I've been getting cancelled a little more often than usual lately. And I looked at my calendar and realized that I have very little guaranteed shifts scheduled for November. Four, in fact. Of course, I'm going to submit availability for a lot more days than that, and see if I'm cancelled the morning of them. And I know that any weekend shift I put in to pick up is pretty much guaranteed. But as of right now, I can only bank on four days.
There are two causes behind this. First, finances. Now that I've moved from per-diem to the float pool, I'm costing them a little more...this is because I'm getting paid a little more. And because per-diems are cheaper than float pool, the preference is to staff with per-diems first, then add on float staff as--or more like if--needed. I knew this before I signed on, so I'm not entirely surprised. I've been getting the same level of work since switching over from per-diem to staff though...because they don't have a lot of per-diems around. But rumor has it that they've hired one and plan to get another one.
Second is that the new grad residents have started. Even though it's early in the residency and they're feeling their way, they are taking on a patient load...a small one, but a load nonetheless. Yes, a staff member is tied up precepting/shepherding the new student, but given that the preceptor isn't ever going to have more than 6 patients anyway, it's not a horrible handicap to care for patients and precept in this state, IMO. At my last job, I managed my own new grad AND carried a patient load averaging 8-10.
Plus compared to float staff...and per-diems...heck, even to a regular staff nurse at my experience level, the new grad is ridiculously cheap.
Job #3 doesn't have anything for me right now...then again, they offer shifts by seniority and I'm still one of the lowest on the totem pole. I offered them practically the whole month of November and never heard a peep from them, so I'm taking that as they've got nothing for me. Still, they could have dropped me a note.
Ah well. Guess I will call job #2 and make myself a little more available to them.
It's nice to see new grads entering psych though.
