I work in a large teaching hospital in the ICU. To make a long story short, they (management) have been freaking out lately regarding the ever-important budget. I realize that a hospital is a business, but the way they have been approaching the staff regarding budget issues is insane.
The other night at work, I was finished with all my patient care for the time being, and checking my hospital email. What I found was 2 emails regarding incidental overtime. The first, a general one which was in a yelling, condescending tone that most nurses felt was quite rude. It went over the fact that "our unit is the worst financially due to sitter cases (not sure how that one is the STAFF's fault!), INCIDENTAL OVERTIME (of course, in caps and bold), and finally, approved mandatory meetings". Mandatory meetings are our fault as well, huh? Interesting! As a new-ish employee to this institution, I am not wanting to cause any major waves, but excuse me? I wish I could remember all of that email, but I can't right now. Basically the tone was quite b*tchy and I don't think that the staff is going to be all that responsive to it, or at least not in the way management wants us to. Also, there was a segment "this will be the last mass email regarding this issue, people who do not respond to management's wishes will be reprimanded". Ok, that was the FIRST and ONLY email I'd ever received regarding this issue! GRR.
The second email regarding the Incidental OT was a personal one to me. It read (just like this): "You have 3 instances of clocking in early and 2of punching out late. Please see management if this is incorrect or fix this situation at once. Further attempts to receive incidental OT will be reprimanded with write-ups." First of all, I'm a new-ish employee who was told we could clock in after 6:50pm, it is ACTUALLY 6:54pm, so that accounts for the early ones. Secondly, do you really THINK I want to stay on the unit any longer than is necessary? If I'm there late, it's for a freaking reason, charting or had a busy night. So do they think I should do all their stinking paperwork/charting, or actually TAKE CARE OF THE PT? Because, sometimes, even with no breaks, 12.5hrs isn't enough to get it all done.
Thanks for listening to my rant, wondering if anyone else has management that likes using threats as motivation for change
Lawyers and Doctors are salaried professionals. They earn their same salaries whether they work 30 hours per week or 80 hours per week. I do not think that is what ANY of us wants for nursing - profession or no.
I don't think that's what the poster meant. I think the point was, if we're a profession, why are we getting slapped around because of overtime - when I doubt anyone would scream about a few extra hours from a hospital lawyer?
.thumb.gif.09f7460d3e1ff8d6732564d77b5465cb.gif){kind=avatar}
fergus51
6,620 Posts
Many doctors are paid for services and so are lawyers (billable hours). More surgeries, more patients, more time = more money