It’s a good news, bad news situation: when incentive pay for RNs who pick up extra shifts in some COVID units got extended, SHARE Respiratory Therapists were added (good news), but SHARE PCAs who work side-by-side with the RNs, did not (bad news).
Starting over the holidays, RNs who signed up for extra shifts in certain units were paid “incentive pay” of $100 for four hours extra. UMass Memorial Medical Center management says that they started the incentive pay when RN open shifts were threatening to cause them to have to close beds and turn patients away because of a shortage of licensed staff.
“It’s a slap in the face . . .”
Even though this was not hazard pay, some SHARE members felt that this incentive pay program sent the message that their work with COVID patients was valued less than RNs’ work.
The temporary RN incentive pay program was scheduled to expire on Saturday, January 16th. However, nursing leadership decided on Friday to extend it. In addition, a new program that offers a pay incentive to respiratory therapists who pick up extra shifts was created. No new program was created for the inpatient PCAs.
Over the last 2 weeks, SHARE has advocated for SHARE jobs to be included in incentive pay. In particular, SHARE members who work side-by-side RNs who are getting incentive pay, such as PCAs and Respiratory Therapists, should be included. SHARE and management leaders discussed the incentive pay at the Labor Management Partnership Council meeting earlier this month. SHARE Representatives like Kona Enders, PCA, argued that the incentive pay for PCAs would make sure patients get all the care they deserve, support RNs where they are stretched, and show respect for PCAs' role. The incentive would especially help where PCAs are working really short, like the EDs and some ICUs. Joel Masley, Respiratory Therapist at University, described in detail the staffing challenges he and his co-workers are facing: Respiratory Therapists play a critical role in treating COVID-19 patients, and the department cannot hire travelers because they cannot find any who have the critical care experience.
SHARE applauds Medical Center leadership for creating a temporary incentive program to encourage Respiratory Therapists to pick up extra shifts. At the same time, we urge management to include PCAs in the program for RNs, so as to create a unified team of caretakers on those units most struggling with coverage for COVID patients. SHARE believes that management made the wrong decision by not including the PCAs on those units.