Picu Schedules

[RNPedsICU]

Would like feedback from other RNs concerning schedules. My unit decided to initiate a "Task Force" to figure out the schedule-all of it: length of shift hours(most RNs are doing 12hrs/day, 36hrs/wk), weekend option, holiday schedules.

We currently have a free-for-all. We "self-schedule", but it causes much grief.

What do other units do? Set schedule? Rotate holidays( we ALL do 4 hr shifts or 8 hr shifts EACH year-each holiday!

What is the ratio for pts. Of course we look at acuity, but the step-down pta can be quite busy as well. MANY days I leave 2 hrs after my shift.

Do you sign up for over time, how about "on call" time. We are an 8 bed unit PICU with about 12 or so RNs-no LPNs and our secretaries are NAs but ususally too busy to help. In a typical week, we work our 36 scheduled hrs, plus take "call" which we end up working, plus we're called on days off to see if we can come in-I'm fed up. I love what I do, but i love my life outsude of the PICU too. We need more staff, but not much is done to solicit or RETAIN. The manager is not available to take pts either.

Thanks for any and all input!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

The last self scheduling I worked with the staff was divided into three groups, and each group would take turns getting first pick of shifts. Group A would have 1 week to sign up, Group B the second week, and Group C the third week. Then once all had signed up they would have until deadline to swap shifts amongst each other. The NM had the final say, if staff were unable/unwilling to cover appropriately she would just place them where she needed them, so usually everyone was motivated to be fair. There were guidelines as to how much of what type of shift each nurse had to do, so weekends and nights were evenly distributed.

Worked very well so long as everyone cooperated, but the NM schedules were so disliked that everyone was motivated to make it work. :)