Do people take advantage of me because I work nights? - Page 3

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  1. Asst. Admin
    Jun 17, '12 by
    Quote from frankie,RN
    I don't want to get into the specifics of it, but I'm starting to notice a pattern. i've worked night shift for years and regardless of who i'm working for my supervisor ALWAYS calls me 3hours after my shift has ended. She wants to know if I can pick up extra shifts. She has to know i'm tired, sleeping, and in no condition to make sound choices. they NEVER call on my day off. i got suckered into working mothers day. a double on memorial day and now i'm working on independence day. i couldn't turn the ringer off because my children were in school at the time. My favorite method that they use is when they call and say(for example), -hi. can you work wednesday two weeks from now for me. they never say the date. they don't tell you that that wednesday is july 4th. and they never say- can you work independence day. So now your stuck with a shift you cant get out of. i need to cancel my plans. my kids are going to be so mad at me.

    just my vent for the day. thanks for listening.
    They take advantage of you not because you work nights....
    it's because you say yes.

    I worked straight nights for a long ime. I answered NO phones when I worked nights and sleeping. My Mom, husband and the school had a cell phone number to a prepaid cheap cell phone. That was the phone I answered. The others were turned off. I made it perfectly clear to my boss and hospital what hours in the morning I was available for questions and when I would start talking calls again. My boss had to go through my husband to get to me.

    I reminded them if they went to bed at 9 pm....they were still asleep at 11 pm? I made it clear....... If they insisted on calling me at 11 am I could find it convenient to call them at 11 pm and then ask them if I woke them.

    I had a sign on my door for any who dared to knock.

    Owner work nights and has a large dog.....
    Ring bell at your own risk.
  2. Jun 17, '12 by
    I hated how they would call and ask us to pick up day shift hours when they were short yet would never call day shift to help on nights when we were dangeriously short staffed. I would never go in to help days for several reasons, but I had to protect my sleep too.
    caliotter3 likes this.
  3. Jun 17, '12 by
    I work nights as well.

    "Ooops, you woke me up. I'm going to have to check my schedule and let you know about that shift since I didn't bring it to bed with me. Because that's where I am. Sleeping. Bye"
    canoehead and KelRN215 like this.
  4. Jun 17, '12 by
    We have a problem with admin routinely calling night shift folks with questions and coverage requests in the mid-morning, which is when most of us are asleep by. I think it's OK to let them know that it's a really rude time to call you, and start letting those calls go to voicemail.
  5. Jun 17, '12 by
    Quote from ruby vee
    or buy a cheap "burner" (i'll admit to being hooked on "the wire")
    because it's the best show evar. now give bunk some love.
  6. Jun 18, '12 by
    Well, schools's out. my phone is off this morning. I'm in bed with my wall calender next to me, just in case. cell phone doesnt have holidays on it. thanks to all for your advice. love the one about the "burner", too. I must confess though, I have gotten in trouble for telling someone before- "this is my 3am, let me have your number so i can call your house at 3am". i dont think i was pleasant at all about it. Supervisors dont call for "normal" extra hours. its usually the crappy ones that they wake me out of my vulnerable sleep for. Glad to know fellow nurses out there understand my plight. thanks everyone.
    p.s.- this was the last straw and all advice will be utilized. have fun on july 4th everyone. enjoy the fireworks. thanks for the hugs.xoxo.
    canoehead likes this.
  7. Jun 18, '12 by
    If they wake me up it's an automatic no. One, because they p*ssed me off, two because if Im asleep I'm at my most selfish and will do what I want, so that means not pulling a shift on my day off. Im talkin callin me at anytime I'm asleep (I work evenings so I sleep till t least 9) Before I had the amazing job I had, I'd literally hang up after saying no.."Can you come in today" After I worked a thousand hours and back to backs already? "No" *click*. Rude but so was calling me at 7 am.
    canoehead likes this.
  8. Jun 18, '12 by
    Well, frankie, I'm guessing you've caught the gist: you are being taken advantage of and it's not because you work nights. It's because you've been labeled "sucker"!

    From now on, if anyone wakes you to see about covering a shift, you tell them they WOKE YOU UP, ask them to write down the date and leave it where you can find it when you next come in, but you're not going to commit to anything at this moment. If they persist that they MUST know this moment, the answer is simply "no".

    A few "no"s and I'll bet you'll be getting a bit more courtesy.
    wooh likes this.
  9. Jun 18, '12 by
    Call and wake this person up, "Since I'm working that Wednesday for you, think you could work the 4th Tuesday in December for me?"
  10. Jun 18, '12 by
    Quote from wooh
    Call and wake this person up, "Since I'm working that Wednesday for you, think you could work the 4th Tuesday in December for me?"
    Love it! An eye for an eye, right?

    (The 4th Tuesday in December is Christmas, right? Don't have a calendar handy.)
    wooh likes this.