Do people take advantage of me because I work nights?

Nurses General Nursing

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I dont want to get into the specifics of it, but I'm starting to notice a pattern. i've worked nightshift 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 im working on independence day. i couldnt 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 dont 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.:)

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.
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.

Specializes in peds-trach/vent.

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.:hug:xoxo.

Specializes in LTC.

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.

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.

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?"

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
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.)

It is easy to get a prepaid cell phone for the school, and have a separate number for them to call. But, I think you mentioned another concern as to why you answer the phone, and that is that they may have a question about something that happened during your shift.

I started getting these sorts of calls, mainly the nurse who took my group of patient would call me to clarify something I said during report. Mostly, it was, "I forgot what you told me...." or, "What did you tell me about this patient...."

I figured out pretty quickly that many nurses would rather pick up the phone and call you instead of actually paying attention during report or researching a problem themselves to find the answer.

What I realized is that I am not on-call after I leave the facility. I am not obligated to answer any questions or to clarify anything or especially, to tell a nurse something AGAIN, because she wasn't paying attention during report. What I do to avoid any calls based upon something I may have missed, is to go over my med charting like crazy before I leave. Making sure everything is signed off, especially insulins and IV antibiotics.

But really, my point is, once we clock out, we are off the clock! If you documented your meds properly and gave them as ordered, passed on any new orders to the oncoming nurse, you should not have to answer any questions during the day.

The important thing is to be able to let go of it. We all worry about making a big mistake, but really, once you leave you couldn't fix it anyway. So, we need to let go and just go to bed.

Once they realize you are not going to answer and not return their calls (until a reasonable time), they will stop calling.

Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

You cant control what others do. You can only control what you do. First I would explain to the head nurse that if she wants you to pick up extra shifts she needs to put requests in your box and you will look at them when you get to work. You are not getting enough sleep. YOU have to protect your license. The people in suits could care less. If you screw up at work because of sleep deprivation do you think they will defend you? Or say it was their fault for calling you? NO. You put your foot down and stand up for yourself. Ofcourse they will call you if you never say anything.

This happened to me when I was a new grad and worked nights. I would always say yes. Now I look at the caller ID and either don't answer or simply say no I'm not available to work. And if I'm pressured I repeat I'm not available to work. Now my boss gets the hint and I let her know when I want to work extra.

I never answer the phone when work calls. Unless its about the time of day they would be calling to cancel me lol. But I felt like they rushed on me for being new and was calling me every day I was off. I always let it go to voicemail, if it's my manager calling about a scheduling question, I'll call back. But usually I don't even call back if they are asking me to add on. Sorry, don't think it's right to call a night nurse at 2 in the afternoon and ask if they want to work that night, when I've been out all AM running errands and have had no sleep. Just my opinion :)

I never answer the phone when work calls. Unless its about the time of day they would be calling to cancel me lol.
Hehe, only time I'll pick up too!
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