The working CRNA is usually scheduled from 6 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon five days a week. These hours sound attractive to the nurse working 12 hour shifts in the acute care setting. What she may not realize is that in addition to working five days a week, the CRNA must be on first call or second call at least once a week and must also take first call at least one weekend per month. What does all this call mean? According to Larry, when the CRNA is on first call he must remain at the hospital for 24 hours if there is a patient in labor. If there is no laboring patient, the CRNA may stay at home during the night, but will be expected to be at the hospital in less than 30 minutes if there is an emergency surgery. The on call schedule is difficulty for many specialty nurses working in the field of anesthesia. The on call schedule is mandatory and usually not flexible.
By making the on call schedule mandatory, the hospital ensures that patient care is first and foremost. In any area of nursing, patient care should be the number one priority in making the nurse's schedule. It has been by experience that department managers attempt to schedule the nurse according to her wishes yet ensuring patients will be taken care of. Because patient care and safety is top priority for all nurse, this is one of the constant but less severe gripes of the CRNA.
At the height of a nursing shortage, specialty nurses are feeling the pressure. Already working undesirable schedules, they must take on more on-call shifts and be responsible for more cases. How can a nurse working in anesthesia be responsible for more patients? The surgery schedule does not get lighter because of staffing. The doctors still desire to do the same number of operations on any given day. If the hospital is short on CRNA's for the day, they compensate by having the staff remain at the hospital until the schedule is complete.
