UW Pediatrics Residency Shift Coverage Policies
Last updated: 5/17/2023

Changing Name of “Jeopardy” to “Shift Coverage”

• “Jeopardy” will now be renamed to “Shift Coverage.” Rotations that were previously PD-Jeo or Elec-Jeo, are now PD- Cov or Elec-Cov.

How to Call Out of a Shift

• Communication Platform 
  • Please call 206-987-2000 and ask to page the chief on call. Place your phone number and a chief will return your call.
  • You are welcome to look on Qgenda Landing Page and identify the chief on call. Please note that chiefs may change at 8am or 8pm, so look at the date and time. You can AMS message the chief on call during day time hours, but if you do not receive a reply from them within 5 minutes, please page them as above.
• Timing
  • Please call out of shifts no later than 9PM the day before a shift or at 5AM before a shift. Unless you are in the middle of the shift, please try to minimize paging the chief on call between 9PM and 5AM.

Absence Policies

• • When a resident reaches 7 call outs within one academic year, they will meet with the Program Director (PD) to discuss any needed supports for the individual and to determine a plan for meeting the individual’s training requirements specified by the ABP (“A full 12 months of training must be completed satisfactorily at each level before a resident may be promoted to the next level of residency. The residency level must be extended to accommodate for any leave time taken in excess of one month.”). This could include extending the individual’s residency. Given the current mandated sick day policy for COVID at SCH (minimum 7 days, maximum 10 days out of work), absences due to COVID will count for a maximum of 2 sick days. This will not affect a resident’s annual number of paid sick days, as detailed in the RFPU contract. This policy is separate from that of Leave of Absences (LOAs). Please see the “Effects of Leave Policy” document for more information.

• Bereavement: (no changes, just clarification)
  • Per the CBA, residents are entitled to three bereavement days per year. There are two additional days available, if significant travel is required. If residents require more days than dedicated bereavement allows, then they may use sick days.
    • Bereavement Time Off: In the event of the death of a Resident’s family member, including miscarriage or stillbirth, a Resident shall be granted paid bereavement time off. The amount of paid time off shall be only that which is required to attend the funeral and/or make arrangements necessitated by the death, but in no event shall it exceed three (3) days. Up to two (2) additional days may be granted if significant travel is required to attend a funeral or memorial service. If additional time off is needed, the Resident may request the use of available vacation or sick time off. The Resident must inform the Program Director as soon as possible of the need for bereavement time off.”
• Sick Days: 
  • We have a don’t ask policy, however the CBA outlines appropriate uses for sick days, and we expect that residents adhere to these:
    • Personal illness, disability, or injury (including illness or disability due to pregnancy), childbirth or to recover from childbirth.
    • Personal medical, dental, mental health, or optical appointments. (*see additional detail below)
    • To care for a child (as defined in Family Member per CBA) of the Resident who has a health condition that requires treatment or supervision.
    • To care for the Resident’s seriously ill family member or partner.
    • To accompany a family member or partner to medical, dental, or optical appointments where the Resident’s presence is required. The Resident must make advance arrangements, provide notice to their supervising attending of any such appointments, and otherwise comply with any applicable Program policy.
    • Condolence or Bereavement time off is available (see above) and shall be used first for absences necessitated by the death of a Resident’s family member. – Sick time off may be used for absences in excess of time available via Bereavement time off.
    • When the Resident’s sick time off may be used when the employee’s child’s school or day care has been closed by a public health official for any health-related reason.
    • Parental leave as specified in Article 13 Leave – Miscellaneous.
  • If Sick Days are utilized for other uses, this is considered a professionalism issue and the PD will be made aware. In general, we have a don’t ask policy. However, if someone is calling out within 2 days of vacation or holiday, we ask the reason. If it is not consistent with the reasons outlined above, this is considered a professionalism issue and the PD will be made aware.
• Conferences:
  • Residents should submit a schedule request form (if conference dates are known ahead of the deadline) or find trades (after the block schedule is published). If residents are having issues finding coverage, we encourage them to work with the chiefs.
• Appointments
  • Whenever possible, we ask that residents schedule appointments and surgeries during a block that doesn’t require clinical coverage. If this is not possible, then the program will work with you to find coverage.
    • Residents must be given the opportunity to attend medical, mental health (including GME Wellness Service appointments), optical, and dental care appointments, including those scheduled during their working hours. The Resident must provide notice to their supervising attending of any such appointments, and otherwise comply with any applicable Program policy*. The goal is to minimize the disruption to patient care and Resident training, while encouraging Residents to avail themselves of appropriate personal health care. Residents who take four (4) hours or less for medical appointments during a given twenty-four (24) hour period will not be required to utilize sick time off. Residents who have appointments during a scheduled break need not use their sick time off. Unless required as part of an accommodation process or for FMLA approval, Residents will not be required to inform their program of the nature of their medical, mental health, dental and optical appointments including any faculty, administrators, or program directors.
    • • * Program Policy: (1) non-urgent medical appointments: Appointments should be scheduled on days when you do not require shift coverage.  If this is not possible, we request that residents alert the executive residents as soon as possible or give a minimum of 7 days’ notice prior to the appointment to assist in making trades or help arrange coverage. For appointments occurring during a block for which the schedule has not been published, please submit a schedule request on UW Peds. (2) Urgent Appointment: Please page the chief on call as soon as possible.
      • Missed Days for Weather/Transportation: 
        • If a resident must call out of a shift because of weather, flight issues, etc, the CBA recommends missing a vacation day, as sick days cannot be used for this purpose.
        • We will not ask residents to use a vacation day; instead we will ask residents to find a trade. If this is not possible, the program will find coverage for the shift in question and in return replace this with a “shift coverage” or other scheduled cross-cover shift at a later date.
      • Missed Clinic and WWAMI Days
        • The clinic and WWAMI sites send us absences monthly so these days are tracked.
      • Missing “Shift Coverage” Shifts: 
        • There have been instances where a resident scheduled for “shift coverage” calls out of their shift when they are being called in to a coverage shift. This makes it challenging to have a functioning, reliable coverage pool, makes staffing difficult, and delays people being able to get to their shift, etc. We outlined a process below:
          • We have a no-questions-asked policy, except if a resident is scheduled for “shift coverage”, and is not available when called into a shift. If a resident is sick while on “shift coverage”, they are expected to notify the chief on call prior to the start of their shift, or as soon as they are aware that they are ill. If a resident calls out at the time they are called in to cover a shift, or if the chief on call is unable to reach them, then we will ask the reason for the callout, and it may be escalated to program leadership as a professionalism issue.
          • Moreover, additional shift coverage may be added to your schedule at a later date if you are using a sick day that is not an acceptable reason per the CBA. If you cannot be reached, baring an emergency, additional shift coverage may be added to make up this shift.