Union RN's what do they do when census is low

KristiePDX · Aug 17, 2009

We get called of without pay (or you can use up your vacation). My union really screwed me over with our last contract. We have voluntary and mandatory days off. They go through the voluntarys first, then the go to the mandatory list. Problem is that it uses banked voluntary hours and your full time equivalent to calculate a "factor" Part time people get called off less, and those who sign up because they dont wand to work full time and still get full time benefits never get called. Those who CHOOSE to use their banked vacation hours (a day here, a day there) scattered thrughout the year, never get mandatory days off.

Then there are people like me. I work full time, and save up my vacation time for maternaty leaves. I am working hard to support my family. Every time there are mandatory call offs, I am one of the first to be called. So far 68 hours since March. All unpaid, somtimes 16 hours in one paycheck. I NEVER move more than 10 spots from the top of the list.

I know there is a problem with the current system. The problem is that it will cost a lot of money for someone to audit the system. I have notified the proper channels, with no response or action. One of my union reps brough my problem up to the higher ups and they said "well at least we got her a raise"

So what happens to union nurses when the census is low. We get called off over and over and over again........

noahsmama · Aug 17, 2009

It depends on the hospital, and the specifics of that union's contract with that facility. At our hospital, they cannot cancel your regularly scheduled shift without paying you for it. If census is low, first they cancel travellers or registry RNs. Then they cancel regular staff who are "extra", i.e. if you were going to pick up an extra shift beyond your regularly scheduled ones. In these cases, cancellation is without pay. Then they look for volunteers to be sent home/stay home, and these volunteers have the option of getting paid time off, or getting leave without pay and saving their PTO for vacations. To volunteer to be sent home, you call the staffing office up to 48 hours prior to a scheduled shift to put in a "request for time off" -- then they offer people time off (again, with pay if you so choose) based on who put their name on the list first. If no one's on the list, they call people in order of seniority to offer them time off.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2009

We do not have mandatory low census. If census is low, first they ask for volunteers to take low census on a first come/first serve basis. You can either take those hours unpaid or use PTO to get paid if you want. Low census hours still contribute to FTE to maintain your position, benefits, PTO accrual.

If there are not volunteers to take low census, then the nurses will have smaller patient assignments, since there are more nurses than needed, or float you to another floor where you are needed. If you float to a floor that is outside your float pod and take a patient assignment, you get paid $7/hr more. If you float to another floor to just help out the nurses there and don't take a patient assignment you get paid your normal hourly rate.

miss81, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2009

Same as Reno 1978. They can't cancel you here, you usually go to another unit to help or you can take voluntary Annual Leave (PTO). But lately we are so short nurses that there are way more pt's than than can be handled!

OC_An Khe · Aug 18, 2009

By contract we can't have your regularly scheduled shift canceled for low census. You can be canceled if it is OT or an extra shift. PRNs and all agency can be canceled for low census. You also can volunteer to take time ( paid or not your choice) if you desire or voluntarily paid to be on call.

It really depends on the Local's contract and how willing you are to fight for this contractual benefit.

diane227, LPN, RN · Aug 18, 2009

People on overtime go first, then it goes by those who request cancel, then by turn.