PTO

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

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

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.

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.

"The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem" . You have paid time off. You can use it if you are sick, you can use it for a vacation, you can use it any time.

Mental health days are nice.

You've been brainwashed to not use it.

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

That is not your issue, that is administration's issue. You can bet the rent, they get their time off.

Agree with BTDT. The problem is not your PTO cap. The problem is being short-staffed , and thinking you cannot take needed days off. Since you are "taking one for the team" management has no incentive to fix the staffing problem. That is THEIR issue - you do not have to make it yours. If you're sick, take PTO. If you want to take Wed-Thur-Fri off but don't want to work a full 40 hours on Sun-Mon-Tues, request PTO.

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.

Staffing is not your problem. If you have been understaffed for 3 years, they clearly believe it is ok. Request to use your PTO and let them worry about how they will cover the shifts. Maybe that will motivate them to fill their open positions.

You are not using your PTO correctly. You should be taking an entire week off at a time. Not a partial week.

Their inability to staff is not your problem. Take the time off. I would explain it as either I get my PTO time fir vacation or I burn out and quit and your staffing problems are worse.

How many hours are you working a week?

My employer just sent out an email a few weeks ago changing our cap from 200 to 72. I am so mad, I can barely even talk about it and I wasn't going to say anything on allnurses but I saw this post. In the same email, we were told that if we take more than four days off (scheduled or unscheduled) in a six month period, we will forfeit our weekend option. I was sitting on 126 hours. Sure, we can cash in to get down to less than 72 hours, but then we are taxed like crazy for money that we've earned and I would rather have the time off than the cash. I'm not sure this was thought all the way through.