Does your supervisor call & text you at all hours?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I am getting tired of my supervisor calling and texting me from a personal cell phone to ask me if I will work. It even happens during the night. I used to answer or reply back everytime but I am just so tired of it sometimes I just don't respond. I feel bad not responding.

Have you had this happen to you?

Do you always respond?

Thanks for your reply.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.

I just ignore the message unless I want to come in and work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Step-Down.

I only have a cell phone so that's where I get all my calls. If I see that it's work calling I let them leave a voicemail. If I want to go in then I call back. Sometimes my NM catches me off guard while I'm at work and asks me about doing overtime the next day...I do overtime fairly frequently so I don't feel bad saying no when I don't want to do it. I don't make excuses, if I'm too tired and need a day off then I tell her that (we're all human and need to rest sometimes). Regardless, it's hard to not feel bad saying no to overtime when you know your co-workers are going to have an awful day. But you do need to take care of yourself too, otherwise you will get burnt out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in none.

I had to turn my phone off, because I work for this on one agency where this one idiot would call every day at 6am. She would say that she had this job today and that job today and when I would go to this or that place. They didn't need anyone that day. I got in the habit of calling the jobs. About 60% of the time they did not need anybody. After a year I had enough. I told her to put her job up the seventh planet for the Sun. I went with another agency and there was peace in my house again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
The lure of extra money doesn't work with me.My free time is sheer gold!
Truer words were never spoken.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
[color=#a9a9a9]we have a landline and my husband and i each have cellphones using our landline's company. when i worked, i also had a cheapo dollar store-type cell that cost $10 per month for a prepaid card and the phone cost about $20.

that was the only number work ever had for me. when that one rang, i automatically knew who was calling and could answer it or not.

please reconsider that horrible font color. there's a lot of old folk here that agree with me.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

On my days off, the calls usually went to voicemail. I always called back to decline, just as a courtesy. That way I wasn't faced with the anxiety of them calling again and again. I would also get calls later in the day to see if I could work in the evening. Ahhh the memories...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Maybe I should start a different thread called "Does your staff call you at all hours?" i get calls at all hours. I wouldn't mind if the calls were about something important but they call for stupid things. I work 11-12 hours five days I week. I do need to sleep.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
Maybe I should start a different thread called "Does your staff call you at all hours?"
Yep, you certainly should.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in retired LTC.
Please reconsider that horrible font color. There's a lot of old folk here that agree with me.
I thought it was only me having problems. It is difficlult to read. To sharpiemom, please reconsider the color. TY
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in retired LTC.
I work night shift. My managers got into the ignorant habit of calling me at 1100 or 1300 or some other nonsense. This immediately ceased when I began returning their calls at 2300 and 0100.

Me:"Hey, this is Bortaz, RN. I'm returning your call!"

Them: "OMG, don't you realize it's 1AM!?"

Me: "Oh, did I wake you? My bad."

I am impressed!!! I've thought of doing it, but never had the nerve to do so.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I haven't started nursing yet but while I was a pharmacy tech the lead tech would constantly call me. I was going to school full time and already working 3 days a week and she would always call me to come in. After a few months, I got tired of it and wouldn't answer. If I did respond it would be hours later and I would make up some lame excuse of "oh I didn't see your txt/ call until now".. "sorry, busy"... "hey, I saw your call, whats up?"... I never called in to work and would go in if I wanted the hours and/or felt like working. Actually, the one time I tried to call in, I couldn't because there was no one to cover my shift. Ha hahaha

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

I screen all my calls from the hospital because I don't want to feel the guilt that inevitably swoops in and makes me feel like I have to say yes to everything because I am a people pleaser.

If your floor was adequately staffed, management wouldn't have to call you so much! What happened to the bad economy and nurses not being able to get jobs? My floor is pretty good; we have very decent ratios and there are nearly always people to do overtime, especially night shift because they are paid so well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment