fatigue.....the nurse's

Nurses Safety

Published

  1. How much is too much???

    • 38
      only my scheduled hours and no more.......
    • 33
      well, maybe four hours more in a payperiod.....
    • 17
      sure, I will work four hours more routinely anytime you ask
    • 17
      oh, well i still have one day off in a two week period
    • 8
      a double plus.......not a problem

113 members have participated

Nurstoons can make my point here better than I can.....check out the one about clones.......and april fools................

Carl E. is great...........

micro is tired and just chillin'

the nursing shortage is on......and 'they' tell us it is only just starting.......

so how much overtime and etc do you do.........

and when is fatigue a problem for you.........

do you have a life outside of work.........

mental and physical fatigue........

and does administration understand or recognize this.......

and should we as nurses on purpose say , no I will not work........

just questions............

I am on a two day stretch of days off....

after an eight day stretch........

just about met the medical and Webster's description of fatigue.............

thoughts anyone.............:zzzzz :stone :stone

Nope - I've never worked extra shifts. I came into nursing relatively late, so maybe that has something to do with it. I felt bad about the guilt trips, but "oh well." I took a hefty cut in pay to be a nurse. Of course that's what I wanted to do - be a nurse. But one of the big perksof bedside nursing is not having to show up every bloody day of the week. I'm not about to take a big pay cut AND give up the perks!!!

Love

Dennie

We are union where I work and one day last month, an RN called in and another RN had to stay over and replace her. An RN with the least senority. Guess who that was? Yep, ME.

Boy was I pi$$ed! I'm getting all fumed up just thinking about it.:angryfire I was already tired from my eight!

Shygirl

I'm a part-timer, so I'm a little more open to picking up extra. I originally wanted full time, but part time was all they offered, and now I'm happy I have it! I'm scheduled 2 days a week, 32 hours a pay. I usually pick up 1 shift a week, but I like the freedom of being able to have 4 days off in a row if I need it without having to "request" it.

What irritates me is when management EXPECTS me to pick up. When they come to me saying, "I see you haven't picked up a shift yet for next week, which one do you want?" That pi**es me off to no end. I won't pick up then just out of spite! :(

But if I were full-time, no way no how would I pick up an extra minute!

Heather

I usually wind up having to stay late to tie up loose ends at least 2 hours a week; I don't like leaving the next shift with "leftovers" but we get lab results, etc way too late to do much more than put the call out to the doc, and write N/O's.

But because I'm scheduled for 40 hours, no, I won't do doubles or work more than that willingly.

I usually don't pick up any extra time...I work 12h nights, and I feel like I'm giving enough just by doing night shift. Sometimes I will pick up extra if I need the money, but I'd rather have less money and more time off.

When I first graduated, I used to do tons of OT...couldn't understand how people could turn the money down. Now, fuggeddaboudit.

I hardly ever pick up extra...just can't stand to be there any more than I already am. I actually need to now...my last position was 3 12's, so I didn't really need to. The new one alternates between 3-4 8's per week, which isn't enough...I do have to stay over an hour or two fairly often though, which helps...

I wouldn't mind finding a true weekend option job somewhere...work 2 12's on the weekend, get paid for 40 hours!

:)

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I work some OT, but with all the meetings/paperwork required for our clinical ladders program - its difficult sometimes.

I'm a full timer and I refuse to work overtime. 40 hours a week is plenty for me -- especially since after taxes, you really don't make any more money after working 8, 8 hour shifts in a 2 week pay period. I figure that's my donation to the cause. I gave only been mandated to work overtime once, and I'll tell you I didn't do it without comment or complaint. I am however, known to expect to be paid for every 30 minutes here 45 minutes there that I have to stay after my shift to clean up some charting mess that I haven't had time to attend to. Fair is fair and my boss is cool with it.

Work 3-4 eight's a week, and that is enough! Yes, I could have more "spending money" if I worked more, but it ain't worth the wear and tear. Pays the bills, and some left over for dinners out with friends, little things for the grandkids, trips to Target. Much better than just working and sleeping-which is the way I felt during the 1 year I worked full time 8's.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

I have NEVER....will NEVER...do OVERTIME on ANY job I ever work or have worked. Nope....I do NOT play that game! When I hire on a job, I very clearly state what I will or won't do....the manager has at that time the option of not hiring me, or hiring me based on my criteria. If she/he hires me anyway, BUT thinks they can manipulate me after the hire, there's only one fool that gets embarrassed or upset when the question of "Will you work O.T. tonight...blah...blah...blah" comes up, and that fool aint me. :lol2:

UNLESS you want to work O.T., IF you are only doing it because you feel you can't say "No", or "You'll be fired and you can't afford to be", then either find yourself a place to work where you won't have to be abused by management, or suck it up and deal with it.

That's the only two options we have when it comes to making choices. Deal or Wheel.....that's it in a nutshell! :chuckle

When I return to work, I plan on drawing up my own work contract specifying what I will and won't do. It must be agreed upon by both parties involved....myself and the person doing the hiring......and both parties must sign that contract. A clause will state that if one or the other breaches said contract, consequences outlined in the contract will follow. Rest assured there won't be a dang thing in my contract that I am not willing to abide by, therefore making it ironclad on my part. ;)

like............the 40 I agree to should be enough.....plus the classes i teach on top of that................but then I duh up and add more.......

and i have been doing this for a couple of days.........

the wear and tear'

oh, well caught up on sleep...........

love my emails, threads, and life..........especially my days off.......

oh, yes, of course I enjoy being a nurse...............

95.9% of the time

mermittin' micro and out for now

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