closed unit

[Guest guest]

We've been closed for almost 2 years now and for the most part it works out pretty well. We are smaller with 4 LDRP, 1 OR & PACU and 2 observations then 20 anti/PP/GYN beds. We have a mandatory call off list. If census is low the charge nurse from the previous shift goes down the list and offers low census to everyone working the coming up shift if nobody takes it the person on the top of the mandatory list gets it and can choose unpaid or use PDO (PTO whatever it's called) The problem was people were using up all of the vacation time being called off. There is also a sign up sheet to request off. There is an on-call person after 3pm till 7am some people want lots of call so they have more assigned I have my first weekend this month which is the first in a long time somebody always wants to take the call. We also have a list for people who want extra hours if things are really busy we call them before the call person and try to use them only if there is an after hour emergency. Our secretaries and CST have been affected the most with call offs as we rarely need 2 CSTs on the days 2 may be scheduled and never need 2 secretaries.