Staffing policies relating to call

[sstatzer]

I was wondering how other ORs handle call shifts that are released when an employee leaves the department or goes on an unexpected medical leave, etc...

When this does happen here, it is usually only a couple of shifts and there is uaully a couple people more than happy to pick up a shift or two... however, we have had several staffing changes over the last couple weeks and a couple of the people who have left were "heavy hitters" where call was concerned so we now have a pretty big list of call shifts that are open and not very many are being filled...

do your hospitals have any policies in place to account for this kind of problem? I would like to get a policy in place here, but figured I would be better off if I checked around to see if there was already a standard that many people used...

Thanks for any help or advice you are able to give. It will be very much appreciated.

S

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

In our system, everyone is required to sign up for the requisite number of calls for the period once the list goes up. Only once this has been done can people take over other people's call, but the original list is kept until the period is over. We have a form that both parties have to sign (the person giving up the call, and the person taking the call) agreeing that if one fails to be able to assume that call the other one will take it. If anyone quits or goes out for whatever reason, leaving that call open, unfortunately the call reverts back to the person who originally signed up for that slot and it is up to them to find the replacement if they can't fill it themselves.

We adopted this system because we were left high and dry too many times when people who were signed up for a ton of shifts quit without notice and left us scrambling.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

We post a list of the call that needs filled. Usually most of it will be taken by volunteers. However, for those that aren't we have a rotation of whose turn it is to be mandated to cover any uncovered shifts. We also try to make it more attractive by breaking it into 4 hour blocks rather than the whole shift, although there are some who will sign up for the full shift.

[SandraCVRN]

You are asking about after the schedule comes out? First we take volunteers then if no one wants to cover call we go to the "ugly list". Just 2 lists ( scrub & circ) of everyone. If there is an unexpected call and no one covers they just go down the list. If it's from a call in (sick) and you have to cover the person that called in has to take your next call.

With the heart team one of us just picks it up. There are only so many of us so we just have to do it.

[peabozzle]

This is almost embarrassing, but our system is this: after volunteers have picked up shifts, any leftovers are filled by drawing names out of a hat. Seriously....we draw names out of a hat! Maybe this works because we have quite a few people who are willing to volunteer & I think that works because we really don't work very much call.....we are kinda spoiled that way.