RN's working overtime

bill4745, RN · Dec 13, 2009

I do two 12s every weekend for a full-time salary and benefits, and pick up 2 8 or 12s during the week. My yearly gross is about $87k, Philadelphia suburbs.

BluegrassRN · Dec 13, 2009

Here's another option: get a good, fulltime job somewhere. Then, once you have a little experience, instead of picking up extra shifts, get an additional prn or agency job somewhere.

The disadvantage with picking up extra shifts can be numerous. In my hospital, you frequently get called off for extra shifts. I sign up for extra, sleep all day, then get called off at 5pm. I could have spent that time with my family,or doing something productive. Also, if you work extra shifts early in the pay period, and then the census is low later in the pay period, you can be called off of your REGULAR shifts, thereby not collecting any extra pay. Finally, extra shifts at a decently staffed hospital are hit and miss, and usually revolve around a coincidence of a position open from someone quitting, being terminated,or on medical leave along with a higher census. Those of us who want the extra shifts often have to scramble to pick them up.

The advantage of working overtime shifts in your own facility is the familiarity of it all. Who wouldn't want to just work a little extra at their own facility, not needing to learn any new procedures/protocols, computer systems, etc?

The advantages of getting a second prn/agency job, in my opinion, make it the ideal. You can set your own hours, you can pick up holiday pay at prn/agency wages, and if you want to work a lot--like, every day that you aren't working your other job--you can. If you are ill, have something going on in your life, busy plans, whatever, and you don't want to work much extra--you don't have to.

I work very intermittently for an agency, just to pick up some extra hours right before big family vacations. Usually I work 2-4 extra shifts a month for about 3 months prior to the vacation, and this only happens maybe every other year or so. My agency pay is $10/hr than my regular pay, and then when I pick up a holiday through the agency, it's somewhere along the lines of $25-30/hr above my regular pay.

My full time job is a floor nurse on a medical floor in a smaller hospital. I typically take agency positions that are in facilities of equal or smaller size. I often just take a somewhat long-term prn position (through the agency, of course) at a single, small nursing home. The work is not as challenging as my usual position, it's a lot easier, actually, but the pay is significantly more, and I like going to the same place over and over again.

I have kids, and am taking a few classes. We also are simply at a point in our lives where, sure, extra money would be great, but we don't really need it. So I only do this for special reasons. If I didn't have kids at home and if I weren't finishing up my bachelors, I might very well take a prn or agency position on a regular basis, in addition to my usual 3-12's a week.

I live in the same state as you. As a new RN, depending upon where you live, you will probably make in the 40-43K/year range base pay. Probably more if you work in a bigger city, less if you work in a smaller town. Shift and weekend differentials can boost that significantly.

If you can work at the VA, do it. If it weren't so far from my house--nearly an 1 hr drive--I would do it in a heartbeat. The pay is average, but the benefits are amazing. I have several friends who work in the VA system, and they are very happy with their jobs. AND you could transfer to various VA facilities and still keep your seniority and benefits. Work fulltime somewhere, preferably in a med/surg, ICU, or ED unit, and then after 6-12months, start looking for a prn position at another facility or check out local agency offerings, to substantially increase your income.

Neveranurseagain, RN · Dec 13, 2009

"My wife will be a dental hygienist, and I will be an RN so obviously money will not be overflowing."

Seriously--how much money will you need, LOL? I'm raising 2 teenagers by my self and make less than $40,000 a year. Instead of the mindset more, more, think living a simpler life. Not too many people get to heaven and said, "I wish I would have worked more and spent less time with my family!"

There is more to nursing than $$-it has to be a calling, not driven solely by money. If you are getting into it for the money, you may not last long.

Thank you for serving your country. I'm the medical officer, 2nd Lt, for Civil Air Patrol (Air Force Auxillary) for my county.

polock4life · Dec 13, 2009

First I want to send a HUGE Thank You to everyone that has taken time to respond. It is obviously clear that I have a lot to learn about being an RN, as I won't even get started until this coming fall semester at the earliest. I appreciate every bit of information and advice I received.

Shallow heck- I work as an RN for $$$- not the fulfilling job satisfaction. No money- no me. For most of my career I have been able to pick up a shift or two a mos whenever I want to. My hospital pays time-and-a-half for any time ove 40hrs/wk. That means the first four hrs are straight time but any subsequent hrs are OT. I sure it varies greatly hospital to hospital, and even within a hospital depending on the quatrerly budget numbers. At the tightest I had to look to units and shifts other than my own to pick up time, but it is almost always there if you want it. I knew one nurse who made in excess of $130,000 as a staff nurse. He picked up 16 hr shifts EVERY DAY. His record was 132hrs of overtime in one 2wk pay period. (that would be a total of 212hrs in 2 weeks- almost constant, back to back 16hr shifts). I've not been quite that motivated but if you are flexible, there is money to be made.

HAHA, Thanks, I know what you mean about the money, but I just came off very shallow and dependent on a large income for my first post. That is not the primary reason I want to become an RN, but it doesn't hurt either. I only know 2 nurses, and one makes $45k (brand new at a non-profit, Missouri), and the other has been an ICU RN for about 5-6 years and she puts in overtime , but is making over $100k a year(Kansas City, Ks).

My last position I BARELY made 70K for 36 hours a week with 30 years experience. My current position I am making about 80k for 36 hours a week and have 33.5 years expreience. 70K for a new nurse is ALOT of OT. For someone in the Military I am sure the hours are not a problem. However, you mention wife and children. Not much time for what I call "WORK/LIFE BAANCE". New nurses here make about $24/hour, which is just under 45k for 36 hours a week, 48 hours a week is just under 60k. For a brand new nurse there is alot to learn, especially in critical care, ER, and OR, which are specialties that attract alot of male nurses. MORE than 48 hours doesn't leave time for the learning curve (you will need to study things on your own time). I still study and take classes with almost 34 years on the job.
Salaries vary state to state and region to region in states. Depends on cost of living in the area also.
Good Luck.

Thank you! I'm sure there is going to be plenty to learn from experience. I was picturing overtime to be in the exact same area where you normally practice... I was not aware of the "outsourcing" for overtime. Because of this my mind was the more hours of experience, the faster I could learn/apply. I should have made it clear that by early in my career, I meant the first 3-4 years, and including overtime. If you were working closer to 50 hours... your income would be substantially higher than $70k... I think maybe you didn't realize I was including overtime. I however was not clear about "how soon" in my career I was talking about. I had come up w/ very similar calculations for a new nurse at 36 and 48 hours... so it's good to know I was close. I suppose I also should have been more clear and stated I'm looking to make this income Gross and not net.

I work 3 12's a week in a hospital. Have picked up overtime a couple times, but I have noticed that the more I pick up, the less I see it on my check. So it's really not worth it to pick up more than 1 OT shift per pay period. I will clear about $56K this year in MN. And this is my first year as a RN.

Thanks for your input. I've pulled OT in the past and too have found out that those extra hours truly do get taxed harder. I wouldn't mind the extra hours not being worth time and a half after taxes...

You don't mention where you live, making 70K + is doable, depending on where you live, but then take in to account cost of living. I've made 76k so far this year (one pay period left) and this is my second year of nursing. Last year I made about 65k. I got raises because of a union contract change and going from RN I to RN II payscale. Anyway, I live in southern CA and cost of living is very high here, so it really evens out. Also, I don't work a lot of overtime, 36hrs/wk of straight time, a few hrs of double time a week (from missed breaks and staying late). Anything over 12 hours is double time, if you pick up an extra shift, it is straight time for the first 4, then time and a half. With our short staff right now, there is plenty of OT to go around. However, I'd be careful about doing too much; enjoy your time with your wife, don't get greedy and don't burn yourself out!! Its really easy to make 12-24 hr of OT a week when compared to a lot of other jobs, but that doesn't mean you should do it!!

I did mention it... but it was pretty quick! Thanks again for all your input, I know my family is number one here. To me 36 hours is no where near a "real" work week, so I know I'll be looking for more. Eventually when we have kids I'm sure my mindset will change a little!

A suggestion for you. As a vet, you have hiring preference at the VA hospital systems. I work at a VA and it's a great place to work. The pay is . . . . okay. I believe that since the VA is federal gov't . . . they are not allowed to pay the highest by regulation . . . so their pay is sort of middle of the road. The base pay for new hire is around $41K with adjustments for where you work (locality pay). The locality pay adjustment in San Francisco area is 34% because of the unreal cost of housing.
But, an added benefit . . . your prior military service counts toward retirement.
As to your original question . . . right now the VA system in my area is absolutely full . . . a lot of unemployed vets are using their VA health benefits after losing their prior health insurance . . . so there's OT available. It's paid as time and a half, for over 80 hrs per two week pay period or for over 12 hrs in a day.
Best of luck and thank you for your service.

Thank You, it means a lot when we get thanks from our countrymen/women. The VA is definitely something I'm going to consider, I would love to give back to my fellow/former servicemembers. I'll have to research the benefits that have been mentioned!

Here's another option: get a good, fulltime job somewhere. Then, once you have a little experience, instead of picking up extra shifts, get an additional prn or agency job somewhere.
The disadvantage with picking up extra shifts can be numerous. In my hospital, you frequently get called off for extra shifts. I sign up for extra, sleep all day, then get called off at 5pm. I could have spent that time with my family,or doing something productive. Also, if you work extra shifts early in the pay period, and then the census is low later in the pay period, you can be called off of your REGULAR shifts, thereby not collecting any extra pay. Finally, extra shifts at a decently staffed hospital are hit and miss, and usually revolve around a coincidence of a position open from someone quitting, being terminated,or on medical leave along with a higher census. Those of us who want the extra shifts often have to scramble to pick them up.
The advantage of working overtime shifts in your own facility is the familiarity of it all. Who wouldn't want to just work a little extra at their own facility, not needing to learn any new procedures/protocols, computer systems, etc?
The advantages of getting a second prn/agency job, in my opinion, make it the ideal. You can set your own hours, you can pick up holiday pay at prn/agency wages, and if you want to work a lot--like, every day that you aren't working your other job--you can. If you are ill, have something going on in your life, busy plans, whatever, and you don't want to work much extra--you don't have to.
I work very intermittently for an agency, just to pick up some extra hours right before big family vacations. Usually I work 2-4 extra shifts a month for about 3 months prior to the vacation, and this only happens maybe every other year or so. My agency pay is $10/hr than my regular pay, and then when I pick up a holiday through the agency, it's somewhere along the lines of $25-30/hr above my regular pay.
My full time job is a floor nurse on a medical floor in a smaller hospital. I typically take agency positions that are in facilities of equal or smaller size. I often just take a somewhat long-term prn position (through the agency, of course) at a single, small nursing home. The work is not as challenging as my usual position, it's a lot easier, actually, but the pay is significantly more, and I like going to the same place over and over again.
I have kids, and am taking a few classes. We also are simply at a point in our lives where, sure, extra money would be great, but we don't really need it. So I only do this for special reasons. If I didn't have kids at home and if I weren't finishing up my bachelors, I might very well take a prn or agency position on a regular basis, in addition to my usual 3-12's a week.
I live in the same state as you. As a new RN, depending upon where you live, you will probably make in the 40-43K/year range base pay. Probably more if you work in a bigger city, less if you work in a smaller town. Shift and weekend differentials can boost that significantly.
If you can work at the VA, do it. If it weren't so far from my house--nearly an 1 hr drive--I would do it in a heartbeat. The pay is average, but the benefits are amazing. I have several friends who work in the VA system, and they are very happy with their jobs. AND you could transfer to various VA facilities and still keep your seniority and benefits. Work fulltime somewhere, preferably in a med/surg, ICU, or ED unit, and then after 6-12months, start looking for a prn position at another facility or check out local agency offerings, to substantially increase your income.

This is an awesome suggestion and something I'm definitely going to remember. I like this idea a whole lot more than working OT, but I know I'm going to have to pay my dues and effectively learn my job before I try and accomplish something like this. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this option to me! What city do you work in? I'm looking at the KCK area, where pay is in the low-mid 20/hr(22-24).

"My wife will be a dental hygienist, and I will be an RN so obviously money will not be overflowing."
Seriously--how much money will you need, LOL? I'm raising 2 teenagers by my self and make less than $40,000 a year. Instead of the mindset more, more, think living a simpler life. Not too many people get to heaven and said, "I wish I would have worked more and spent less time with my family!"
There is more to nursing than $$-it has to be a calling, not driven solely by money. If you are getting into it for the money, you may not last long.
Thank you for serving your country. I'm the medical officer, 2nd Lt, for Civil Air Patrol (Air Force Auxillary) for my county.

Again, Thank you for your input and I appreciate the reality check with my family. Money is clearly not everything for us, but it came across that way in the first post. I tried to recover w/ the last paragraph, but clearly it wasn't effective, lol! We are going to live in Lawrence, KS... which where a 2-2500sq/ft home in a decent area is not cheap (High 200k and even into the $300K) considering the pay for most jobs in KS is very low...That is a lot of money for a home condsidering how Kansans are paid! Money is going to be necessary, but it is not the driving force for my pursuit of BSN. I have many other reasons, but I appreciate your concern. Working with RN's who don't really care about their work is probably frustrating beyond belief.

THANK YOU so incredibly much for everyone's advice and support. It's amazing to find a good forum on the internet these days. Typically everyone wants to be condiscending but that is not the case here. I look forward to soaking up as much info as possible!

neatnurse30 · Dec 14, 2009

I work per diem in a hospital in Northern Virginia and for working on average 1 12hr shift per week this year I will make 30K$ this year, I know it is a bare minimum but my husband makes good money, no kids, paid off house so I don't need to work to survive financially. I love self scheduling, can work more or less, pick my own 4, 8 or 12 hr shift, that's the beauty of nursing.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

Miami, Florida.

70K doable

80K doable.

90K doable.

100K doable

New grads avg: 50-60K.

Bug Out, BSN · Dec 14, 2009

New Grad Arizona SNF (5x8hr shifts, 45-60hrs per week. $75k)

msz01 · Nov 1, 2017

what is the best thing to do at work for overtime? do 5 days in a week? so I get 2 days extra on that week and on the other week of same pay period just do 3 days? basically doing 5 days and 3 days same pay period? or just do 4 days and another 4 days on same pay period? extra money and tax wise what is the best on this? or just do 6 days and 3 days?

NuGuyNurse2b · Nov 3, 2017

I just started a per diem position at another hospital now that I got that magical 1 yr under my belt. We'll see how it goes, but the per diem pay scale is seriously amazing. I won't give an exact number, but it's north of $40/hr.