Getting called to work an extra day because of short staffing...

Nurses General Nursing

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I've been an RN for 6 months now. I work 12 hour shifts. This weekend I'm going to work a three 12 hour shifts in a row. I'm working 5 days this week all in all. I just got back from working 2 days in a row so far this week. Now I get this call for the first time in my nursing career, and the charge rn left a message to see if I am willing to work tonite because they are short staff since people called in sick.

Anyways, my delimma is how should I go about this? I want to help out because I know how difficult it is to be assigned with so many patients, and there are not enough nurses. Then again, you know, I'm tired, I only got 4 hours of sleep so far today, and I'm working again this weekend for 3 days. How do you folks handle this situation when u get called in to to work extra day because of short staffing? I'm new to this kind of situation, and I jus want to hear your take on it.

DO NOT CALL BACK. They are under a lot of pressure so they will ask why you wont and lay the most horrific guilt trips on you. You are responsible for taking care of yourself for you and those who care about you dont overextend yourself. It is hard to set limits but you have to. good luck

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

some lucky person got the staff phone list and the job of trying to line up some extra staff. if they were good, they went through the schedule and tried to figure out who would be most likely to come in and called those people first. but if they were busy or stressed, they just went down the list making a mark next to everyone's name -- "yes", "no", "no answer" or "left message." sometimes they save those sheets.

one place where i worked, if they called you and you said no more than twice in the year, it reflected negatively on your evaluation. so i developed the habit of letting the machine get it. if i felt like working overtime, i called in and told them so. if i didn't feel like working it, i never acknowleged receiving the call. until you know that isn't going on at your workplace, ignore the calls unless you really really want to work the overtime for some reason of your own. (upcoming vacation, need to buy a new car, child needs braces, etc.) otherwise, your time off is your own!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How do you folks handle this situation when u get called in to to work extra day because of short staffing? I'm new to this kind of situation, and I jus want to hear your take on it.
The staffing coordinator at my place of employment always calls me on my days off. If I have no interest in working extra shifts, I will pick up the phone and simply tell her that I cannot work any overtime. Do not be afraid to say "No".

Do not worry about helping out with staffing issues, either. It is the job of management to keep the facility staffed adequately. I am not loyal enough to any facility to want to assist them with their staffing troubles. My loyalties extend only to my patients.

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Specializes in Medical Progressive Care Unit.

This is a great oppurtunity for you to practice saying no. Try it a few times before you call them back or when you see that it is them on the phone calling. Dont hem/haw about it and say stuff like " Ummm Im not sure, let me think, ummmm, I might have something to do" Just say "No, I cannot do it and say it with conviction" Lets all practice it together shall we NO, I CANNOT DO IT, SORRY AND GOOD LUCK FINDING SOMEONE ELSE!" You do not have to give a reason, you are a professional, and if you say you cannot do it, that is enough.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

When I first graduated and got promoted to nurse tech IV (graduate nurse but we have to have a license to work in this state no temp permits...but we got paid one dollar less then a new grad with her license...) they would call me all the time to go in...I usually did it for them..the money was good and I did not work much my last semester of school...then I took my boards and passsed...started my orientation as a nurse...they still called me for nights to be a tech because noone ever replaced me...LOL...anyways...I would work half a shift for them probably once or twice a week...the next thing I knew...the night supervisor would be calling me at 1930....ummm did you know you were on the schedule for tonight?? and usually I was working the next day 7a-7p...yeah the scheduler just started scheduling me without even asking or telling me...twice they tried to get me for no call no show...had my NM fix that in a jiffy...that was when I stopped going in to help them out on nights...now every once in awhile..perhaps twice a month they can get me to pick up an extra day shift as a nurse...I just do not answer my phone when I see it is them. Don't feel guilty....it is not your problem like others said....

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you have worked yourself tooooo much... give your body some time to recover... have a good sleep. Do not feel guilty for saying "no" if you really don't like working, the truth is, they do not care about you - if you get sick, they can't help you. Just ignore their call or you can say, "I am not prepared to work tonight because I didn't have enough rest - I do not think it is safe for the patients and for my self,too." Your hospital should set a maximum hours a week for nurses to work and also make a policy that nurses can't work without at least 10 hours break in between schedule. We strictly implement this policy in my hospital.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

This is what caller ID is for!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

screen your calls with Caller-ID. Dont answer the phone if you dont want to do it. It sounds like you need your rest.

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Specializes in Home health, Med/Surg.

I don't even answer my house phone (land line). Everyone who knows me knows to leave a message or to call my cell for urgent matters.

If work calls on my day off and I do not want the extra shift then I don't return the call. It is my day off and my time is my own.

Five 12 hour shifts in one week is exhausting and no sane person would blame you for taking care of yourself on your days off.

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Specializes in ICU.

Cal display!!

I never answer the phone if its from work. If its important, they can leave a message, and I will return the call if I need to. If you dont actually talk to anyone, you will feel much less guilt about not accepting extra shifts. It gets easier. Sometime they may call you 2 or 3 times in one day, but I still just ignore the phone. Theyre desperate, but its their problem.

Cher

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I have a saying that I repeat to the staffing person when I see her; "sorry, I am not available."

Works every time.

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You will get these calls through out your nursing career. It is NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to staff the hospital. If you have any hope of being a good nurse if you don't want to burn out in your first year, (It generally takes us AT LEAST a few years) then you MUST take care of your self FIRST. You can not be effective if you do not.

Get rid of the guilt. Employers love when you easily feel guilt. They capataize on this. Hospitals are businesses.

Learn to say NO now. If you have problem with this then screen your calls and do not call back when they call you from work. You do not have to explain anything this is your time.

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