Staying late, not getting paid.

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I am a new grad and I just started my very first job at a skilled nursing facility. The place is nice and my co-wokrers are wonderful. But, I am greatly concerned. Management is on a mission to have zero overtime and is constantly on nurses to clock out on time. But these nurses don't have enough time during the 8 hour shift to do their med pass, chart and fill out all the paperwork from the day. So they end up clocking out when their shift is over with and staying unpaid to finish all of their tasks for 2-3 hours. I am not comfortable doing that. Am I being naive here? Is this the norm?

So I will be done with orientation and working solo on Saturday. When I am still clocked in, charting and approached by management to clock out what do I say? Also, last night I decided to call the company "integrity line" that is a 24 hour phone line to anonymously report unlawful or suspicious activity.

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

The bare bones of it all is that every facility I've worked in has fussed about overtime. Some managers were crude and screaming, some declared that they would write the nurse up, some hovered over you like a cat does a mouse. But in the end, no one was written up or punished in anyway. Work hard and give it all you have, but if at the end of the shift you need more time to finish, then do it. I've heard all of managements scare techniques and that is all they've ever been.

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So I will be done with orientation and working solo on Saturday. When I am still clocked in, charting and approached by management to clock out what do I say? Also, last night I decided to call the company "integrity line" that is a 24 hour phone line to anonymously report unlawful or suspicious activity.
"as soon as I finish my charting". You have to finish your charting. I wouldn't think there would be too many managers that would put their own neck on the line and tell you to clock out and then chart...mainly because they want to keep their own job and you could report them to the number you mentioned. They may threaten to write you up, may or may not follow through. Probably not if everyone is having trouble finishing on time. It's their job to provide adequate staffing. They can either find more workers to pay or pay the current worker overtime. There's only so much that can be done in a given time frame. And if they do write you up, I would start looking for a different facility to work for because it's not worth it. I worked for a facility that was chronicly understaffed. I was never threatened with a write up but when I quit because of the insanity they were begging me not to leave...um, no. It had gone on for too long. Now they had to find someone.
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interesting... i am on orientation and at least half of the nurses stay after to finish. this is a med/surg 1:4/5 patient ratio. i keep reading this is a generous pt/nurse ration, though this happens frequently. even with the experienced nruses. from what i was told, somebody took legal action and sued the hospital over this and nothing changed. i can see how this happens in california because people are afraid to lose their jobs because the market is saturated here.

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Sounds like my place of employment exactly. Maybe you're my co-worker? Ha.

I refuse at all cost to stay overtime without pay. This is ILLEGAL and UNFAIR.

A few nights ago I brought up with the DON the fact that I won't be able to finish all the works (4 admissions) by the end of my shift (less than 2 hours away) her response was "make sure you get this and this and that done.."

I said yes, I understand. That's what I'm referring to when I say won't be able to complete the work. She insists I clock out at the end of my shift. So I said "so.. Just so I understand this correctly, you're saying that whatever work I do not complete after 11:30pm is to be left undone and endorsed to the neck shift, yes?"

Her response was "well... Are you volunteering to stay?"

I said "volunteer? I don't work for free" flat out.

She ended up "approving" two hours of overtime but for future reference I do NOT stay and work for free under any circumstances. I simply endorse on unless she wants to authorize overtime.

It's ILLEGAL, not fair, and puts your own license at risk in the event that serving happens. Anything can happen!

Don't let them take advantage of you. Your time, money and license was not free.

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I had to work a ton overtime without pay. It's illegal but the job market is saturated and people don't complain because they are scared of getting fired and not being able to find anything else.

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Keep track of your hours, and then report them anonymously to the Labor Board.

JMHO and my NY $0.02

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN, (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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