow" me and offer suggestions on how I might be more efficient. Last I ever heard about that.

I'm generally an easy employee, and never disrespectful, but I know and they know what's reasonable/possible and what is not.

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I'm curious what other hospital policies are or if there are any specific labor laws on hospitals being required to pay for time during hand off report. A little background on this, the hospital I currently work at would pay for 30 minutes of shift overlap to ensure adequate unrushed reporting. A shifting of leadership has led to them cutting that back to 15 minutes added onto the off going shifts schedule in order to give report. There are grumblings that this 15 minutes will be taken away and we are expected to give extremely expedited reports in order to decrease time paid. This raises some obvious patient safety issues as well as staff morale issues, but this administration is definitely motivated by budget. I'm trying to have my ducks in a row prior to them coming after it as I know it will be easier to dispute before taking it away than trying to get back once taken away. Thanks in advance.

How does it not work for your place like it does (in theory) most everywhere else: Shift is 12 hours. 30 minutes is subtracted for lunch, so when it's time for shift change you've only worked 11.5 and the last 1/2 hour of paid time happens to be when report is given?

So they do plan to actually short everyone 15 minutes per of paid time per shift? I would probably very carefully ask for "clarification" on whether you have that math right....

What's happening with breaks? Are people not getting breaks and that's why you're headed onto OT at shift change?

Don't do any nursing duties (including report) off the clock.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

The can demand you report in 15 minutes, but until you clock out, they have to pay you for time worked. Unless you are salary. But in that case, 15 vs 1 hour report wouldn't matter because your pay would be the same either way.

If they clock you out at 1915 whether you have completed handoff or not, they are in violation of federal labor laws and will quite a few lawsuits to deal with that are much more expensive then allowing nurses proper report time.

There have been times I don't even start giving report until 1910 due to long huddle or my on coming nurses getting report from other people and I wait my turn. It is what it is.

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How does it not work for your place like it does (in theory) most everywhere else: Shift is 12 hours. 30 minutes is subtracted for lunch, so when it's time for shift change you've only worked 11.5 and the last 1/2 hour of paid time happens to be when report is given?

So they do plan to actually short everyone 15 minutes per of paid time per shift? I would probably very carefully ask for "clarification" on whether you have that math right....

What's happening with breaks? Are people not getting breaks and that's why you're headed onto OT at shift change?

Don't do any nursing duties (including report) off the clock.

We are a small ICU. We are staffed with only two nurses for 6 beds and telemetry monitoring. We are the code team and medical emergency team as well. So they cannot ask us to take a 30 minute lunch and have no nursing duties as someone has to be available for the telemetry units even if the other is doing bedside care. As far as breaks go it's a run back to the break room and grab food or whatever else we need. The way it has been attempted to be pushed on us in the past shift time 0700-1900 and 1900-0700. With them wanting report to be done in short order. We've been able to fight it and won in the past. They've even suggested taped report which obviously is not best practice so we've won. I was just looking to see what everyone else was doing and labor laws to fight the obvious BS archaic thoughts.

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We are a small ICU. We are staffed with only two nurses for 6 beds and telemetry monitoring. We are the code team and medical emergency team as well. So they cannot ask us to take a 30 minute lunch and have no nursing duties as someone has to be available for the telemetry units even if the other is doing bedside care. As far as breaks go it's a run back to the break room and grab food or whatever else we need. The way it has been attempted to be pushed on us in the past shift time 0700-1900 and 1900-0700. With them wanting report to be done in short order. We've been able to fight it and won in the past. They've even suggested taped report which obviously is not best practice so we've won. I was just looking to see what everyone else was doing and labor laws to fight the obvious BS archaic thoughts.

Please clarify, were they paying 12 hours with 1/2 hour OT for shift report? I've worked in MANY different facilities , the shifts were all 0700- 1930 and 1900- 0730. Twelve hours of paid time and 1/2 hour unpaid... supposedly for the additional unpaid 30 minutes of break time required during a 12 hour shift.

I don't know what YOUR state labor laws are. I do know, if you cannot get your breaks, are expected to get in and out in 12 hours, and take care of 3 ICU patients... you are being screwed.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

If you are not allowed to leave the floor and be off duty for lunch you need to be paid for that time! If you are not they are in violation of federal labor laws and they are guilty of wage theft! Wageadvocate.com says you can actually file a civil lawsuit over unpaid wages but if you file a claim with the govt you lose that right.

It is very common for hospitals to not pay nurses that are forced to work thru lunch. Don't let this keep happening to you. Stand up for yourself! At the very least, get the backpay you deserve!

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I guess that I wasn't clear in terms of our shifts, I apologize. We are on an 80 hour two week schedule. During which time we work 6 - 12 hour shifts and an 8 hour shift to equal a total of 80. The lunches are not worked into the schedule due to requiring two nurses on the unit and there being only two nurses scheduled. They pay us the full 12 and don't figure lunch into the shift. The main question was the potential push of administration to try and expedite report and their previous attempt and potential future unwillingness to pay for even a 15 minute report time. I was directed in the right direction by a couple commenters and feel that I have enough info to ensure that we are not pushed to give sub-par reports or look past 15 minutes of our time. Thanks everyone.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I don't understand how you aren't allowed a lunch or break? There is no reason for this, it would be solved by simply having 3 nurses for 6 patients then everyone could have a break and their lunch and have only two patients which is the standard of practice for ICU.

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