Seems a bit excessive to me....

Sanuk · Oct 27, 2011

I only read the blurb shown in your post, but my initial reaction is that noone was forced to let this nurse work all that overtime. If they don't want to pay a nurse that much, hire more staff and eliminate OT. But if you're gonna allow it, don't complain about paying her what she worked for. As for the doctor and his vacation time, again I would say that he saved all his PTO by not calling out or taking vacations and is entitiled to cash it out when he leaves.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 27, 2011

That's it........I am moving back to California and going to work for Governor Moonbeam and the Department of Corrections! I've never even gotten within shouting distance of $100,000 a year, let alone over a quarter of a mil. The only thing about this that doesn't stink on ice is the fact that the overpaid employee is a NURSE, who is undoubtedly worth more than all the politicians who authorized these outrageous salaries.

No wonder California is broke, eh?

JenniferSews · Oct 27, 2011

It might be partly that corrections nursing isn't for everyone. Here it pays more too, because to recruit nurses they have to pay more. If they don't want to pay her overtime, then like someone else said, hire more nurses and don't allow overtime!

ETA- I find it sad that they would refer to a nurse working her butt off with extra hours as a "binge."

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2011

So if this nurse is TRIPLING her pay by working OT, she is starting at $89,936. Heck, I'd be happy with just the base pay!

Anderle · Oct 27, 2011

I live in Ca and if you search the Sacramento Bee for State Worker Salaries you will find one person making that much. But there are several nurses making about the $200,000 range in Corrections. While I was a student I looked into the nursing job at the local jail and overtime was mandatory. But one would think if you have to work that much overtime, why wouldn't someone just hire another nurse?

We know some state police who's salary is really augmented by overtime. Their base pay is like $89,000 but they end up making $135,000.

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Oct 27, 2011

I remember a few years ago I was talking to a maintenance man and he stated he was in the 100k territory and could not afford to work anywhere else. All this guy did was screw in lightbulbs. However, I this was before the housing bubble burse and an average house cost a mil.

lrobinson5 · Oct 28, 2011

Happens all the time with firefighters as well. Some bean counter at the top has the genius idea of just allowing existing employees to work overtime rather than take on new hires. Tell me there aren't a ton of nurses looking for work right now, especially for a job paying 80,000K a year!

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Oct 28, 2011

There must be some benefit to the state re: how the beans are counted between actual pay and benefits, or they would hire another nurse..... I can't believe they're doing it with no perks to them ??????

lrobinson5 · Oct 28, 2011

It might be something like overtime pay comes from a different pot?? I have no idea either, but one would assume that the way the system is set up they are doing it this way because it is the only way it will work.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2011

Mazel tov to one nurse who's making it work!

TriciaJ, RN · Oct 28, 2011

Actually, I think it is more cost-effective to let one nurse work a lot of overtime than to hire more staff. The real cost of an employee is the benefits; mainly medical premiums. By letting one nurse do all that overtime I think the overtime pay is still less than hiring additional people and paying their bennies and salaries and vacation time, etc.