Out of Town Coworkers (long) Should it be my problem?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.

I need to VENT right now! :banghead:

My coworker one of a few who do scheduling for the next day called today said we only have x amt of pts tomorrow you and I are both up for call if you want you can have it or I'll take if you want to come in. I said no biggie if you want it you can have it. She said okay well since you are not going to take call you can have these certain pt's and you'll probably be done early. Okay great so I'm stoked because tomorrow's supposed to be a very nice spring day making plans for my afternoon. :)

Then my other coworker calls who also does scheduling and says well so&so would like to work on computers (starting a new system soon) and since she has to come from out of town we're going to give you the afternoon cases so she doesn't have to make another trip in. :madface:

It just ***** me off that because since I live in town I don't get the benefit of leaving early. :nono: I'm sorry but it's not my problem that she lives out of town. I just worked all weekend Fri- Sun put in some OT for the last 2 weeks and she's been off for the 7 days. I'm sorry but I would like to have the afternoon off after I put a load of time in. Maybe I'm overreacting right now but it doesn't change the fact that I'm really cross right now. Thanks for listening I just had to get it out before I exlpoded.

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Specializes in Government.

I believe that people who work far from where they live (which includes me) should not be bringing that fact into workplace assignment discussions. It is irrelevant and a choice.

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Geez, how out of town is she? I'm still working in the business world, but I get no special treatment because I live 50 miles from my job - I think the opposite is true. I'm expected to be in on time & work like everyone else, regardless of weather and traffic.

Personally I would have spoken up - it really isn't fair to be expected to carry the load for someone else because of where they choose to live.

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Specializes in ICU.
Geez, how out of town is she? I'm still working in the business world, but I get no special treatment because I live 50 miles from my job - I think the opposite is true. I'm expected to be in on time & work like everyone else, regardless of weather and traffic.

Personally I would have spoken up - it really isn't fair to be expected to carry the load for someone else because of where they choose to live.

It bugs me when people who live 15 minutes away moan about the traffic. I live in the next county and get to work on time because I plan for the journey and allow extra time in case of heavy traffic. Where people live is definitely their choice. If it is difficult they could always look for a job closer to home.

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I do hope you expressed your upset. If you don't let the boss know, you can't expect her to be aware of your displeasure. Give her a chance to be fair to you.

Bosses' pronouncements are not necessarily written in indelible ink. If you had said that you already had made plans and could not change them, perhaps she'd have let you keep your afternoon plans.

If you did speak up and she took away your afternoon anyway, you need to think, I guess, about whether to remain where this favoritism is probably going to. Or will it?

As for choices - I'm not so sure it is always a choice. Or at least it's not always a real practical choice to move and change jobs.

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Specializes in L&D, PP, Nursery.

I live almost an hour from my job and have never been late regardless of traffic, bad weather, etc. I always listen to traffic/weather and plan my day. I also have to take call just like everyone else. The only differance is I ask them to give me extra notice to get out of bed, brush teeth, dress and drive 50 min. I get NO special treatment because of my distance. I'm usually at least 20 min early because I allow extra time for those things. So many of the nurses that live 5-15 minutes away are late every day! Go figure........................

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I now live 40 minutes from work. I am not given any special treatment because I live far away. I am expected to be at work on time and it does not matter what weather, roads, ect are like. I hate it when workers use that as an excuse. I am one of the farthest away. If I can make it in and do my share so can everyone else.

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Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.

It's a smaller hospital so if I say something then I'll be the inflexible coworker and there will be a gossip session about me behind my back. I'd rather spare myself the label & conflict and just do it. It's unfortunate to have to feel that way but that's how it is so I guess I'll have to deal w/ it.

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Specializes in ER, Acute care.

Did you talk to the scheduler and let her know you already made afternoon plans and it just is not going to work out for you to take that shift. Out of town, what does that mean, special priveleges? Stand up for yourself and do what is right by you. Why do you have to adjust your schedule for someone else. I would go back and take call if it is not for the afternoon shift and just do call for morning.

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

i see this often -- out of town co-workers getting special priveleges, and it isn't fair! in seattle, the folks who were commuting by ferry and here the ones who live out of state get excused from call frequently. it's not a written in stone thing, but the charge nurses all do it. "oh, so-and-so is on call, so you'll just have to suck it up and take an extra patient because she lives two hours away." now i can suck it up for two hours, no problem. but sucking it up for 12 hours to avoid bothering someone who lives far away is unfair. it's not my fault she chose to build her "dream house" 100 miles away!

i know it's hard to step up and say something. when it was my turn to be called off, and i really really wanted the day off because i hadn't seen my parents in two years and they were arriving that day, i did say something. i was called at home and the charge nurse told me "i know you're up for time off, but i'd like to give it to susie because she has to take the ferry in, and she'd have to leave now to get here in time. i hope it's ok that i already called her."

i said "you'd better call susie back and tell her to come in because it is my turn to have it off. and i want it off because i haven't seen my folks in two years, and they just called to tell me they'll be here a day early."

i got it off. furthermore we did some talking about the informal policy, and it changed!

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

:madface:that crap ticks me off too! i live 35 miles from work and have never been late in 5 years.

i leave early and always get to work at least 15-20 minutes early and i really :madface: me off when people who live 5-10 minutes away are always late day after day and yet no one says a word to them!

this was only one of the many reasons i left full time 2 weeks ago and became a prn employee!

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I live almost an hour from my job and have never been late regardless of traffic, bad weather, etc. I always listen to traffic/weather and plan my day. I also have to take call just like everyone else. The only differance is I ask them to give me extra notice to get out of bed, brush teeth, dress and drive 50 min. I get NO special treatment because of my distance. I'm usually at least 20 min early because I allow extra time for those things. So many of the nurses that live 5-15 minutes away are late every day! Go figure........................

I've noticed this.

I live 50 mins from work. I arrive 15 mins early and have never been late. A coworker lives next door and is 20 mins late everyday.

It can't be the traffic. Ok, foot traffic maybe.

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