University Medical Center of Southern Nevada is delaying the start of its mandatory overtime shifts for nurses, the Las Vegas-based hospital confirmed in a statement shared with Becker's.
The move comes after a March 7 internal memo used to communicate the hospital's plan to mandate overtime sparked pushback from nurses followed by expressions of remorse from the facility.
The memo came from Chief Nursing Officer Debra Fox, MSN, RN, about two weeks after UMC discontinued crisis incentive pay Feb. 22. Ms. Fox said UMC met with the Service Employees International Union Nevada Local 1107, which represents nurses at the facility, about the need to enact mandatory extra shifts and overtime. The mandatory extra shifts and overtime were slated to begin March 16. However, that date was delayed by days.
"The plan to introduce additional shifts serves as a short-term measure [to ensure appropriate staffing levels], and we remain confident that many of these shifts will not be necessary," the hospital statement said. "The additional shifts will begin March 21 and last for an initial period of 60 days. If a clinical department has enough team members who elect to work overtime shifts, mandatory overtime will be limited or not needed at all."
Earlier in March, nurses protested the mandatory shifts, and union officials asked the hospital to reevaluate their decision, according to ABC affiliate KTNV.
The news station reported that the union also advocated for a voluntary overtime list to be posted before assigning mandatory shifts.
The hospital said nurses may sign up for extra shifts and hopes the mandatory shifts will not be needed.
Becker's reached out to the union for comment and will update this report accordingly.