Casual/per diem nurses and the phone. Do you feel harrassed?

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

I put in close to full time hours on a couple of units in my facility as a casual RN where they are always understaffed. I will tell the powers that be in advance when I will and will not be accepting shifts, please don't call me, if you call me on my days off, I will not return your calls. Despite that, my phone will ring two to three times a day on my days off with the messages becoming increasingly desperate. They start with the time keeper calling, then the nurse manager gets in on the act. I only have a cell phone and don't want to waste unnecessary minutes ferreting through their messages.

When I'm at work, that is where my full attention is. When I'm not at work, I try to focus my mind elsewhere. It's only healthy. This constant encroachment into my personal time is disrespectful when I have indicated my inavailability. "Can you come in for just 4 hours?" or "I know you said you wouldn't be available but the need is desperate". I don't even listen to the messages anymore. I'm sorry my unit cannot retain staff. It's not my problem. I am not on call!!

Sorry but I need to vent about this. I've worked as casual staff before. We were not initimidated into going in or even into calling back.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

they call because they have to. There is always a chance, in their eyes, that you will say yes. They may even have to document they tried every possible person. If they did not need you they would not waste their time either.

[HonestRN]

I am casual/registry and it used to be that way for me so I started asking for premium pay (time and a half) to come in and at my rate that was pretty high. After several months of cashing in like this they realized it was costing them a lot to call me in. Sure enough the calls decreased considerably.

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

How about blocking their phone number when you don't want to be called. They should get the message then!

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

I used to feel the way you do when I was full time and every stinking time I was off this would happen. I would think, "Gosh I already picked up four shifts this month, how much more do they want?"

However, now they've hired a bunch of new grads to be prn and they are getting these phone calls. I am rarely if ever called on days off anymore.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

I used to feel the way you do when I was full time and every stinking time I was off this would happen. I would think, "Gosh I already picked up four shifts this month, how much more do they want?"

However, now they've hired a bunch of new grads to be prn and they are getting these phone calls. I am rarely if ever called on days off anymore.

I must admit, this is the not-so-desireable side of the same coin. I know that if the phone stops ringing, I'm not such a hot commodity. Feast or famine.

Because I work on an inpatient psychiatric unit where violence is unfortunately common place, I think my need for peace, quiet and sanity on my off time is heightened. The phone calls feel like an unwelcome intrusion into that much needed peace.

Thanks for all comments and thoughts.

[newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I've only been doing per diem work for about six months and I also provide the staffing office with my available hours. They do call me when I am off but only the staffing office calls and they simply say they have needs at such-and-such a time and to call back if I'm available. At first I found it a little annoying but now I have learned that I stress out when they don't call on my days off because I worry they won't need me on my scheduled days! Now I am glad they call me but they never do the desperate thing and they never call more than once so I don't think I'm in quite the same situation.

Can you talk to them again and tell them exactly what you have told us--that you won't come in on your scheduled days off because your off time is too valuable and it is what allows you to do a good job on your work days. If you go this route I would spend some time thinking about it and making certain you won't be in a position where you will be wanting to pick up hours in the future, as it could be hard to reverse this request later.

[systoly]

I work at least 48 hours a week and still get numerous calls every week. I used to leave updates with my availability, requests to not be called, ignored calls, all to no avail. When the economy changed, I went down to 32 hours for a couple of weeks and I was the one calling for extra shifts. These days, when the phone rings on my day off, I just smile and say to myself, "Yeah, everybody wants me"

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

as the charge nurse for a busy unit, we have to call everyone if we are short staffed so that we can show that we made the effort and couldn't cover ourselves. This is how we get our matrix changed to be able to schedule more regular staff. It is annoying, but it comes with the territory.

[RNKPCE]

Kindly in writing ask them to not call you on your day off, the hospital then has written proof you wouldn't be available if they tried to call you(important if you live in a state with ratios). If they continue to call you and you are unionized go to your union and ask for their help. I get called mostly to work the shift I usually work and just use caller ID to know not to answer it. However if they were calling for all the shifts, waking me up at 6a for days or 9p for nocs I would really be mad.

[AllSmiles225]

I am working "per diem", but am being scheduled between 40 & 48 hours a week until I go back to school and they still call--and whats even worse..when I'm there they ask me to work a double. I kindly decline. Like you, I ask them not to call me on my days off..they don't have consideration for that factor. I understand that they have to call everyone that they can..but when you work per diem you fill out a schedule that says unavailable..why should I have to be called and feel the stress of work if I am on vacation and have already previously indicated that I am unavailable? That isn't fair either.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I worked casual for my first 6 years as a nurse. If you start getting snotty about the phone calls they will kindly stop calling. Just let the machine get it or say "no thank you" and move on with your day. Their job is to call EVERYONE, and I'm sure the people making the calls find it just as tiresome as the people saying no for the 3rd time.