What do you do when you have cancelled shifts?

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I do shift work (10-12 hour nights) and I've got 3 cases that I'm on. Two are 24 hour cases and are staffed very well with hardly any openings. The other is nights only and the family frequently cancels shifts. I have a week coming up where I will be losing over $700 due to cancelled shifts. Picking up shifts elsewhere isn't an option. Anyone have some suggestions on what I can do to help deal with that huge financial blow? I'm nearly having a panic attack thinking about it. Please help!

Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

That porch-waiting scenario is a good example of what CAN happen....ugh.

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

That puts you on quite a roller-coaster. I know.

Well, we had better keep it positive. for our own sakes. After all, WE ARE THE BEST!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

My agency has been cutting everyone back. I worked 10.5 hours one week, and my flu clinic job fell through. I've picked up more hours and another client, and I will be starting a new flu clinic job soon (assuming they don't use e-verify, which is offline thanks to the government shutdown).

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I have very steady hours and have never been cancelled.

However, I don't think I could do private duty if I were the sole wage earner in my home.

I still feel like I shouldn't enter into any financial commitments even if we can afford it because of the unpredictable nature of private duty. It is definitely one of the greatest drawbacks of this kind of work.

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What i say is never schedule with 1 client.

What my agency does is let me have 4 clients. One of them,i work 2 shifts per week.

The rest,i work 1 shift per week. That way,if client #2 is in the hospital,i still have 32 hrs instead of 0 hrs that week.

Also,im flexible,so any shifts they offer,i work.

Always work 2 agencies. With me,i work 40 to 50 hrs with one,and 24 hrs with the other. As A result,i work 70 to 90 hrs a week.

Its hard,but the agencies in my woods dont really allow per diem. Full and part time regulars get first pick at extra shifts. Even if a nurse calls out of shift 50 minutes before the shift starts,they will call the part timers and the full timers first. I guess

I know it sounds silly,but as the sole provider for my family,its the only way for me to stay afloat financially.

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

That answers that. I can't argue with success.

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Specializes in Pediatric.
That answers that. I can't argue with success.

Sorry to hear that your case got cancelled... I remember you posting about that one! Did they give any details? Ugh.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

What I do is I have an emergency fund savings account. I save $120 from each check, every week. If something happens, I can live while I scramble for something else.

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