PA hours (I'm a new PA)

[Smartybboy]

I just started in a Orthopedics practice, it is run by a hospital so its a faculty group practice. I'm salary based pay and don't know when to "leave the office". I'm not following a MD today and all the required paperwork/phone calls and tasks I'm responsible for are completed but I don't want to get reprimanded for leaving before the end of office hours. Any assistance?

[Soulfari]

From what I understand, the longer you stick around the more work they will give you. 

[dmdpac]

There are days when you'll be done early.  There are days when you'll be done late.  In theory, anyway, they'll all balance out.  Being new it's always tough to balance and figure out when you can leave.  If you can leave and take advantage of the time then do it.

 

That being said, as a new PA in a new job, you might do well to find something to help keep you busy for at least a few hours so you're not leaving ridiculously early.  Study.  Find something to read.  Find some task, job related, in which to involve yourself so as to avoid any potential reprimand for leaving early.  There's always something new to read or learn that will help benefit you in the practice.  Then, as you get closer to a normal end of office hours you can leave.

 

Or, you could ask someone what the protocol is regarding leaving when your work is finished as opposed to sticking around until the end of the day.  Understand, though, that asking may very well earn you a bunch of work for the afternoon that will keep you late.

[ventana]

Do not give your time away for free.

 

You are defining the expectations for future employment, 

 

If you work 60 hours a week for the first six months they will expect this from you in the future, when you drop back to a more reasonable 40 hours a week they're going to give you a bad review.

 

It is not their expectation you are determining, it is yours. Right now you might be very excited to put long hours in, but at some point you will not be excited. Set a reasonable schedule, adhere to it.

 

I would say no more than 45 hours per week is reasonable. Keep track. When you get to nine hours a day, five-day work week, go home.

[HLReed]

Early in my first job I felt guilty for being done with my work and leaving early, even though my fellow employees and supervisors encouraged me to do so. Now I see they were right.

 

Since then, I have stayed late far more days than I have left early. That guilt has retroactively vanished. Salaried employees have to take it both ways and hope it balances out. But keep in mind that early on the work load might be lighter or expectations might be less.

 

However, using the extra time for personal/professional development is also a wise investment. Those extra hours in the afternoon are well spent on CME or personal interest projects that build your resume. It's a win-win for you and your employer.

[Guest jb555]

I agree with the above. When I started I was often done by 3 pm (clinic closes at 5) and I did leave early many days. I tried to read, study, and get a ton of CME done, which kept me there until 5 most days but if it was one of those days where I was super tired or not motivated at all, I just left. I also took on "projects" like creating patient educational handouts, doing a clinic newsletter, etc to keep myself busy. It does even out eventually. Now that I see so many patients on my own, even if I'm done charting before 5 (I have 4-5 open for administrative work), I stay until 5 because that's when the phone gets turned off and I want to be available for patient calls. You'll have to get a feel for what responsibilities they expect you to take on. 

[Smartybboy]

Thank you for your responses they were very helpful and yes I have done what a few of you recommended such as personal interests, CME as well as administrative work. I also agree that we set our own standards as well, and being the first PA in this practice I felt that pressure of what is expected of me. I'm happy to say that I feel that I'm living up to these expectations while also not being smothered by working 50+ hours a week. I wish the best for all my fellow PA's out there :)