Flexible Work Week

[Janovec]

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Ok so I'm looking for some opinions on a new flexible work week system that my hospital wants to try out. It's actually an idea that the politicians are pushing (bear in mind, I'm not in America) because it's cheaper for them.

Our current work week is supposed to be 40 hours (wink wink) because it's against labour laws for anyone to work more than 40 hours. Of course we work 100 -120 hours anyway, so they end up having the pay us the rest as overtime (time and a half at night, 2 times on weekends/holidays). Even so it still works out to a ~ US$22,000 per year.

Last week a couple politicians looked at the health ministry's bill and noticed that we're working more overtime that actual time and have decided that the way to fix this is to put us on a flexi-week system. This means that we have to work any 8 hour shift on any five days of the week. The catch being that all shifts are paid the same.

Personally, I think that's bulls**t. 8 hours in the day are not that same as 8 hours in the night and 8 hours on Sunday are not the same as 8 hour on Tuesday. And yet, when I run it by my non-medical friends, they say I'm being ridiculous and the only reason I'm quarreling is because I'd have to give up all the overtime. Am I being ridiculous or is the hospital trying to screw us? Or is it both?

BTW, I'm also not a fan of shift work in medicine. I don't think it can work on a ward, but of course the politicians have already decided that if nurses can do it and the doctors in A&E can do it then the rest of us can too. I've all but ceded the fight on that one.

 

[Sneezing]

If politicians are suggesting anything, then they are suggesting how best to screw you. It is their cardinal rule.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Two questions:

1) can you choose the shifts - ie, will there be some regularity, or will you work during the day 1 day, night next day, etc.?

2) do your nurses get paid a night or weekend differential? It sounds like they don't but in the US they do. I agree and plenty of studies agree that working night shift at least (not weekend days necessarily) is harder on you physically, and perhaps should be monetarily compensated.

 

[Janovec]

Two questions:

1) can you choose the shifts - ie, will there be some regularity, or will you work during the day 1 day, night next day, etc.?

I actually don't know for sure but in all likelihood we won't. There aren't enough of us to have 3 separate shifts. Besides, given the choice no one would work nights, a disproportionate amount of the admissions occur at nights and on certain days of the week. The prevailing belief is that we'll just work the same schedule but it will be calculated as multiples of a shift unit i.e. one day on call = 4 shifts. Of course since none of that time is considered overtime, we'll end up getting paid less for the same amount of hours.

2) do your nurses get paid a night or weekend differential? It sounds like they don't but in the US they do. I agree and plenty of studies agree that working night shift at least (not weekend days necessarily) is harder on you physically, and perhaps should be monetarily compensated.

Yes they do. Each night/weekend shift = one golden hour. 4 golden hours = one regular shift. Which is part of the problem because the proposal they're forcing down our throat doesn't give us a differential.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sounds like a mandate not a proposal.

I agree with the response above: they're trying to shaft you so they save money.

 

[PhakeDoc]

Wow, so even in another countries the physicians get the shaft and the other levels get the $ benefit. I know where I'd like to stick my copy of "On Doctoring" sometimes....

 

[Pilot Doc]

I don't think you'll find much sympathy (or understanding) from US residents on this site. I get paid exactly $0 for nights, weekends, holidays, extra hours, etc. and the same is true for almost all residents.

 

[Janovec]

Wow, so even in another countries the physicians get the shaft and the other levels get the $ benefit. I know where I'd like to stick my copy of "On Doctoring" sometimes....

God I hate that book

I don't think you'll find much sympathy (or understanding) from US residents on this site. I get paid exactly $0 for nights, weekends, holidays, extra hours, etc. and the same is true for almost all residents.

Don't worry it's the same for resident's here. But i'm not in a residency, I'm just a medical officer in a clinic. It's a non training position.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Don't worry it's the same for resident's here. But i'm not in a residency, I'm just a medical officer in a clinic. It's a non training position.

😕

You mention in your first post that currently residents in your country ARE paid for overtime, weekends, holidays.

 

[gutonc]

😕

You mention in your first post that currently residents in your country ARE paid for overtime, weekends, holidays.

I thought so too, but then I re-read the post and he never actually mentions residents or trainees, just "us." But I am confused by the issue of the OP asking about working nights when he works in a clinic. Or maybe just looking out for his colleagues.

 

[Janovec]

There are training and non training residents. It just means anyone above the level of an intern. The terminology is a little different here. For example, interns aren't part of a programme, it's a pre-registration year that all med school graduates need to do before getting a full license.

I don't work nights currently cause I'm in a clinic but I was hoping to go back to the hospital soon. We have to have a certain amount of experience before we can apply for residency here: Most programmes require at least 6 months in the specialty of choice and six months of A&E. Some (IM, Peds etc.) allow you to substitute primary care for the A&E time and I hated A&E so I'm in a clinic now.

 

[Winged Scapula]

There are training and non training residents. It just means anyone above the level of an intern. The terminology is a little different here. For example, interns aren't part of a programme, it's a pre-registration year that all med school graduates need to do before getting a full license.

So you have interns, RMOs, registrars and only the RMOs and registrars get overtime/holiday pay?

 

[Janovec]

So you have interns, RMOs, registrars and only the RMOs and registrars get overtime/holiday pay?

Interns and training residents don't get it but the non-training residents got overtime/holiday pay. Basically once they could classify it as education they could skirt labour laws and force us to work a million hours unpaid. It's a weird system.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Interns and training residents don't get it but the non-training residents got overtime/holiday pay. Basically once they could classify it as education they could skirt labour laws and force us to work a million hours unpaid. It's a weird system.

Not so weird (in the uncommon sense). Its how GME works in the US - we are employees when convenient and students on a stipend when convenient.