Scheduling for ER Nurses

[EstherdH]

I'm looking for information about scheduling. I work in a level 1 trauma center with more than 80 full time nurses. We see about 65,000 pt per year. We have been doing set scheduling. Like all ERs we have staffing issues and our new director wants to fix our problem by going to self-scheduling. The nurses hate the idea and want another option. How is scheduling done in your ER, nights and days?

Thanks for your help,

Esther

[kaycee]

We do self scheduling and it works pretty well as long as everyone schedules themselves in a timely manner. If you don't as someone else said, you get what's left over.

I have a steady schedule that only changes if there is a call off I can't cover or I need an extra day off during the week. I am steady daylight charge. I work 4 10hr days with every Fri, Sat and Sun off.

[grammyr]

Our scheduling is not a problem. We have 4 fulltime RN's, one fulltime LPN and one parttime LPN. We pretty much have a set schedule unless someone needs off.

[missionnurse]

We self schedule on nights in our ER. Day shift is on a 4 on 3 off then 3 on 4 off rotation. For self scheduling, we must work 2 of every 4 weekends. Holidays are a sign up policy. We must sign up for 4 holidays, 2 majors (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, New Years) and 2 minors (all the others). It all works pretty well. We negotiate for special days we need by trading around with others.