Peds Practices and Sick Season

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I've now heard 5, yes 5 accounts out of people I know so I thought I'd share. For the last few weeks or so, you might have seen private peds practices placing ads. They will say PT/FT and might actually say they need you 2-3 days a week, and they prefer experience but would hire the best person regardless of experience, etc. This usually causes excitement in those who always wanted peds, in new grads, or in those who just need to work! But often what you will find is a lack of truthfulness from the get go. I'm not saying that all practices deceive, but that many are doing just that. If you decide to take the job know these things:

• Part time is often only PRN. The 2-3 days a week might only be one and that is if you are lucky. Often the ad is to get you in the door.
  
• They don't want to pay the cost of using a temp agency so your hourly pay will be exceedingly low (of course no retaining salary in exchange for your moment's notice on call status).
  
• They will tell you your job description requires that you are exclusive, that you work nowhere else. You must sit and wait at home in case they call 6 days a week.
  
• There is no future increase of work for you (no chance at a real part time job or fulltime)
  
• You are hired, in reality only to cover if one of the current nurses calls in sick.
  
• After sick season is over, you will probably never get called in at all - and it might even be that they will suddenly find fault with you and fire you to just get rid of you.
  
• No benefits, and if you don't have any you will surely work just enough to get really sick and blow your meager few bucks on a NP at a take care clinic and abx.
  
• Once you have put this all together, and you do find other work and leave, they might be a bad reference on your resume because nobody likes to be told they were not truthful, and everybody likes to have their cake and eat yours too.
  
• Next year come this time of year, the process repeats.
  

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I do not think that the non-compete clause is lawful in all states. But you are certainly right to point out that the "buyer beware".

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Well I haven't seen this occur. When I worked peds we already had a person that was "on call" . Typically this was a person who worked evenings and weekends already. They worked year round and usually this was a 2nd job. I can imagine that there are some low down places that would do this. It is a good reminder that jobs are not always what they seem.