UT-Harris County Psychiatric Center
Nursing Procedures
Overtime
Nursing
Harris County Psychiatric Center: Office Administration
As patient care needs are our foremost priority, nursing staff may work additional time to meet staffing requirements. Adequate numbers of staff are allocated to the units to provide a safe therapeutic milieu
overtime, staffing coordination, unable to work scheduled shift
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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Introduction |
Date of Last Review:
5/19/08
As patient care needs are our foremost priority, nursing staff may work additional time to meet staffing requirements. Adequate numbers of staff are allocated to the units to provide a safe therapeutic milieu. |
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Description |
Overtime is a method of meeting staffing needs based on patient acuity and unit census. |
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Overtime Applicant Duties |
Nursing staff interested in working overtime should forward overtime availability including eligible dates and shifts to the Staffing Office three weeks prior to the beginning of the schedule. |
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Staffing Coordination |
The following duties are performed by Staffing Office
personnel, the Nurse Manager or Nursing Supervisor: · Considers per diem, casual, part-time and full-time nursing staff prior to assigning any overtime shifts · Confirms overtime shifts based on staff availability, patient needs, unit acuity, fiscal resources, gender needs, skill mix, etc. · Cancels scheduled overtime in accordance with established policy |
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Departmental Manager
Duties |
A department manager (Nurse Manager, ADON, Nursing Supervisor) has the following responsibilities: · Approves/Cancels overtime · Uses overtime judiciously and limits to 4 shifts per week · Approves additional shifts in emergency situations |
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Unable to Work Shift as
Scheduled |
Use the following table as a guide when unable to work your overtime shift as scheduled: |
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IF you… |
THEN … |
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Cancel a weekday shift |
Give 24 hours advance notice to the Staffing Office and/or Nursing Supervisor |
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Cancel a weekend shift including Fridays |
Give 48 hours advance notice to the Staffing Office and/or Nursing Supervisor |
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Cancel your shift and have found a replacement to work that shift |
Complete an edit form signed by you and your replacement, then submit it to the Staffing Office |
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Call in sick |
Notify either the Nursing Supervisor or Nurse Manager/designee to cancel in accordance with the call-in policy |
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Cancel late or refuse a unit assignment |
Expect possible disciplinary action |
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Related standard: |
JCAHO LD 2.3 |