Dayannight

The new CA law has made for better nurse/pt ratios. On our med and surg floors the ratio is now 5:1 days and 6:1 nights, and the charge nurses do take pt assignments. The down side to this is now it's required to have the same number of nurses on the floor at all times even during lunch breaks. Now they have someone (whoever they can get) come in for 4 hrs just to cover lunch breaks, but that person is just another "body". Most of the time it isn't even a nurse from the same floor. The nurses that are already there working do a better job covering for each other during breaks. Also, the number of CNA's we are allowed has been decreased. Our hospital is also supposed to take aquity into consideration, but when it comes down to it, numbers are the determining factor.

Non-union hospital - straight pay for 12 hr shifts. NOCs gets differential of .75 first four hours, and $1.50 last eight. OT after 40 hrs. W/E differential is 10% of hourly wage.

At the hospital where I work RN's and LVN's earn time and a half for coming in to work an extra shift. CNA's earn a $5/hr bonus for working an extra shift. We work 12 hr shifts; anything over 12 hrs is double time. Staff are not often asked to stay beyond 12hrs. However, bonus shifts are usually available.

I'm an LVN and work in a acute hospital in northern California. We take the same patient load as an RN which is usually 6 to 7 on nights for the med/surg floors. We take and note orders, do our own 24 hr chart checks, and perform an assessment for each patient assigned to us. We start IV's, hang blood and IV fluids, but no IV meds. No central line draws. If the patient has a PICC line it must be an RN who is also PICC certified to even change the dressing. Only an RN can be Charge on the acute floors and she is responsible for patient assignments and overseeing all patient care, as well as performing any procedure not within the LVN's scope of practice. We also have a SNF in our hospital, and and that is the only unit that is allowed to staff without having an RN in charge. If there is no RN scheduled to work SNF, an LVN will be charge. In which case, the float RN will be expected to perform any necessary procedures that are not within the LVN's scope of practice.

I work nights 7p to 7a and most of us use our lunch break to take a nap. When it's "quiet", we sometimes give each other an extra 15 minutes. It's just a given that when it's "busy", we'll have the occasional shift without a break.