Rural vs Metro

Penny8611 · Dec 4, 2007

This is totally second-hand, and not very detailed, but a very dear friend was a CRNA in a semi-rural area. He lived close enough to a major metropolitan area to work there, but also had an agreement with a few truly rural hospitals/doctors in the state. He did not work independently, but the firm he worked for was really quite small; he had a huge amount of autonomy. He did travel quite a bit, as you can imagine. At least a couple times a month he would be gone for about four days at a shot. He drove his own car and obviously had some kind of arrangement to deal with gasoline and wear and tear on his vehicle.

When he worked in the metro area I don't seem to remember him working tons and tons of hours. He did work at several hospitals in the area. He used to get on my husband and me about the long hours WE work, so his hours were definitely more sane than our typical 12 hour days. ;-)

I don't know the particulars of what his days were like, or his pay and benefits. I do know that he TOTALLY loved what he was doing!

He was actually our former next-door neighbor; he passed away about four years ago. We still miss him HORRIBLY and keep in close touch with his wife, who has moved away. (But still lives close enough that she and I get together often, thankfully.) I am so sad that he's not here to tell him that I'm getting into nursing...I know he would be TOTALLY behind me on it! :-)

RN1989 · Dec 4, 2007

I have a CRNA friend who worked over 120 hours between oncall (having to be at the hospital) and actual scheduled shifts at a metro hospital in the past WEEK!

dianacs · Dec 4, 2007

I have an acquaintance who works 3 10-hour days/week, no call. She works at a hospital but as an independent contractor.

droopy1592 · Dec 20, 2007

Got a friend in the Atlanta area. Works 28-36 hours a week (2-3 days) and makes ~150k before OT, a month+ vacation, decent benefits... not like some of these rural guys, though.

zrmorgan · Jan 4, 2008

one thing to consider when looking at a metro group is the size of the group.

I currently work in a rural situation with 6 providers...the call is frequent, so you are frequently obligated to the hospital whether you are at home or not. My range is about 25 to 55 hours per week with the average about 40 hours a week. When the range is so variable it is probably beneficial to have a salary with added compensation for extra call. I get paid the same when my week is 25 hour long, my weeks push the 55 hour range when I have more call...which is compensated.

Also, when you are the call person, you are there until the cases are done...there is no evening shift to come in and relieve you at 3 or 5 or whatever.

Most of the urban jobs in Western Washington are in hospitals which you don't take call.

Hope this helps,

Z

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

I am a new CRNA in a moderate size (400+ beds) hospital in a metro area. I work 5 8hr. shifts mon.-fri. and the occasional weekend call shift (which is OT pay). I have a good deal of autonomy and do a wide range of challenging cases on sick, sick patients. The pay is decent but certainly not as much as I could make working in a rural area taking more call. But in a rural area I would probably not get to do all the hearts and heads that I am doing now.

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 13, 2008

I work in Los Angeles. I do self-scheduling. I prefer to work a 16 hr and a 24 hr shift each week (40 hrs), I then have plenty of time for my home and family or to pick up extra shifts. There are people in our group who prefer 5 eight hr shifts and those who prefer four 10 hr shifts. In our group alone, you can work what you want, when you want. We usually accept call once a month so the same people don't get stuck doing all of the call. We pick a couple of holidays each year to spread the wealth!!! (double time). We work together like adults and cover all of our cases. Each day there are 12-13 assignments, they need to be covered 7-3. After 3 we close one room. After 5 we go down to 5 rooms. After 7 we go to 2 rooms.

All in all, working together and working the schedule out so the surgeons can get their cases done in a timely manner is our most important goal.

allnurses Guide · Jan 14, 2008

I work in Los Angeles. I do self-scheduling. I prefer to work a 16 hr and a 24 hr shift each week (40 hrs), I then have plenty of time for my home and family or to pick up extra shifts. There are people in our group who prefer 5 eight hr shifts and those who prefer four 10 hr shifts. In our group alone, you can work what you want, when you want. We usually accept call once a month so the same people don't get stuck doing all of the call. We pick a couple of holidays each year to spread the wealth!!! (double time). We work together like adults and cover all of our cases. Each day there are 12-13 assignments, they need to be covered 7-3. After 3 we close one room. After 5 we go down to 5 rooms. After 7 we go to 2 rooms.
All in all, working together and working the schedule out so the surgeons can get their cases done in a timely manner is our most important goal.

Quiigley,

How much down time to get on those long shifts, or is it non stop for the entire time?

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 14, 2008

I usually work hard the first 12 hrs in the main OR. Then I go up to L&D. It can be hit and miss there. In July, August you will work all night and finish your shift exhausted. But in March, April it will be slow and I can get actual sleep. Other months its random. (For the reason why: count back 9 months)! After 1900 the CRNA will do all of the epidurals, c-sections, and Code Blue calls. All pain management calls also go thru our pager, although I sometimes have them call my partner if I'm too busy.