"Call Back"

cardiacmadeline, RN · May 28, 2009

At my facility, if we have low census, it is all voluntary who doesn't come in. They will call you and see if you want part or all of your shift off. You can either say yes or no. If you want to work, they will just ask the next person if they want off. If you are called off for the whole shift, they cannot call you back in, you are off for the whole day and free to make whatever plans you want. As far as pay, you can choose to either take PTO time or just not get paid for it. I really do like the system we have. I feel like it is fair and people don't complain because it is all on a volunteer basis. Just curious, how do they decide who they place on call back?

kolaone · May 28, 2009

cardiacmadeline, just out of curiousity, what state are you in

cardiacmadeline, RN · May 28, 2009

I am in Wisconsin.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · May 28, 2009

I am trying to think of another profession that would put up with this scenario. Let me know if you think of any.

Medical transcription is notorious for making you sit at your computer, uncompensated, while you wait for work to come in your queue. When you are short hours for the day because either the hospitals are slow or there are too many MTs working, many companies expect you to make them up that week. However, if you can't make up the hours, you either just go without pay or have to take PTO to make your hours come up to your committed hours.

ETA...you might be sitting at your computer for anywhere from several minutes to several hours for work to come in.

truern · May 28, 2009

At my facility, if we have low census, it is all voluntary who doesn't come in. They will call you and see if you want part or all of your shift off. You can either say yes or no. If you want to work, they will just ask the next person if they want off. If you are called off for the whole shift, they cannot call you back in, you are off for the whole day and free to make whatever plans you want. As far as pay, you can choose to either take PTO time or just not get paid for it. I really do like the system we have. I feel like it is fair and people don't complain because it is all on a volunteer basis. Just curious, how do they decide who they place on call back?

I could live with that. I just hate being at home waiting for the phone to ring (in the MIDDLE of the night) because I have to go in. Even if we were just on call for part of the shift would be okay...but, no!! we're on call for the whole 12 hours.

adc3797 · May 28, 2009

we get put on call and get 2 dollars an hour, if we get called back in we get time and a half for the rest of the shift

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · May 28, 2009

At my facility, if we have low census, it is all voluntary who doesn't come in. They will call you and see if you want part or all of your shift off. You can either say yes or no. If you want to work, they will just ask the next person if they want off. If you are called off for the whole shift, they cannot call you back in, you are off for the whole day and free to make whatever plans you want. As far as pay, you can choose to either take PTO time or just not get paid for it. I really do like the system we have. I feel like it is fair and people don't complain because it is all on a volunteer basis. Just curious, how do they decide who they place on call back?

I'm in WI too, this sounds mostly like what we do......you can refuse to be called off, and they go on to whoever's next in line (if EVERYONE refuses, the first person would HAVE to take it, but I don't think that's ever happened!). My floor went to only calling off in 4 hour incremements, though, so it's never called off for your whole shift any more! The only real difference between what we do and what the OP's place does is, we don't have to call to find out if we're needed, they call you and tell you what's up for the next 4 hours. If you don't get a call, you go in, as the first call only addresses that 4 hours, and you expect to come in after it (unless you hear differently).

I don't mind this. In four hours, I can take a nap (if I didn't get enough sleep, lol), do some laundry, putz around the house, read a book. It doesn't bother me.

Getting put "on call" is a different thing, that means that you stay home, but if they need you, they can call you in at any point. That's time and a half when you get there, and 2.50 an hour for sitting at home. I don't mind that either, I stay dressed for work but can still do stuff around the house. Call is only in 4 hour increments, too. They might put you on call for 4 hours, and then call and give you off the rest of the day (for an 8 hour shift).

I personally don't see why it's such a big deal? I do know it can mess with your hours and pay, but staffing in a hospital is unpredictable, and we all know that, right? My floor can have 23 patients one day, and be down to 12 the next. Very different numbers of nurses needed!! (I'd rather deal with being called off than laid off)

For floating, if census is borderline, we float "on call back." Meaning, if my floor needs one more admit to need that nurse, they can get them back from the unit they float to.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · May 28, 2009

Does it affect a worker's benefits if anyone is "on call" too often so as to not make the requisite number of hours for a particular level of benefits, even though the nurse was scheduled for the appropriate number of hours?

caliotter3 · May 28, 2009

Does it affect a worker's benefits if anyone is "on call" too often so as to not make the requisite number of hours for a particular level of benefits, even though the nurse was scheduled for the appropriate number of hours?

Excellent question. Sounds like a good secondary motive for the practice.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · May 29, 2009

Does it affect a worker's benefits if anyone is "on call" too often so as to not make the requisite number of hours for a particular level of benefits, even though the nurse was scheduled for the appropriate number of hours?

Where I work, those hours are still counted toward requisite # of hours to maintain benefits and accrue time off, etc.

bjaeram · May 29, 2009

I guess I don't see why it's a big deal. You were scheduled to work and lucky you they weren't busy and you get a few hours to yourself. You have the inconvience of calling, not drinking whatever but you aren't at work are you? You got four hours for yourself that you normally wouldn't have. They don't want to downstaff you the entire shift because you never know how busy it will be. At least you know you get four hours. When they do that to us they often say stay home and we will call you if we need you. You may not have really any notice. I say take the four hours away from work and enjoy them!

Riseupandnurse · May 29, 2009

I don't much like this because it virtually guarantees you never get a light day. What about doing away with some of the QA people and cross-training staff who can step into that role instead of sitting at home and then rushing in? Who else puts up with this? Do the lab or x-ray people or the cafeteria workers or maintenance?