Can pdn nurses collect unemployment while pt hospitalized?

[smartnurse1982]

I had a patient hospitalized for 2 weeks. He just came home.I was discussing with the other nurse that I didn't work any other cases the agency had.She said she didn't either but she told me that nurses could collect unemployment until the pt comes home. She said its called temporary unemployment. She said she gets her check next week.I haven't heard of this before. Any truth to it?I asked a nursing supervisor this same question many years ago. She said that I won't be able to,and that the agency would fight it because I was offered work but turned it down.(the home was far and I didn't have a car at the time. Public transportation was unavailable.)Just a little angry of its true. I could have collected pay all those times I had pts in the hospital.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Not in some states, and I'm guessing not if you refused other reasonable assignments from the agency.

[caliotter3]

I have collected unemployment while without a patient, but I was not offered work that I refused. For each day that I worked fill-in I got reduced unemployment. It was better than nothing, but not by much. In another instance, an employer that never employed me told the unemployment people that I had refused work when a case had been offered to me four months prior to my unemployment claim and my unemployment claim was discontinued. I already had full time work, so I never bothered with the case any longer other than to write a letter requesting that my claim be closed. It mostly depends upon the employers whether or not you can collect. Expect them to lie through their teeth to keep you from collecting.

[TygRNoef]

If they offered you an assignment that you turned down, you can't collect.