Forced to work longer than scheduled hours....

Nurses Safety

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I am a new RN at a long term care facility. I was called in after midnight on Friday to come in to work that Saturday morning to work for a few hours because they were short staffed. Even though it was my weekend off and I wasn't feeling well, I agreed to help them out and work half a shift. When I got to work that morning I told the supervisor that I would only be working for half a shift she asked, "who would be relieving you?" Of course I did not have the answer to that question as I am not a supervisor or staffing coordinator (I assumed they would try to find someone or the supervisor would take over as usual). However, when my shift was over and I tried to give report to the supervisor she refused to take the key. I called the staffing coordinator and DON and they both told me to hand the key over to the supervisor, but she refused to take the key because they were also short staffed for the next shift, which means she would be covering that shift also. She eventually took the key from me after the DON found someone that could stay over for the next shift. As you could imagine this was a very uncomfortable situation as the supervisor was very ****** off at me (I thought I was helping by coming in for a few hours so she wouldn't have to cover the whole shift). Has anyone ever had this happened where the nurse supervisor refused to take the keys? I would assume that it is their responsibility to find someone or take over the keys, not mines. Have anyone ever had this happened? What is the policy at your facility regarding this?

There is only one policy and procedure manual at our facility that is kept locked in the DON's office, which means it is nearly impossible to ever read it, as she locks it in her office when she goes home.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Ugh, that is one of my pet-peeves about nursing. I lost my first job as a new grad because of agreeing to help out a fellow nurse and taking her 11-7, then being mandated to stay day shift (only found out later it was illegal for them to do so since I wasn't licensed yet!) I was exhausted and crying at the nursing station by noon.

I then worked agency, and was a regular night shift nurse. I had a pretty much permanent position at one facility in particular, so I felt lots of camaraderie for my colleagues there. Occasionally I would stay for 4 hours of overtime if I felt like it, to take a load off them. I did get suckered once when they promised I could leave at 12, and there would be nursing students to help cover most of my patients. Of course, 1pm came around with no relief. I just told them I had had enough and was leaving. However, as an agency nurse, they couldn't force me to stay since I was technically not their employee. That is now one of the things I ask when applying to new positions. I should be starting a new agency job soon, and that was one of the first things I asked. They said that absolutely not, the hospital could not force me to stay...

I think being mandated might be a necessary evil at times, but it becomes a pretty serious liability and danger to the patients after all is said and done!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, LTC, Occ Health.

When I worked 3-11 shift, my relief was ALWAYS late. After staying almost an hour over each time, I finally spoke up. I was told that my relief came from a job at another hospital and that management had made special exceptions for her. When I agreed to work the shift, I wasn't told i'd be covering her being late every shift. I don't mind covering for an emergency, but waking up and getting a small child ready for school and working til late late late every night wasn't for me. After being told the "supervisor had to take my key," I tried this approach to no avail! When I could find her, she would refuse, and one co worker even told me the supervisor had been hiding from me! I finally had to go to the DON about this and it rectifyed the situation. That supervisor hated me the rest of the time I worked there, but at least I got some sleep!

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Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

thats another reason for not doing LTC. they are so short right now where i am, and NOT safe in any manner or respect. we have one ltc that i could tell horror stories about,, but keep my mouth shut. i would demand to see the manual and copy it, if she refuses, i would tell her you are calling the state and they can come in and set things straight. you have rights just as much as anyone else, and you need to stand up for yourself. i know they say in nursing you need to have "thick skin" but you dont, you just need to have the guts to stand up for yourself to anyone anytime in a professional manner. kwim?

i wish you all the luck in the world!

-H-

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Specializes in NICU.

Where I work (medical/oncology) we are always short-staffed, and thus mandating is common. We get calls asking if we can come in early (I work 11-7, thus they want me to come in at 7p) or they are short for the next shift, and so if it is our turn, we have to stay for at least another 4 hours (till 11a) assuming someone from afternoons will come in as relief. However, if you volunteer to come in early, you cannot be forced to stay, if you stay for a 16 (11p to 3p) you qualify for fatigue time ( don't come in for first 4 hours of shift), and they always ask if there's volunteers to stay before forcing whoever's turn it is. This schedule we are critically short for our own shift, so we're being forced to pick up shifts, however, they do have three new orientees. It's not great, but at least they try to be fair about it. If only they could stay on top of filling the holes from when people leave, and then we'd be all set :)

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