Thomas Bretz This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Nurseweek/Healthweek|12 Hour Shifts

   www.nurseweek.com/features/98- - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/30/1998   Last Visited: 5/13/2001

   A long day in the emergency department leaves no time for anything at , said Thomas Bretz , RN , a staff nurse at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys , Calif. Basically , when you're at work , you've dedicated that day to work , he said. Bretz , a single parent , can now put in a 12-hour day because his 16-year-old son is more independent. But when his son was younger , Bretz took a job in a clinic with an 8 a.m. to 4 : 30 p.m. schedule so that his career wouldn't interfere with his child-rearing responsibilities.
   
   Fatigue factor
   
   Although critics of 12-hour shifts question the ability of health professionals to remain alert , Bretz said that he has never had a problem with fatigue. In my field , in the emergency department , you're always on a low level of alert , he said. As soon as something comes in the door , you're on high alert again..
   
   ...
   Other health professionals , such as ER nurse Thomas Bretz , RN , of Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys , Calif. , gets a lower base pay than nurses working eight-hour shifts. But he gets time and a half for any hours over eight that he works in a day. Because of the differential , his salary for six 12-hour shifts every two weeks is comparable to other nurses' pay for 10 eight-hour shifts.
   
   But if you work less than the 12-if you work part time or flex and go home early-the hospital wins because administrators don't pay you the overtime , and your base rate is lower , he explained.
   
   He said that the hospital's new minishift requirement ( one four-hour or eight-hour shift per month for 12-hour staff ) is not going over well partly because staff would only get paid the lower base rate an hour.
   
   Although he understands that the change allows the hospital more flexibility in scheduling , for me , I'm really arguing it because I live an hour away..