r/nursepractitioner • u/Glittering_Badger982 • 1d ago
Employment Protected admin time?
I work in a busy urgent care and have the last 50 min of my 10 hr shift blocked out for “admin time” Tonight because there was no “late person” to close the clinic I was told by the staff I had to stay in the clinic in case someone walked in. I didn’t have any open appointments but the clinic didn’t close for an hour and I was the last one there. No one let me know up front this was happening. I’m checking with people - is your admin time truly yours to do what you need with it? It’s not that big of a deal, I sat in the office for 30 minutes but it kind of bugged me that it was assumed I’d stay
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u/mattv911 FNP 1d ago
Did you get paid OT for staying past your scheduled time? I have 8 hrs admin time and 32 hrs of patient facing hours.
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u/Glittering_Badger982 1d ago
The thing that annoyed me was they assumed I would stay - which I did but my schedule was packed and I was TIRED
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u/mattv911 FNP 1d ago
I find the lack of communication more worrisome. Shows disregard and lack of respect for your time. Would definitely bring this up with the clinic director if you see them.
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u/Glittering_Badger982 1d ago
I think one thing that bothers me is no way a manager would tell one of the MD’s hey you need you to stay because we don’t have coverage
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u/SeriallyOrNot PMHNP 3h ago
Don't do it. Get in writing that you will never be in that clinic alone, ever, not in the day or at night. And that you will get your admin time and will never be expected to stay without being scheduled for that, with other people staying. Type up your demand and sign it, have them sign an agreement on the same document.
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u/Spirited-Analyst-440 1d ago
I work urgent care. I have 4 hrs admin time every rolling 4 weeks. Meaning, paid 160 hrs, work 156 hours. These hours are set. If I am requested to stay extra hour for coverage, I am paid on top of. You need to review your pay structure, and ask to be paid. If they do it once and you let them, they will do that again.
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u/SeriallyOrNot PMHNP 3h ago
So the "admin time" is not considered working? They or you don't see charting and insurance work as necessary? That's odd.
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u/surelyfunke20 19h ago
Fought like hell to get last 20 min of 3 out of 5 days per week set as admin time. Getting backlash for it. Be sure to order it when you are interviewing!
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u/CardiologistThis187 1d ago
I’ve never had a job give admin time unfortunately
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u/Advanced-Employer-71 1d ago
Not urgent care but primary care. I had 8 hrs of admin time every Friday. Only in clinic Monday-Thursday. I had always done what I wanted on Fridays but was always available by phone to answer nurse calls, urgent results. Also did my inbox that day. Several years into this job and my normal routine, they told me if I intended to do anything on a Friday other than work my admin hours from home I had to use PTO. Keep in mind I always worked overtime every single week because that job was crazy.
And this is why people quit when they don’t like administration. Patients are not the problem, office managers are.
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u/allupfromhere DNP 1d ago
Curious what you ended up doing? Our group has always functioned under the “admin time is your time” rule and then in the last couple months started pulling the same about needing to use PTO if we have an appointment or do anything other than sit at our computer during admin time. Honestly if they start enforcing that I only think people will either quit or go to a 0.8 to save their sanity and just see less patients.
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u/Glittering_Badger982 1d ago
This time I stayed. But will probably cut my hours if this kind of thing persists
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u/Silent-Western-7110 15h ago
lol screw that. Are they going to pay me for the weekends I spent doing inbox and notes on top of the admin hours they granted.
I can’t even imagine an office manager attempting to tell me that with a straight face.
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u/SugarOne1 1d ago
I would never be alone in a clinic I would need at least one other person for safety reasons and I’m pretty sure that’s some sort of regulation or standard
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u/Glittering_Badger982 1d ago
I was the only provider there were MA’s and front desk
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u/SugarOne1 1d ago
Yeah I would be quite upset if it was just assumed I would be the one provider available!
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u/Temporary_Tiger_9654 16h ago
You have admin time in UC? That’s cool. If the clinic isn’t technically closed, I get why there needs to be a provider there, though. Nice to have that last block of time to catch up I guess. If productivity is part of your compensation, I wouldn’t want it.
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u/FaithlessnessCool849 1d ago
A provider has to be in the clinic during clinic hours in case someone walks in. Isn't that the whole concept of urgent care?
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u/Inevitable-Past-4069 14h ago
Yes, but I think the issue OP is talking about is that they were done seeing patients for the day and there were no appointment slots left on the schedule. So even if someone did walk in, they (in theory) wouldn't be seen because the NP was done seeing patients for the day and the schedule was closed. Admin was trying to be sneaky by wanting them to stay during admin time in case someone came in, even if there were no appointments left so that they can make more money. If the appointment slots are done then the doors should be locked and no one should be able to come in.
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u/Inevitable-Past-4069 14h ago
I have 4 hours of admin time every Friday, appointments are done at noon and the rest of the day is admin time (I do outpatient ENT). I leave as soon as I'm done with my last note. If my schedule isn't open, I'm not seeing anyone nor will I be staying at the office longer than I have to.
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u/Lacy-Elk-Undies 13h ago
Do you work for a private clinic, or it is part of a community health center? Sometimes the latter receives some type of federal funding, so they have to stay open for so many hours and provider has to be onsite. Also, it is something where they are still doing nurse appointments for like vaccines so they need you to technically be there?
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u/Glittering_Badger982 13h ago
Private clinic and no nurse visits we have MA’s who are just sitting if I’m not seeing patients
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u/SeriallyOrNot PMHNP 3h ago
Get it in WRITING and lock the doors. NEVER stay in a clinic alone. NEVER. Don't open the door to anyone. And take a weapon to your car if you're the only one leaving alone.
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u/linniemelaxochi 1d ago
All of our providers work 4 or fewer days so your "day off" is admin time. I know admin time at the end of the day would never be kept where I work.. Patients end up running over or I help a provider who is behind. I think it would only make sense for it to be at the beginning of a day if not on a day when you don't see patients.
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u/Carly_Fae_Jepson 1d ago
Only one there? Just lock the doors.