Daytoe

My hospital is not like that at all. Nurses are all employed by the hospital. We are not connected with a university. That sounds foreign to me. I spoke with my previous manager today (because I still work in the ED per diem) and he could not believe I didn't keep my seniority. He gave me a person to contact to find out if IR can even do that. Its a place to start before I push any issues. This is obviously a sensitive topic as demonstrated by some of the responses on this thread.

Thank you! You are understanding what I am saying exactly!! And you are so correct!!

Exactly!! That is what I'm saying JKL33!!!

It has always been done that way. So when I question it I'm basically told by everyone "I was mandated a lot when I started". So basically I need to wait until someday when a new person starts so they can be dumped on and not me. Not a fair system. We all take one overnight per week and every fourth weekend. Fortunately, there are not many open shifts to cover. But that also means I'll be at the bottom forever. Last week they changed it so if the entire weekend is open and no one picks it up, the low man takes it all even if they aren't working on Friday. Otherwise, during the week its the low man that is there that day that has to take it. Everyone is upset now and that is why I'm looking for a better system. Hoping it could all be changed to something more just. Some people have fairly recent pick-ups, some not.

So you see what I mean by not wanting to push it if its going to piss everyone off. We need to be a team. I'm torn.

Because its small? In the ED in the same hospital (where I came from), new RN's from other units jumped to the front if they had the seniority. Why would it be different?

Sounds reasonable. Here's my situation: we don't have a rotating list. we have a "who has picked up the most list" whoever has picked up the least is mandated. I started in Feb so I was placed at the level of the person with the least pick ups. There are 8 of us nurses. Then next lowest is 17 pickups ahead of us. and the rest have many many pick ups. (pages and pages going back to 2012). The person I was paired with (the lowest) only works 2 days a week, has a special needs child and is presently on a leave. So basically if no-one volunteers I'm most likely going to be mandated 9/10 times. Please tell me if you agree this isn't fair!

Good point. It doesn't really specify.

I did go to HR. They weren't helpful. I was directed to the Nursing Staffing Office (I didn't go there because they have nothing to do with our department). We aren't union. I can go above my manager, I'm worried about how she will react. Thats why I'm asking for opinions of others.

Our hospital policy is for RN's to keep seniority when changing departments. After 15 years in the ED I accepted a position in Interventional Radiology. It wasn't until 8 months of being there, (when it was time to bid on vacations and holidays based on seniority) was I told I am at the bottom of the seniority list. There are only eight of us nurses and I would be second from the top. I brought it up to my manager who said she would "look into it" but of course did nothing. What would you do? Do I push the subject and really upset my co-workers in a small department? Or do I just deal with it and be happy I got the job?

I'm looking for how other hospitals cover unexpected open call shifts. I work in Interventional Radiology. We rotate call for evenings and weekends. I would like to know what others do when someone is sick or unable to keep their call shift. What does your department do to cover the shift? Are people mandated? How is it determined?