Understanding Mandatory Overtime For Nurses | NurseJournal (2024)

FAQs

How does mandatory overtime affect nurses? ›

Mandatory overtime significantly impacts the well-being and job satisfaction of nurses. Extended hours, often beyond a typical 12-hour shift, can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. This exhaustion is not just about the additional hours; it's compounded by the high-stress, emotionally charged nature of nursing.

The extra work hours could also make employees more stressed and fatigued. Those who value work-life balance may even become disengaged and look for job opportunities elsewhere. Employers should carefully weigh these pros and cons before rolling out a mandatory overtime policy in the workplace.

Even in states without restrictions, hospitals or medical centers may prohibit nurses from working more than 16 continuous hours for safety reasons. However, it is essential to note that nurses could qualify for overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours per week.

Mandatory overtime is illegal if it poses a health or safety risk and clearly violates the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) General Duty Clause.

If you work every single day of the year in overtime at your regular rate (depends on your hospital system) then you could potentially make an additional $87,780 (209 days x 12 hours x $35). And your end of year salary would be $153,300.

When You're Still Overspending. Once that extra money starts pouring in, an employee might start spending more than they normally do. Excess spending is actually a common thing when a person is faced with a sudden surplus of cash. If you catch yourself doing this, working overtime might not be for you.

WARNING SIGNS OF TOO MUCH OVERTIME

One of the first indicators of excessive overtime is your wage bill. If all or most of your employee's actual wages are consistently 30–45% higher than their salary, alarm bells should be going off – especially if it's every month.

Improve work-life balance — For many nurses, a 12-hour workday offers more flexibility than a standard eight -hour day. While 12-hour shifts leave very little free time on workdays, they provide nurses with four full days off each week.

Are 12 hour shifts bad for nurses? ›

Weaker performance and increased errors.

Studies show that when you work twelve or more hours, your diminished mental capacity due to fatigue can result in less attentiveness. That may lead to errors affecting patient safety and outcomes.

Another reason is that having two nurses scheduled in a 24 hour period provides a higher continuity of care. This means fewer issues during hand offs and patients (and their families) may feel more comfortable with their nursing staff since they spend a longer time getting to know them.

As detailed by Marcia Faller, RN, MSN, in American Nurse Today, a journal of the American Nurses Association, when nurses work long hours beyond their choosing, they are at a heightened risk of becoming tired, stressed and even resentful, leading to reduced morale and greater job dissatisfaction.

In conclusion, and, coming at no surprise at all, the data tell us that there is a strong connection between breaks at work and overall nursing job satisfaction. An inverse relationship exists between the two variables. Fewer breaks received leads to greater job dissatisfaction and vice versa.

Prevent nurse burnout — Burnout — a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress — is a major issue in nursing. According to research, nurses working longer shifts are more likely to experience burnout and job dissatisfaction, leading to high turnover rates.

Principal findings: The mandatory overtime and consecutive work hour regulations were significantly associated with 3.9 percentage-point decreases in the likelihood of working overtime mandatorily and 11.5 percentage-point decreases in the likelihood of working more than 40 hours per week, respectively.