Do nurses who pick-up extra shifts get favoritism?

Nurses Relations

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Have you experienced or seen excessive or unfair favoritism for nurses that are willing to pick up extra shifts from call-offs?

On the other side, does your facility indirectly punish those that don't pick up shifts with the undesirable schedules or shifts?

Really your experiences.

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
It seems on my unit, the reward for picking up is that they know you might say yes, so they bug you even more. Sorry for the rant.

No apologies needed. And that is exactly why I rarely go in on short notice myself. If they think you can't or won't say no, guess who they will call first?

Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
Worked with a nurse who worked 1 sometimes 2 OT shifts a week. No one said a thing about her OT, then facility had a slump, long term regular staff were getting hours cut but she was still getting 1 shift of OT a week. Needless to say, staff complaints went through the roof. She got angry and cussed us all at the desk one day. Staff meeting was held and we were told to get over our drama. A once well staff floor lost 8 nurses in less than 6 weeks. NM was finally replaced but some good nurses left d/t unfair treatment by NM. So favoritism or whatever you call it ruined a good unit.

Now, that's unreasonable!! The first thing to go during a slump should be OT, period.

Nope don't see it don't experience it. Neither do I see anyone trying to induce guilt nor do I experience when I say no when asked to come in for an extra shift.

When they call me to ask me to work and I refuse they are VERY pleasant. Same if I call in they are concerned for me.

If I do pick up an extra shift for a call in they are appreciative but never have I received favoritism nor have I seen others get it for coming if if there is a sick call.

It is like that everywhere I have worked with one exception. A home care agency I worked for years ago as a CNA. The owner would try to make you feel guilty if your were sick. No it was worse than that she yelled at you, called you names and degraded you.

I did not stay there.

Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

Thought I'd throw in my :twocents:. Of course those nurses that help out in a pinch and do OT are very much appreciated. But, yes I have worked in positions that I saw excessive 'favoritism' given to those that did extra shifts, although 'favoritism' isn't the word I would have used. I have seen some nurses pick up multiple OT shifts, even when they are clearly burned out and are mistake prone. I have seen these nurses become the 'pet' of management, even when they are making mistakes or are not practicing the best nursing care. These nurses were protected and had their praises sung throughout the unit, even though it was obvious that they short-shifted care. What I am trying to say is that management had a tendency to not look too closely at their work, and to forgive them a multitude of mistakes/issues.

In the past, I would always help out- worked a lot of overtime. I never got a thank-you.

I did get a repremand for missing a staff meeting. My reason was I was tired- I'd worked five 12 hour shifts, and moved to a new apt that week!

My mgr said "That's no excuse- the staff meeting is mandatory."

I never worked extra for her again.

In my experience, it's the lazy nurses who come in late, leave early, call off frequently, and sit at the desk chit-chatting while others are working, whom are favored by mgmt.

Management generally hands out outstanding service awards based on willingness to do extra, not necessarily based on nursing ability and patient care. I don't feel overly pressured by management to take on extra, they realize I have two jobs, but the other RNs do pressure me, make passive aggressive comments about their OT, double shifts, or working on their weekend off. At the same time, they make sure that I don't get any OT, since I am at the bottom of the list and they have to be asked first, so I don't fell bad about it. I work FT hours, often more, without ever receiving OT, and when I count their shifts, it's always less.

I help out the nurses who are nice, when they ask me to take a weekend for them, or for a special occasion etc. but the ones who are rude I don't go out of my way for.

My manager at that job has always said she understands that I do all I can, and I have made it clear that I work when able, but when I have an event (whether a horse show or school, or sports for my son) that will take precedence. I work around it, and do my share of weekends, usually more. My other shift scheduler is just so happy because I say yes nine times out of ten, and they also give me good shifts, days during the week, instead of just giving me nights and weekends.

So, I don't feel like there is "preference" from management, when it comes down to it, they treat us all the same, and those who bust their butts find that out when it comes time to put in for vacation or negotiations for wage come around. It is generally not reciprocated.

Specializes in Utilization Management.

I work a double shift now and then, and believe me, I do expect a nice assignment for doing that double on no notice, hardly any sleep, and lest we forget, unfamiliarity with the shift itself (which does slow me down a little).

I ask for an easier assignment because lots of times, I also have to come in to work the next day. I really need to get out on time after a double. I have a whole 8 hours to get home, shower, eat, sleep, get up, washed, and dressed before the next shift. It gives me about 5-6 hours to sleep.

I don't expect to get "favoritism", if that's what you want to call it, beyond the extra shift (and the perks that go with it--we get a little overtime and a little extra pay for helping out.)

Really, if I'm bending over backwards to help out, it's not too much to ask to be paid well for it and to have an easier assignment.

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Speaking from experience, those who pick up extra shifts AREN't favorites. I worked extra shifts a lot this past summer to get extra cash and also because management asked me to because of the short staff on nights. There were a couple weeks where I worked 5-6 straight 12 hour shifts. Never got a thank you or anything. Then evaluations came along and I got the second to lowest evaluation "Developing", mind you they started a new evaluations process and that didn't even evaluate my bedside skills.

I cried after that evaluation because I loved the floor I worked on at the time and it felt like management didn't care. So after that summer, around September, started looking for a new job and in January started working at a completely different hospital on SICU which I love.

At my last job it seemed like those who are favored were on the committees.

No Favouritism- anyone who accepts an overtime shift is often praised/thanked to no-end though hehehe. Doing overtime doesnt get you a better roster/better patient load/preference for breaks etc etc. Just gets you a thankyou and pay at time and a half/double time :)

I never expect preferential treatment. But hey, its nice when it happens :-)

Personally, i dont like going in on my days off- mainly because if its for a day shift im rung at 6am and asked to be there for a 7am start, or phoned at 11:30 for a 1300start. I hate rushing before work (thats just a weird little thing of mine). However, i will stay back late/ do doubles etc (as evidenced by my arvo/night double 2 days ago. I love sleep days!!). If im on a day, due to be back for another 7am start and am asked to do an arvo double, i'll stay til 7pm and get relieved by one of the night 12hr people (thats often a sweetener "can you just stay back til 7 for me?!!")

I spose i do it for my sanity, i consider my days off my time.

Overtime is you lending the ward a hand, and getting a bit more money for your trouble. Nothing more, nothing less. Its a part of the job (one that my friends have difficulty understanding, along with the reality of shift work lol) and everyone is entitled to it, and noone should be punished for not doing it.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

There is a lot of favoritism where I work. Some people have family obligations that prevent them working extra shifts, and they are frowned upon and given worse shifts.

Specializes in LTC, Urgent Care.

In my experience, it's the lazy nurses who come in late, leave early, call off frequently, and sit at the desk chit-chatting while others are working, whom are favored by mgmt.

This is so true at my facility! There is a nurse that I work with who strolls into work a minimum of 15 mins late every shift she works. She whines about how hard her life is: work, RN school, family. She acts like she is already an RN and tries to dump on you (especially if she doesn't like you - like me.. lol), when she is not even the charge nurse. Everyone, including the DON lets her get away with it, because she's the "perfect" nurse and her life is so difficult at the moment!

On the flip side of that, there is an evening shift nurse who is always on time. She always gets her med pass done by 2000-2100 and sits at the nurses station chatting with the CNAs. It's been noted by other nurses that some meds aren't being given, even though they're signed off on the MAR. These aren't meds that have parameters for being given, so no reason to hold them. Yet when it was pointed out to the DON, she said that it can't really be proven that this nurse didn't give the meds.

In both cases, the DON says that these two nurses have overcome great obstacles and basically doesn't want to rock the boat. Go figure!

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