How guilty do you feel?

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when your manager texts or calls because they are very short staffed, and you do not respond to the texts, knowing that your unit and your co-workers who you like very much are going to have a rough time?

I feel guilty about it, but I know that my coming in will not solve the overall administration problem of either poor planning or budget cuts or not hiring enough nurses or not retaining them well enough.

Does anyone else experience this on a regular basis, or is it just my unit?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Goes on everywhere and no I do not feel guilty when I say no or don't answer the phone.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

No guilt whatsoever.

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I do feel guilty, but with working in Home Care it is differant being our clients usually only have 2 to 3 people working with them. So if there is a no call no show, or someone can't take their shift there is a limited amount of people that scheduling can call to take that shift. I feel if I don't take it there is a possibility that client is not going to get the care they need at all, so I take it when ever humanly possible. It's not like a hospital or LTC where they can't get someone it is just the facility is working short.

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Happens almost daily.....sometimes I want to text back "please take my number out of your group messaging". I don't want to be constantly bothered by work issues when I'm off...I have a life and family outside of work that I want to enjoy.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I don't feel guilty in the least and I work hard to protect the time off of my coworkers when I am on the clock.

I didn't feel guilty when I worked in Home Health or in Hospice. They are not MY patients, they are patients of the agency and I am paid to provide nursing care and case management for them. If the agency has no nurse to cover the call off of a regular staff member that is a wake up for them to acquire more staff, not to hound and guilt me or you with their troubles.

It seems to me that many employers want to pay and treat nurses like Walmart greeters but want us to sacrifice our time, safety, and health because we are professionals. Nope, not happening.

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

Not guilty at all because over the course of a year, I would work lots of

extra shifts. I was also willing to swap shifts with other nurses if necessary and convenient for me.

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

No guilt at all. It wouldn't hurt management to work a nightshift every now and then with a full assignment .

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.

nah. When I'm working and we need help, I certainly don't hold it against my coworkers who are off when they don't want to come in, and they do the same when I don't come in.

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We get these texts often. If I can help then I will do part of the shift. If not, I have NO guilt whatsoever. I also don't hold it against people who don't come in. Everyone has a life outside of work.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It's typical in hospitals and frankly it is because they won't hire enough staff or have an adequate float pool. Why because it is cheaper to guilt the gullible into working extra. They have many options hire more, use agency or even travelers but regular staff is still the cheapest even with OT.

Hey if you want the overtime go ahead. We have a lot of young ones that enjoy working overtime, more power to them. I just want to work my regular hours. It is too stressful and physically demanding for me to do overtime! I want a break! My back needs a rest from all the turning, boosting and cleaning thanks to the foley free workplace! Maybe I would consider doing more if I wasn't expected to be a glorified CNA at work!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.

I just tell them, 'No'. I don't feel guilty at all.

I envisioned it being different, with me pulling shifts all week. I did in the beginning but, nah. For one, work is stressful and I don't like my job or nursing well enough to want to work more than my reg shifts. Additionally, you never know what kind of craziness you're walking into. We're likely to be understaffed with aides so guess whose going to have to be bench-pressing elders in addition to charting/gtube/glucose monitoring/charting/floor management, etc...?

No, thanks. Management can work the floor.

I don't want to think about 'those people' or 'that place' on my days off. I dont hold it against my coworkers. They only come in because they want more money. If they didn't, they'd tell them 'no', like me.

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