aBizzyRN

Thanks for the response. We don't have any mandatory call, everyone volunteers. There are a total of 7RN's and 1 scrub tech to cover the OR. 5 of the RNs also work in the ER or on the floor a combination of weekdays and we are obligated to every other weekend (for actual work hours). What typically happens is if I work anywhere in the hospital on say Mon. Thurs. and Sat. (7a-7p) I will take OR call those nights from 7p-7a. If none of the "OR" nurses are scheduled to work on Sun. of that week that call day will not be filled. What happens if there is an emergency surgery? either all the nurses are called in hopes that someone will say yes at the last minute or the ER is advised that we are not staffed and any surgeries will have to be transferred. By not wanting call (especially on the weekend) I mean that if I work the first and third weekend of the month on the floor or in the ER and so does another OR nurse and they sign up for call those day/nights before I do. I do not want to volunteer to be on call for 2nd or 4th weekend. I hope that clears a few things up.

Hi everyone, I am wondering about OR call. I work a small rural hospital with 1 OR suite. Currently we do not have mandatory call, but coverage has been an issue. We have 1 FT RN, 2 RN's who work in the area PT and 1 RN who is casual. There are 3 additional RN's who can cover for us and take call. There is 1 surgery tech and three of the listed RN's can scrub. Mon-Fri 7a to 7p is well covered, it is (mostly) the weekend and some 7p-7a that is the problem. Of the 7 RN's who can work in the OR 5 also work outside the OR, they may work the floor or ER. They are already obligated to weekend shifts. What typically happens now is one/two the RN's who are working day shift will be on call for the night shift, same for the weekends. If however no one is scheduled for the weekend its not picked up for call. Most people feel they have already worked their three 12's and have probably taken at least one day of call, they simply do not want any more. I hope this makes sense, and hopefully someone out there will have been in a similar situation and can offer some advice.