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I have been offered a salaried position which includes call 1 weekend a month. They have told me since it is salaried, there is no additional pay for the call. Is this common in Arizona? Anyone get paid extra for call? It only seems fair to me. Thanks!

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25-50% of a days pay - just to carry pager

 

then 1.5 time regular pay to come in (would be nice have a flat $100 just to come in then paid 1.5 time over time)

 

 

This is a HUGE issue that the doc's and admin are getting really good at taking advantage of PA's (as most of us are younger and most the doc's are older and are tired of call)

 

It is a huge quality of life issue and we should never give our services away for free....

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Agree with above...

 

When YOU are on call... you are a slave of the pager. No adult beverages, no spontaneous trips outside of your county, no weekend cruises, trips, etc. If you are at the movies with your significant other, or at yuor child's recital, you may have to leave them there. They expect you to be available, and able during all those "on-call" hrs. You are basically working for the practice so they should compensate you for your time that they are monopolizing.

 

Also... if you calculate your salary to say $75,000/yr for 40 hrs/week you are making ~$36/hr

Now if you re-calculate your salary of $75,000/yr for 40 hrs/week plus 48hr (typical 2 days) of uncompensated call time... you are now making ~ $16/hr...

 

Many LPNs make more than $16/hr...

 

I suggest, ~$10/hr for the hours ON-Call... then whatever your salary is, converted to hourly for the hours that you have to go in, with a 2 hr mimimum.

 

For ex:

 

12 hrs on call will net you $120 extra (above and beyond your regular salary)

Weekend call 8am Friday-8am Monday will net you $720 extra (above and beyond your regular salary)

 

Thats just for being on call... now if you have to go in...

 

$75,000/2080= $36/hr. with a 2 hr minimum (above and beyond your regular salary).

 

When I did this... I had them cut me a separate check for hrs on call. So I would get a check every Friday. One Friday was a salary check the following Friday would be a On-Call check. This way they couldn't fake me out and say they included in with my salary... :wink:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

As was stated above, being On-Call is a "quality of life issue."

 

They don't do it for free and neither should YOU.

 

Contrarian

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VA rules mandate that a PA be given 10% of their hourly rate for all hours they are on call, except the actual hours they are called out (minimum 2) of which they will be payed at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate. Holidays it equates to 2.5 times the regular hourly rate when called out.

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VA rules mandate that a PA be given 10% of their hourly rate for all hours they are on call, except the actual hours they are called out (minimum 2) of which they will be payed at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate. Holidays it equates to 2.5 times the regular hourly rate when called out.

 

so much for the VA being the bottom of the pile..... as I have always thought - the VA is actually pretty on top of it!

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Job # 1: I serve as the "Medical Consultant" to the Psych Providers (MD/ARNP) at a Inpatient Involuntary Treatment Facility. This job requires me to be On call 30hrs per week. Do not have to go in unless NEW admission... that must be seen for Complete H&P, within 24hrs of admit (but can be deferred). The average length of stay is ~ 10 days. I'm guaranteed 30hrs/week minimum @ $57/hr pay. I'm paid this rate for all hrs over 30 also. There are only 16 beds so typically, on some days I'm only there 2 hrs, and some weeks I'm only at the facility 5-10hrs the entire week... but I'm guaranteed 30hrs/week minimum @ $57/hr.

 

I use this job to precept PA-students doing their required Behavioral Medicine rotation. When I have a student (every other month), I then go to the facility Mon-Fri, 0700-1300. For example, I only examined 11 patients this week and was only there from 0700-1400 M-F because I have a student. Actually, the student examined these patient and did the mental status exams, documentation, and orders. I simply sat in the background, observed, and made minor on-the-spot corrections when needed, then co-signed as appropriate.

 

Job # 2: I serve as the "Medical Consultant" to the Psych Providers (MD/ARNP) at a Crisis Respite Facility. This job requires me to be on-call Mon-Fri 1300-2100 (30hrs per week @ $8.50/hr). If I have to go in I'm paid $55/hr. They pay me a guaranteed minimum 10hrs/week @ $55/hr, and 30hrs/week @ $8.50/hr. Typically, I may spend 4hrs/week at this facility but so far, this week haven't had to go in at all.

 

Sooooo... I basically get paid various rates ($8.50-$57/hr) for 70hrs/week but really only actually perform about 20hrs/week worth of work.

 

Since I'm typically napping in my Pajamas by about 1400hrs each weekday... and my Master is concentrated in psychiatry/addiction medicine, I'm seriously considering opening a Tue and Thurs cash only Suboxone Clinic. Here I would induce opioid dependent patients and prescribe Buprenorphine. The typical induction fee in this area is $350 cash to do Complete H&P and initiate 1st dose, then $20 bi-weekly for instant U/A, and $50/week for 5min office visit for up to 100 patients.

 

Moral of this story

 

It seems that the ideal situation is to get paid for availability based on what you know versus what you do. Its out there... go get it...!!!! :wink:

 

YMMV

 

Contrarian

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Update - they wouldn't pay me extra for call (guaranteed to go into hospital as it is in Sun City area of Phoenix), and they only bumped up salary by $5K for 12 weekends. I passed on the offer.

 

Thanks for all of the input.

 

 

good for you

 

this is a really hard thing to pass on a job when you need one - but after you are in one for a while and fighting hard to get paid for what you bring to the table it really hurts to have other PA's willing to work for a lot less (i.e. call for free)

 

thanks for standing up - we all appreciate it!

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