Rewards for picking up shifts?

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As a software developer by trade, we're used to working through lunches, never leaving the building, working all night when we ARE home and ignoring our kids and whatnot (gotta keep learning, what you learned 10 hours ago is now outdated!), so the idea of 3 12/hr shifts seems like it could be beneficial and give time to relax a little.

Talking to some friends in school for their RN right now, they mentioned that some nurses (they work at Banner Desert here in AZ) can absolutely make some extra dough on the side by picking up shifts. While my legs and feet have some energy, I figured that may be a great way to help pay off the school debt and establish some savings and/or vacation monies.

Anyone here pick up shifts for some extra cash? From CNA to LPN to RN I'm curious with your experiences if you woudln't mind sharing. Don't know if I'd do it all the time, but on days like super bowl sunday and traditional holidays (well cept for maybe christmas, etc.), I'd love to be working. I'll vacation when all the nutjobs are back at work :)

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Bonus shifts are available all the time because of shortages at the hospital I'm at. As a student nurse extern, bonus means an automatic $25 for every 4 hrs picked up. LPN's and RN's get $50 for every 4 hrs worked. It's a nice incentive for picking up extra hours.

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At my old hospital they have GAP time. It's overtime that you sign up for before the schedule comes out. I believe it's double time for anything you pick up. :p

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

There's usually room for extra hours where i work. If i volunteered to work over every day they needed it last week, i could have racked up 76 hours.

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Nice! Keep em coming :)

Make sure to list in what capacity, it's always fun hearing what's offered to help out.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Emergency cases.

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I work LTC. For every 4 hours I pick up, I get one paid bonus hour ($16.40/hr), + the time and a 1/2 for overtime. If they are really desperate and you give the "oh, I just don't know, I'm not sure I want to", they'll throw extra bonus hours at you LOL. Working 12 hours shifts, picking up an extra day isn't bad, b/c I'm on a 3 day workweek.

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They used to offer me two dollars extra per hour (plus it would have been overtime, so time and a half) to pick up on a certain home care case that they were having a hard time keeping fully staffed. Somehow, it was never quite appealing enough.

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If we fill in the holes of the schedule once it has ben put out we earn an extra $11/hr. That is on top of shift differential and over time pay. That is ER.

There is really nothing extra for coming in extra in the NICU and Nursery. Just overtime if you are over.

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Specializes in NICU.

In our NICU, we usually schedule about 18 nurses per shift. When we consistently need more than 20 per shift and it's crazy busy, they offer "crisis" pay. It's a $50 bonus for every four hour block you work besides your scheduled hours. You also get time and a half once you hit 40 hours/week.

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Our unit (a Med/Surg Respiratory floor) has a critical need bonus. We are always one of the first units that are filled up, so we are always busy. Even unit clerks (ME) and PCAs are eligible for call in ours...I'll get an extra $6.25 on top of my base, plus OT if I'm over 40 hours.

Nurses, I believe get $100 per extra shift. The chance to pick up an extra shift each week is pretty good, especially during our Season (Dec - April).

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Years ago, during a previous nursing shortage, I worked alot of overtime. The incentives were good. Time and a half for an exra shift. THEN, once you worked 7 days straight, everyday was at double time until you got a day off. I once worked 30 days in a row and 23 days were at double time. It was a fair chunk of change.

There were always double shifts available as well. The first 4 hours were at time and a half, second 4 hours of the shift at double time. If you had a regular shift the next day, same thing: first4 time and a half, second 4 double time. We used to call it doubling back.

This was med surg and peds.

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