SidyJean

I realize, perhaps, that wasn't worded the best. I will work approximately 48 hours starting at 0000 Sunday to 0700 Wednesday. I'll be back to work on a Tuesday at 1800 and put in another 40+ before Sunday rolls around.

I am literally the only RN to cover the floor. We have two PRNs, but they very rarely cover more than 4 hours at a time. The DON is covering 2 of my days off, and I am sure I will hear about it for the next 6 months. We have been down a FT and a PT RN/LPN since shortly after I started almost 3 years ago. And this fall we lost the only other FT RN and a FT LPN. I can't call in sick, the likelihood of finding coverage is slim to none at best. We have to request days off in writing and via our computer system, in the computer system we have to verify whether we want PTO or just a day off request. It is a great place to work, don't get me wrong, and I love my job, I just don't want to be losing out on so much money.

Nope, I get the time off I request. I am just working 40 hours or more Sunday through Tuesday before my time off.

The problem is being short-staffed. If I take more time off then already over worked co-workers have to pick up the slack.

So at my job we have a PTO cap of 180 hours. After you hit 180 hours you cannot accrue anymore, so we lose out on 6-8 hours a pay period. I've called in once in the last 3 years. I do request days off from time to time for events and vacations. The problem I am running into is that even if I take off 6 days, say Wednesday through Monday, I am still unable to use my PTO because I am scheduled 40 hours or more prior to and immediately after those 6 days off. My facility does not cash out PTO unless a person is ceasing employment. To be able to use PTO I would have to take more consecutive days off or make sure that all requested days fall in the same week. On average, myself and the other nurses, are losing $150-200 a pay period due to the PTO cap and inability to use the PTO. Has anyone else run into this? Any advice?